Problems(Nitrates, Filters)...

[UNCCwill]

Ok, I have had this ten gallon set up for a while. Its a month past the end of the cycle and I have had three fish die, two clownfish and a damsel. There is about 13 pounds of live rock and an inch deep bed of crushed coral. Snails have also been dying left and right but hermit crabs are surviving. Nitrites are at 0, ammonia goes between 0 and .25(but mostly at 0, spikes a bit when something dies), and nitrates are around 10. My Ph is 8.2. Temperature stays between 76-78. I run a maxijet400 powerhead and a whisper filter 20 with the media that came with it. I am on spring break this week and just letting the tank run with only crabs and one snail. I am hoping to add a fish when I return, but I am worried about nitrates. Also, I was using tap water with a tap water conditioner but have started using walmart distilled water for water changes (did an initial fifty percent change when only invertbrates were in the tank, nothing died as a result).

 

How do I lower the nitrate level?

Should I remove the media from the filter and just let it run for water circulation (I can't afford a protein skimmer)?

 

Thanks in advance for the advice.

-Will

[seabass]

A nitrate level of 10 or less is fine (even a little higher wouldn’t hurt your fish). Switching your water from tap is a good thing. You won’t need a skimmer if you keep up with your water changes and I would replace the filter media with some SeaGel in a media bag.

[movingshadow]

I agree with the above... and have to add: the sander piccolo air driven skimmer is only 20 bucks (new!) over here in germany, is it that much more expensive in the US?!

[Reefmaniac]

A skimmer would help keep your ammonia and nitrates from going up by removing dissolved organics before they break down. I would ditch the crushed coral in favor of a "live sand" sand bed.