Nitrate spike out of nowere..

[JeepTj]

everything was fine yesterday nitrates around 20~ so no perfect.. today got home from work its off my chart, found my cleaner shrimp dead only reason I checked it.. whats my options at this point , probablt not much other then water change a pile isn't it?

 

[Amboss72]

Check your nitrites and ammonia levels. If necessary then do at least a 20% water change coupled with a fresh lot of carbon. If necessary add some Prime first as it can neutralize things quickly while you determine the cause and or do the for mentioned suggestions to come to a resolution.

 

[GoVols]

Which nitrate test kit do you use?

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hey,

My first reaction would be test and double test. Seem improbable unless something was spilled in the tank for that much of a change. Off the charts like 80 or 500?

 

[Amboss72]

I usually use API. If I’m testing tanks with really low nitrate levels I’ll use Redsea’s nitrate test kit. If your nitrates are too low to register on the API test kit then I don’t think nitrates are your problem.

 

[Amboss72]

Hey,

My first reaction would be test and double test. Seem improbable unless something was spilled in the tank for that much of a change. Off the charts like 80 or 500?

I completely agree with Mastiffsrule!

 

[GoVols]

I completely agree with Mastiffsrule!

+3

 

[Bryson.bobby]

The spike likely was caused by the dead shrimp.

 

[JeepTj]

yea lowest I got was still between 50/100 and was with a salifert test kit shrimp looks like it just happened fairly recent before I got home. regardless everything else is good nitrate and ammonia is 0 atm fish look happy nems look happy coral bandid shrimp looks mean as always.. Moorish idol is happy .. possible the shrimp got in a fight.. who knows.. but I got the 50 gallon brute filling mixing up and heating up atm argh..

noone was home allday nothing on the tank.. so possibility of something falling unless landlord came in but it would have been caught on my camera..

 

[Amboss72]

yea lowest I got was still between 50/100 and was with a salifert test kit shrimp looks like it just happened fairly recent before I got home. regardless everything else is good nitrate and ammonia is 0 atm fish look happy nems look happy coral bandid shrimp looks mean as always.. Moorish idol is happy .. possible the shrimp got in a fight.. who knows.. but I got the 50 gallon brute filling mixing up and heating up atm argh..

noone was home allday nothing on the tank.. so possibility of something falling unless landlord came in but it would have been caught on my camera..

Yes I don’t think it was the nitrates as everyone else seems to be fine. I suspect a tank mate took him out.