What are Acceptable Nitrate Levels to Acclimate Fish

Kyle Soto · Sep 9, 2021

I recently purchased a 65 gallon Red Sea aquarium on Offerup. I currently have a 32 gallon Biocube stocked with 4 fish and I am planning on transferring these fish into the new tank. However, the nitrates in this new tank are fairly higher than my Biocube (40 ppm versus 10 ppm). Is this too big of a difference to acclimate the fish into the new tank?

Jekyl · Sep 9, 2021

How was the new tank setup? Did you reuse everything that came with it? If reused the sand did you rinse it first? More details are needed to give a solid answer. If everything reused it could just be the tip of the iceberg for the nutrient spike. Just wondering how nitrate got into a system without anything being added. Nitrate is the product of ammonia (decay).

Kyle Soto · Sep 10, 2021

Jekyl said:
How was the new tank setup? Did you reuse everything that came with it? If reused the sand did you rinse it first? More details are needed to give a solid answer. If everything reused it could just be the tip of the iceberg for the nutrient spike. Just wondering how nitrate got into a system without anything being added. Nitrate is the product of ammonia (decay).

I reused everything that came with it, however I replaced the sand bed and added some extra dry rock. The nitrates have slowly been coming down as I have done numerous water changes.

Jekyl · Sep 10, 2021

I've had nitrates over 100 in my tank at one point with no effects on the fish what so ever. That being said, it would be best to get them in the range you want prior to livestock. Just makes it easier to not worry about livestock while doing large water changes.