Big fish, high nitrates?

[LucidGoblin]

I made the mistake of buying a sailfin tang and putting him in 30 gallon tank tied to a 10 gallon refugium. He started off at two inches, he's now four. I think he's the reason I can't get my nitrates to go down below 40 ppm. Even after a 20 gallon water change, the levels went back up in less than a week. Could the fish be the culprit? (I do plan on donating him to my LFS, once I take my rock work down to catch him. :headwally

 

[bertoni]

Well, as much food as that fish is probably eating, I am not surprised at the nitrate level.

 

[LucidGoblin]

Thanks, bertoni. Yes, he eats and poops like a pig. A waste producing machine, but he's healthy. I managed to catch him without destroying my rock work, and my LFS has a nice big tank to let him roam free. (My purple firefish already knows the monster's gone and has stopped hiding behind the leather corals.)

 

[bertoni]

I'm glad he was easy to catch. He'll be easier to manage in a larger system.