How "dirty" of tank is too dirty for fish & shrimp???

[duganderson]

I know that softies and LPS can handle a 'dirtier' tank and can sometimes even do better in a somewhat dirtier tank.

How dirty (Nitrate, phosphate, etc.) of a tank can fish handle if the corals are doing fine OR in a fish only with live rock tank? How about shrimp?

My tank is a 34 g. red sea with a clown, Aflrican Flameback Dwarf Angel, 6 line, Goby/Pistol Shrimp and cleaner shrimp.

THanks, Doug

 

[ssick92]

The better question is what is your nitrate level at currently?

Fish can handle 50+ nitrates, inverts are about the same. Corals, even softies, I would say start surviving (instead of thriving) above 25 or so, LPS above 10-15, and SPS above 5-10.

Phosphate should stay <.03, regardless of coral type, generally speaking.

 

[duganderson]

Fish can handle 50+ nitrates, inverts are about the same. Corals, even softies, I would say start surviving (instead of thriving) above 25 or so, LPS above 10-15, and SPS above 5-10.

Is nitrat the only that really matters for fish? OR are other things relevant (phosphate, calcium, all, etc.)

Thanks, Doug

 

[ssick92]

Is nitrat the only that really matters for fish? OR are other things relevant (phosphate, calcium, all, etc.)

Thanks, Doug

They all matter still matter, just not nearly as much as they do for corals. Fish are much more resilient to a wide range of levels for calc, alk, mg, etc. because they don't rely on them to grow and stay alive. They probably utilize some for their skeletal system growth, but not nearly as much as stony corals which rely entirely upon their ability to grow their calcium carbonate skeleton. For example, fish could probably still be fine even at 4dkh, 250 calcium, 50 nitrate, and 1.015 salinity , but those levels would kill every single coral in the tank. But 2dkh, 100 ca, 150 nitrate, and 1.010 sg might kill your fish too. It all depends on the individual specimen.

I don't have much experience with phosphate levels and fish compatibility, but I would venture a guess that they would be fine in anything up to around .40 ppm and may start being uncomfortable in anything higher than that.

I would advise to keep your levels in the "good range" instead of trying to keep them out of the "dead range."

 

[duganderson]

Thank you for your thoughts. This question was a bit more of a theoretical question to understand the needs of fish and fish only aquariums.