Nitrate level at 40

F

Fresh18

my tank is 4 weeks old my nitrate level is at 40. It was higher last week I did a water change last tuesday. No fish added... should I do a water change or should I just let it run it course
 
check amoia. after its at zero check nitrites after thay are at zero start doing water changes till nitrates are at zero or at lest below 10 . change 20% every two weeks till nitrates are at zero then change 10% every 2 weeks. as normal matinace .
 
chaeto is a green macro algae that people put in the sump to export nutrients. In other words the its the algae that eats up a lot of the stuff that is bad for the tank. You can get a ball of chaeto and put it in your main display also. I used to have it tucked behind some rock work in my old tank that was sumpless.

this is what it looks like...

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If your Nitra te is at 40 then it has already run it's course.

Ammonia->Nitrite->Nitrate

If you don't have something that takes up the Nitrate, like macroalgae (Chaetomorpha, Caulerpa, Gracilaria, etc.. think seaweed), then the only way for it to leave the system is through water changes.
 
Sounds like your primary Nitrogen cycle is wrapping up.

Like the others said, start on water changes and SLOWLY start to introduce your first life forms after the nitrates come down around 20 or lower. The macro algae mentioned will greatly help 'eat up' the nitrates and phosphates but are no substitute for water changes. Keep up on those. Also, the macro algae will grow quickly so to get the nitrates and phosphates it takes out of the water to be gone permanantly, you need to harvest out and trim the seaweed as it grows.
 
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