About 7 weeks ago I started a 110 gal reef tank with about 100 lbs of
LR.

After two weeks and a good buildup of brown alge, I added a 12 hermit
crabs, 6 snails and a lawnmower blenny.

A week later I added three soft corals.

At the one month point the water test was:
ph: 8.2
Amonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
But the Nitrate was around 5

At the five week point I did my first water change of 25 gal. All the
readings were the same. I kind of expected the Nitrate to drop lower.
But it seemed okay...right?

At six week point I added a green bird wrasse and a yellow tang.

I tested the water last night and everything looked good except the
Nitrate; it was around 10. I tested again tonight and the same.

All the life in the tank looks great to me, except on soft coral that
isn't coming out lately and like four hermit crabs that suffered what I
call "the green bird wrasseth."

I've been reading about Nitrate and it seems that most people agree the
level should be around 5, certainly lower than 10. So, I was thinking
of adding some Shaving Brush Plants, both for decoration and also to
help the Nitrate levels.

Does anyone have any thoughts and/or experience with these plants and
any thoughts on my Nitrate situation. Any help would be greatly
appreaciated.

Craig