New at saltwater

Question
Ok, so I've had the tank for 48 hours. My friend gave me the tank and it had fish already established in it. The fish have been dying rapidly so I took a sample to my aquarium shop and they told me the nitrates are off the charts. Probably from moving the tank with the rock still in it. I don't know when the substrate was changed last. I've already did a 20% water change and added nitrate eliminating compounds that the aquarium shop sold me. The tank is a 35 gallon hexagon. My main concern right now is that my pink paddle starfish is rapidly deteriorating. He's got several holes on the main part of his body and on one of his arms. Is this something that can be corrected or is he doomed to pass away like the rest off the fish??

Answer
Hey Erica

Im sorry to say, the chances of your star making it are slim, in my first tank i had nitrate problems also, and my star got a hole in his head and his arms and died soon after. if you keep him in really clean water, he has a chance though. The only way to eliminate nitrates is to do water changes

good luck!