Best product for removing large amounts of nitrates and a little ammonia.

[Camogirl28]

I love all the in put but at the end of the day I need a set plan to fix this thing. I am think of doing bigger more frequent water changes, adding two new plants. Also when I add new water in I treat it with Prime is that the best thing to do? Also should I stick with the plants and water changes and avoid chemicals or should I try chemicals? PLEASE I NEED A ANSWER SOON!

 

[Camogirl28]

Also how do I change my info on my profile. My tank stock is really outdated

 

[Mebbid]

My advice, stop using prime!!!!
It gives high readings of ammonia and nitrates even after Prime made it safe and locked for easy filter removal. I changed to api stress coat+, not the zyme, the stress coat+. Greatest results ever!
Then decorate with as many natural plants as u can. buy a bunch of foxtail plant also known as hornwort. They grow faster than any other plant i know, no special co no special lights its almost a plague. I guarantee it will consume all ammonia and nitrate.
Buy or make a refugium with these plants.
Don't overstock and dont overfeed!
I DONT MAKE A WC FOR OVER 3 MONTHS. And i measure weekly and all parameters stay the same!

Api stress coat does not remove nitrates or ammonia. Period. Prime also does NOT give false readings for ammonia and nitrates. If it did then almost every single person on this forum would have crazy readings. What prime does do however is convert ammonia into ammonium, this detoxified form of ammonia is still read the same by ammonia test kits.

That's just a crappy brand of Prime.

Two things work, plants and large water changes (80% recommended).

Well three if you want to install a protein skimmer.

If your nitrAtes are that high you're either overstocked, over feeding or don't do sufficient water changes.

My advice is don't try to fix the nitrAte with chemicals, fix the underlying problem.

Best advice I've seen on this thread so far.

I don't do water changes since I stop using prime. Don't believe me? Try it out.
Plants. Cleaning crew. I'm not saying it's the prime. Prime works but leaves all agonia and nitrates in the water. They there but in a safe mode. They say!

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

API Stress coat does not detoxify ammonia, neither does it "remove" ammonia or nitrate. I would suggest that you take a sample of your water to the fish store and have them test for you just to double check your readings. If you have 0 nitrates in a tank you either have an amazingly well balanced tank with plants growing out of control; or your test kit is giving you false readings.



The single best course of action EVER for removing ammonia / nitrates is a proper water change schedule. Like was said earlier 50% hourly water changes will quickly drop the nitrate levels and is 100% safe for your fish. Just don't go over 50% for the amount of water you're pulling out.

 

[Delapool]

I'm assuming nitrate has just crept up over time, in which case prime or similar will make tap water safe and pwc's will lower your nitrates. If you have that already, I would not get anything else. Well maybe a kH/Gh test kit

Have you done any tests on your tap water at all - even strips?

 

[Camogirl28]

Api stress coat does not remove nitrates or ammonia. Period. Prime also does NOT give false readings for ammonia and nitrates. If it did then almost every single person on this forum would have crazy readings. What prime does do however is convert ammonia into ammonium, this detoxified form of ammonia is still read the same by ammonia test kits. Best advice I've seen on this thread so far. API Stress coat does not detoxify ammonia, neither does it "remove" ammonia or nitrate. I would suggest that you take a sample of your water to the fish store and have them test for you just to double check your readings. If you have 0 nitrates in a tank you either have an amazingly well balanced tank with plants growing out of control; or your test kit is giving you false readings. The single best course of action EVER for removing ammonia / nitrates is a proper water change schedule. Like was said earlier 50% hourly water changes will quickly drop the nitrate levels and is 100% safe for your fish. Just don't go over 50% for the amount of water you're pulling out.

Thank you so much!!! Like you have just the greatest advice on this like everyone is saying weird stuff and you just make sense! I am going to do 50% water changes on the hour and add plants and find the underlying problem. So in you advice is that good or should I add chemicals? Also when I fill the tank back up after the water change do I add Prime or do we hate Prime?

 

[Camogirl28]

Oh for your guys information my tap nitrates are between 40 and 80 leaning towards 80 ppm

 

[Camogirl28]

I'm assuming nitrate has just crept up over time, in which case prime or similar will make tap water safe and pwc's will lower your nitrates. If you have that already, I would not get anything else. Well maybe a kH/Gh test kit Have you done any tests on your tap water at all - even strips?

The nitrates in my tap water are between 40 and 80 leaning towards 80. It's sad how my tap water had better nitrates than my tank water that I work so hard on. Some times it makes me want to just but straight tap water in lol, but then I remember all the time and money I have but in to it .

 

[Mebbid]

Oh for your guys information my tap nitrates are between 40 and 80 leaning towards 80 ppm

Okay, with that in mind you are going to have to jump through some more hoops but you have a few options.

1. Cut your water with r/o water. This will directly reduce the nitrate of the incoming water. Assuming you have well water your kh should be quite high (you are going to want to check this) I would suggest a 50/50 mix of ro water.

2. Zeolite - These are chips that you stick in a media bag in your filter. They will remove both ammonia and nitrate from your water supply. I've never personally used it but it's probably the easiest course of action for you. You could run the zeolite chips in a HOB filter on a garbage can or similarly sized container that you can use for water changes. It will pull the nitrate out of your water before it goes into your aquarium. This is the method that I personally would choose out of my three suggestions.

3. Plants - These actively remove nitrate much like Sekal said. However this is going to be the most expensive option. You will need a powerful light and appropriate fertilizers for your tank as well as a lightly stocked aquarium to combat the nitrate from your source water. Planted tanks however are the direction most people go with when they get addicted to aquariums

Start with a few 50% water changes to get your nitrate as low as you can (it wont drop lower than your source water) and then pick one of these and run with it. Sadly nitrate is the worst case scenario for things in your tap water

 

[Camogirl28]

Okay, with that in mind you are going to have to jump through some more hoops but you have a few options. 1. Cut your water with r/o water. This will directly reduce the nitrate of the incoming water. Assuming you have well water your kh should be quite high (you are going to want to check this) I would suggest a 50/50 mix of ro water. 2. Zeolite - These are chips that you stick in a media bag in your filter. They will remove both ammonia and nitrate from your water supply. I've never personally used it but it's probably the easiest course of action for you. You could run the zeolite chips in a HOB filter on a garbage can or similarly sized container that you can use for water changes. It will pull the nitrate out of your water before it goes into your aquarium. This is the method that I personally would choose out of my three suggestions. 3. Plants - These actively remove nitrate much like Sekal said. However this is going to be the most expensive option. You will need a powerful light and appropriate fertilizers for your tank as well as a lightly stocked aquarium to combat the nitrate from your source water. Planted tanks however are the direction most people go with when they get addicted to aquariums Start with a few 50% water changes to get your nitrate as low as you can (it wont drop lower than your source water) and then pick one of these and run with it. Sadly nitrate is the worst case scenario for things in your tap water

Oh that sucks!!! I never thought of that if I have high nitrates then the lowest I can get is tap water level which is still high! So if I do water changes, plants and the media chips will that help enough. I am truly invested . Wow I never thought of that. Thanks you really helped me.

 

[Mebbid]

Oh that sucks!!! I never thought of that if I have high nitrates then the lowest I can get is tap water level which is still high! So if I do water changes, plants and the media chips will that help enough. I am truly invested . Wow I never thought of that. Thanks you really helped me.

Sorry, got my products mixed up.. This third shift schedule change is killing me

I meant to say Seachem's de nitrate. The zeolite is for ammonia removal but the de nitrate is similar to live rock in a reef tank. It has deep pockets inside the rock that will grow anaerobic nitrate removing BB. Kent's nitrate sponge works under the same principle if you can find that instead. Lastly, there is AP Nitra Zorb which I honestly am not sure how it works.

 

[Camogirl28]

And that will work for freshwater

 

[Mebbid]

Yes it will. The anaerobic bacteria is a pretty useful tool for removing nitrates in both fresh and salt. I unintentionally made a deep sand bed in my cichlid tank and it does a fairly good job of keeping my trates down.

 

[Sekal]

I have about 50 different plants and 5 different mosses in my aquarium. Never added fertilizers of any kind. It's like extra feeding bottom fish. They will eat the food and leave the waste. And this is all in a 75g freshwater.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Camogirl28]

Finally a breakthrough in my nitrate problems. My nitrates on Wednesday was 180 ppm, I did a 50% water change vacuumed the gravel and washed the decor. Then I treated it with Prime. I waited 48hrs so the water would settle. I just tested the water and my nitrates was a 80 ppm. I know this is still high and I have a long way to go but, this is a small victory. I would just liked to thank you guys for your helpful input.