Can't get nitrates down??

[electromango]

Thank you everyone for all of your help and advice, it is very greatly appreciated. Adding Matrix to my power filter in the mechanical-chemical-biological filtration order, performing weekly water changes and partial gravel vacuuming, and monitoring feeding amounts seem to be the best options. Also, adding denitrifying sources such as plants in my tank and filter will be used as well.

My last question would probably be; are there any recommended plants that do exceptional at absorbing nitrates? I know hornwort and anacharis as aquatic plants have been offered before. What about plants to actually place in the filter? And the substrate for these plants would be the matrix, right?

Thanks again for all the advice given thus far and I believe it will be very helpful to anyone else who may have similar issues, as it has been to me.

 

[Angela1108]

I have a similar problem too - my tap has about 30ppm nitrate :/ so I've been reading along


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[enrgizerbunny]

I don't think anyone said anything about clean media = lower nitrates.
What I mentioned was the proper order of the different filtration methodologies usually employed, mechanical, chemical and biological with the intent being to reduce the amount of dissolved organic compounds reaching the biological filter which would then ultimately end up as nitrate.
Of course regular PWC's are part of a maintenance regimen.
My only thing is that, contrary to some opinions, large, frequent water changes are not the cure all for everything.

sometimes doing nothing is the best course of action, especially in a new tank.



3: removing excess organic waste via;
partial water changes
mechanical filtration cleaned at least 2-3 times weekly
chemical filtration
/QUOTE]

This is kind of hard to break down on my phone, but I'll try.

1. You doubled down that having lots of mechanical filtration will prevent the buildup of nitrates. You did, however explain how you came to the conclusion this time- cleaning the sponges 3 times a week.

2. You cannot keep dissolved organic compounds (ammonia in our case) from reaching the beneficial bacteria by any mechanical means. You can remove wastes BEFORE they dissolve(are broken down by bacteria) into ammonia and thus prevent your nitrates from rising.

I think you seriously missed something along the way on that one. You don't get ammonia out of waste food without bacteria. Wastes will dissolve regardless of where they are in the tank and be converted to nitrates and phosphates by the biofilter.

Cleaning mechanical filtration 2-3 times a week? I do filter maintenance once a month and 50% water changes weekly. Changing water accomplishes the same thing as you cleaning sponges so frequently.

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[PNWaquarist]

I do filter maintenance once a month and 50% water changes weekly.

The chemical composition between week-old tank water and dechlorinated fresh tap water is pretty significant. I don't know anything about your tank, so a 50% change may work fine for your situation. But I wouldn't recommend more than a 25% weekly change for the average tank, unless there's an ammonia spike or some other type of emergency. Many species will not respond well to routine 50% water changes.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

The chemical composition between week-old tank water and dechlorinated fresh tap water is pretty significant. I don't know anything about your tank, so a 50% change may work fine for your situation. But I wouldn't recommend more than a 25% weekly change for the average tank, unless there's an ammonia spike or some other type of emergency. Many species will not respond well to routine 50% water changes.

I get a pH swing of .2 and a temp swing of 2-3F.

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[PNWaquarist]

I get a pH swing of .2 and a temp swing of 2-3F.

You should be heating your fresh, dechlorinated water to the temperature of your tank water before adding. Frequent sudden temperature swings of 2-3 F will shorten the lifespans of many species of fish.

It's also good to keep in mind that pH is a logarithmic scale, so a swing of 0.2 pH units is actually pretty substantial. For example, if one were to change the pH of the tank water from 7.4 to 7.6, that would entail a ~40% decrease in hydrogen ion concentration. There will inevitably be *some* change in pH during a water change, and this is one of the reasons why many people recommend limiting the water change to 25%. Increasing your tank's buffering capacity (KH) will also help.

 

[electromango]

Does anyone with similar problems use house plants in their filter for this? If so, what kind do you guys recommend?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

You should be heating your fresh, dechlorinated water to the temperature of your tank water before adding. Frequent sudden temperature swings of 2-3 F will shorten the lifespans of many species of fish.

It's also good to keep in mind that pH is a logarithmic scale, so a swing of 0.2 pH units is actually pretty substantial. For example, if one were to change the pH of the tank water from 7.4 to 7.6, that would entail a ~40% decrease in hydrogen ion concentration. There will inevitably be *some* change in pH during a water change, and this is one of the reasons why many people recommend limiting the water change to 25%. Increasing your tank's buffering capacity (KH) will also help.

Fish go through bigger swings than that in nature. Ponds will swing a whole pH point throughout the day, with the lowest reading occurring in the morning.

My tap water comes out the faucet with a pH at or below 6. I aerate it and allow it to come to room temp ~72F(tank temp 76ish). After aeration the pH is 7. My tank pH is 7.4 and holding steady. I get a slight drop in pH when I change to about 7.2. I have crushed coral in the filter which provides all of my buffering, because my tap water has none to speak of. I am on a well and I do not have any chlorine in my water.

I'd rather have chlorine and a steady pH, rather than a crazy swing that I have to accommodate.

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[Camescu]

I lost a pair of Rams with 20-40ppm.

Marimo moss balls are good for soaking up nitrates, as is duckweed.

Other than that, gravel vac and maybe have a reduced feeding regime?


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[PB_Smith]

I lost a pair of Rams with 20-40ppm.

Marimo moss balls are good for soaking up nitrates, as is duckweed.

Other than that, gravel vac and maybe have a reduced feeding regime?


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are you sure that is why you lost them?

 

[Camescu]

It's the only thing I can think of.


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[electromango]

I lost a pair of Rams with 20-40ppm.

Marimo moss balls are good for soaking up nitrates, as is duckweed.

Other than that, gravel vac and maybe have a reduced feeding regime?


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What did they act like before they died? Now I'm worried

 

[Camescu]

Fairly chilled. Investigated the tank. Hung around together. Disappeared.


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[Masha]

Does anyone with similar problems use house plants in their filter for this? If so, what kind do you guys recommend?

To answer your question

I don't have similar problems, but I do this anyway to remove what nitrates there are:

I've got a philodendrum plant, the heart-leaved vine kind that's extremely hardy and easy to find at most nurseries. I let a stem of it dangle in the tank water near the filter outflow where there's lots of water movement, making sure only the stem is in the water, not the leaves. In other words, the plant is still growing in a pot outside of the tank, but a stem of it dangles in the water.

Pretty soon, roots show. This kind of setup, where the plant is partly submerged but the leaves are above water is the most efficient way of removing nitrates, as well as ammonia, nitrites, etc.

Hope that helps!

 

[electromango]

How long did you have them before they died? I've had mine for about 2 weeks and he still pages around the tank like he's stressed, but still eats well. For some reason he chills out at night and acts normal.

 

[electromango]

To answer your question

I don't have similar problems, but I do this anyway to remove what nitrates there are:

I've got a philodendrum plant, the heart-leaved vine kind that's extremely hardy and easy to find at most nurseries. I let a stem of it dangle in the tank water near the filter outflow where there's lots of water movement, making sure only the stem is in the water, not the leaves. In other words, the plant is still growing in a pot outside of the tank, but a stem of it dangles in the water.

Pretty soon, roots show. This kind of setup, where the plant is partly submerged but the leaves are above water is the most efficient way of removing nitrates, as well as ammonia, nitrites, etc.

Hope that helps!

Thanks! I'll try the plants you suggested. I really want to control this nitrate problem before getting more fish.

 

[Masha]

Any plant that has leaves above the water will work. I've also got some of that "lucky bamboo" that's not actually bamboo, also quite easy to find, and a pothos vine as well.

Good luck, I hope you find a way to get this under control.

 

[electromango]

I actually had lucky bamboo but gave it away... but I'll try fast growing plants like anacharis and wisteria, and use matrix. Weekly water changes too. That's my best bet