high nitrate level can anyone give me some direction

[theKIMster]

high nitrate level in my freshwater aqu and anyone give me advice.
all my other levels are excellent by the looks of my test strips..
please help

 

[bud29]

to AA!

you can lower nitrates by doing a water change. What readings are you getting exactly from the strips? Test strips are notoriously innacurate, investing in an API master liquid test kit would be a good idea. You can get one for around $20 on Amazon, and you get hundreds and hundreds of tests. They also are much more accurate than strips.

 

[Samzter]

Welcome first off big water changes would help. What's your water change schedule? With test strips they are very inaccurate. Invest in a reliable liquid test kit. They will be a great help.

 

[Samzter]

to AA!

you can lower nitrates by doing a water change. What readings are you getting exactly from the strips? Test strips are notoriously innacurate, investing in an API master liquid test kit would be a good idea. You can get one for around $20 on Amazon, and you get hundreds and hundreds of tests. They also are much more accurate than strips.

Sorry just posted the same time as you lol!

 

[CameronCade]

Do about a 50 percent water change. Check it again and if still high do another 50 percent.

 

[smallfry53]

Pretty much everybody on here will tell you to get a liquid test kit, because the strips are inaccurate. If your nitrate is indeed high, the cure is usually just large water changes depending on how high it is. How many ppm does it say? You should also test your tap water to see if there is nitrate in it.

Man everybody is all over this. O well, hearing the same thing from multiple sources is good right?

 

[frank98284]

Large water changes and if it keeps happening try adding live plants

 

[Rivercats]

Something else, when you do WC's do you use a gravel vac and clean the gravel? Also how often do you clean your filter? High nitrates can also be caused from dirty gravel and filters.