new tank and nitrates

[LESEDWARDS]

New to this. Have got an 80 litre tank as yet no fish - cos the nitrate levels are still too high after 4 weeks ! Yet the nitrate levels in the tap water before putting it into the tank is very low. So what is causing the levels to increase when the water is in the tank?

 

[Tim Wheatley]

Hi,

What substrate did you use, do you have any plants?

Thanks,

Tim

 

[BigJim]

Welcome to AA!

What are you using to test your tank parameters?

Nitrates won't go down by themselves. You need to do PWCs to control your nitrate levels.

 

[LESEDWARDS]

Hi,

What substrate did you use, do you have any plants?

Thanks,

Tim

The substrate I used was provided witht the tank - coloured stones (is this what you mean by substrate?). I have not used any plants as yet. Still cannot understand why the water from the tap has less nitrates in it compared to after being put in the tank.

 

[LESEDWARDS]

Welcome to AA!

What are you using to test your tank parameters?

Nitrates won't go down by themselves. You need to do PWCs to control your nitrate levels.

sorry I am new to this. What are PWCs? I am testing for nitrates using Nutrafin test.
Thanks
Les

 

[Carson24]

Pwcs are water changes and the stones are not good for a salt water tank. Sand and crushed coral and other stuff like that is what u should prob use. And good luck

 

[Tim Wheatley]

The substrate I used was provided witht the tank - coloured stones (is this what you mean by substrate?). I have not used any plants as yet. Still cannot understand why the water from the tap has less nitrates in it compared to after being put in the tank.

I asked simply because some people use things like peat, and mistakingly buy peat with fertilizer in it.

I'll step back and let the others answer now as my awesomely bright idea wasn't what the problem was.

 

[Carson24]

Lol sorry ur not even in the saltwater part my bad hahaha

 

[OhNeil1969]

Hello Les;
What are you doing to cycle your tank with no fish? Are you dosing it with ammonia? What are your other readings (for ammonia and nitrites)? It seems that your process has stalled. Providing you've been dosing with ammonia during the process, it seems you've grown enough bacteria to handle the ammonia and the nitrItes those bacteria create but somehow the bacteria that change nitrAtes to nitrogen aren't growing. It may mean that you just need to be patient. I wouldn't recommend water changes during a fishless cycle. The high nitrAtes aren't hurting anyone right now and you'll keep a good supply of food in the form of nitrAtes to grow the right type of bacteria.