Nitrate On The RISE!!!

[gmanova]

I finally got my ammonia and Nitrites down to ZERO! Trouble is the Nitrate level has risen above 80 ppm. Is this a safe level? How high can Nitrates go and still be at a safe level?

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

No 80 is not a safe level. 20 and under is safe, so do a water change, an an hour or two test the water to see it its under 20

 

[LyndaB]

Do you have fish in this tank? How did you cycle it?

 

[gmanova]

Tank has been running for 3 months now. I have 10 Mollies and 3 Plattys in it. I used Micro-Lift for the bacteria build-up 3 months ago. My tank ammonia back then rose to 40 ppm while Nitrites and Nitrates were 0. The NH3 then dropped off to 0 and the nitrate level rose. Ammonia and nitrites remain at 0 and nitrates rose to 80 ppm.

 

[LyndaB]

How often do you do water changes? Your bioload is large, given the mollies, but there's no reason for the spike unless you never do gravel vacs or you overfeed.

What size tank?

You should do 2 50% water changes, the first will lower your nitrate to 40, the second will lower it to 20. That's healthier.

 

[melosu58]

Moved to FW general discussion

 

[gmanova]

46 Gallon tank. I do 30% W.C. every 2 to 3 weeks, along with gravel vacs. I did a 50% W.C. yesterday and the Nitrate level dropped to 40 ppm, so it dropped in half. I feed the fish flakes, 3 times a day.
The food appears gone in 5 minutes.

So is 20 ppm the magic number?

 

[LyndaB]

You need to up those water changes to 50% weekly, but right now, 50% daily until your numbers are more agreeable.

Try feeding every other day for a while, you are definitely overfeeding. The only fish that need multiple daily feedings are fry.

 

[gmanova]

OK so water changes it is and overfeeding seems to be the problem. How much should they be fed. Once or twice a day and with flakes how quickly should the food be gone 1 minute,2,3,4,0r 5 minute timespan?

Is under 20 ppm the target I should maintain?

 

[LyndaB]

<20 is ideal

I feed every other day, what they consume in 4-5 minutes but my bottom feeders can take longer to consume an algae wafer

 

[gmanova]

Just to be sure....are you saying once every other day and consume time at 4 to 5 minutes? The instructions on the carton say 3 times a day! I do realize they want to make money and all, but that's way more then only once per day every other day. I am just a little concerned and new to this and just want to do the best I can for my fish.

 

[dasaint]

I would cut down feedings to 2-3 min / 1x day with PWC daily until you get the level managed.

What kind of fiilter are you using?

 

[gmanova]

So are you saying once every other day for 4 to 5 minutes consumption time? The carton says 3 times per day! This is a big difference than nonce every other day. I realize they want to a make money and all! I just want to be doing all the right things for my fish. I am new to this and want to be sure I do everything correctly.

 

[dasaint]

Some people feed their fish every other day. IMHO, 3x a day feeding for 4-5 min is a lot. Personally, I feed 1x a day with 2-3min feedings.

It wouldn't hurt to change your feeding to every other day until you get your levels controlled. Your fish would be fine.

 

[gmanova]

My filter is a wet/dry. The one with those bio-balls.

 

[dasaint]

Cut down your feedings. 1x a day is fine with 2-3min.

 

[gmanova]

Sounds like a plan.....thanks all!

 

[dasaint]

Dont' forget the daily PWC until you get the levels managed. Aftwards, weekly PWC are fine. My lfs feeds their fish every other day and the fish stock are healthy and active. Personally, I don't feel comfortable with that so I just do daily feeds (1x a day) with 2-3 min feedings.

Also, I change up the food every 2-3 days with flakes, brine shrimp, shrimp pellets and algae wafers.

 

[LyndaB]

So are you saying once every other day for 4 to 5 minutes consumption time? The carton says 3 times per day! This is a big difference than nonce every other day. I realize they want to a make money and all! I just want to be doing all the right things for my fish. I am new to this and want to be sure I do everything correctly.

I feed once every other day for 4 - 5 minutes. That's it.

To be honest, I've never read a carton. I've gone by research and the opinion of fishkeepers who've successfully followed this method for decades.

 

[gmanova]

My nitrates this morning as I said before were 80 ppm. I added 5 ml of API Tap Water Conditioner early this morning and now I just got a reading below 20 ppm. Any thoughts on this? The nitrate level came down so quickly!