High nitate

[Guinness]

well thats great lol i had so many cause i just got back into fish keeping and knew nothing of cycling but hundred hours of reseach have lead me to knowledge i got now

Yes I have spend days at a time glued to the Internet researching fish keeping in general trying to learn more about the hobby that has got me hooked. I have learnt loads over the last 16 months. And forums like this one are the reason I love doing it.

 

[Snype2live]

lol this the only forum that i like pretty actiive members quick responces and not going days with out answers on emergicies

 

[Guinness]

lol this the only forum that i like pretty actiive members quick responces and not going days with out answers on emergicies

Yea it's def the best one I have tried. I now only use this forum. As you say friendly people and very quick response to posts. I have learnt a lot already just from reading posts on here.

 

[Snype2live]

yup yup

 

[maxwellag]

Just for future reference, the maximum PWC you can do without messing with pH, temperature and other parameter fluctuations would be about 75%.

 

[Aspencer]

What caused it I think is my substrate is sand and it was quite deep. I do regular PWC every week of 50ltr. Today I scooped out half the sand. I tested the water on Wednesday and it was fine.
Tonight it's high. That's all I can think of.

One of the good things about sand is that usually the debris stays on top and does not sink like when you use gravel. I have two tanks with sand, one deep and one with about one inch of sand and both do not have trouble with high NitrAtes. You probably have a high bioload where the end product is NitrAtes and even with a heavily planted tank, you need to do water changes to remove the NitrAtes. My advice is to stay on top of water changes, more than once a week and larger than 25%. Test your water and do a water change when NitrAtes are over 20.

 

[Guinness]

One of the good things about sand is that usually the debris stays on top and does not sink like when you use gravel. I have two tanks with sand, one deep and one with about one inch of sand and both do not have trouble with high NitrAtes. You probably have a high bioload where the end product is NitrAtes and even with a heavily planted tank, you need to do water changes to remove the NitrAtes. My advice is to stay on top of water changes, more than once a week and larger than 25%. Test your water and do a water change when NitrAtes are over 20.

I tested the water last wednesday and it was fine. The water changes that I have been doing for the last 16 months have been enough. The tank is not overstocked, I don't over feed.
I really do think it's just taking half the sand out that caused it.

I do regular water tests every week and up until last night they were and have been spot on.

 

[Snype2live]

wait you took out have the sand

 

[Guinness]

wait you took out have the sand

Yes I did, it was way to deep so I scooped it out.

 

[Snype2live]

that could have caused an upset in the system so that probably your issue the sand may have been trapping the nitrates

 

[Guinness]

that could have caused an upset in the system so that probably your issue the sand may have been trapping the nitrates

Yea that's what I posted yesterday. I thought it was that.

I have just changed another 75ltr and the reading is still between 40-80ppm. It doesn't seem to be dropping. I am using an api freshwater kit.

 

[Snype2live]

the number 2 bottle of api test kit for nitrate can be quiet tricky tap it kinda hard for about thirty seconds on a hard surface then shake vigourously for 2 mins then you should be good from then on out just do that to make sure that the chemicals have not solidified on the bottom

 

[Guinness]

the number 2 bottle of api test kit for nitrate can be quiet tricky tap it kinda hard for about thirty seconds on a hard surface then shake vigourously for 2 mins then you should be good from then on out just do that to make sure that the chemicals have not solidified on the bottom

Thanks for all your help guys, I have just used my friends freshwater API test kit. The readings came out with 0ppm where as mine is showing 40-80ppm. I have tested my other tank with my API test kit and have the same result 40-80ppm. I have used my friends kit and got 0ppm again.

It looks like my test kit is duff.
I will have to buy a new one.

 

[Snype2live]

no if its before the date is out api will replace it lol um try what i said with shaking it up very good

 

[Guinness]

Lol it's a month out of date. I didn't think that would have mattered that much. Fair enough if was 2 or 3 months or so. I didn't even think to check it. It doesn't seem like that long ago when I brought it. Oh well my bad.

Can't believe it. I feel like a bit of a numptey lol.

 

[Snype2live]

lol its alright we all make opsy's some times is the nitrate the only one out of date

 

[Guinness]

lol its alright we all make opsy's some times is the nitrate the only one out of date

Yes all the others are only 6 months old. Still can't believe it. All that stress. Oh well lesson learned lol.

Oh I do love this hobby! Gotta laugh or you would cry.

Thanks again for all the help guys.

 

[Snype2live]

no problem hope everything works out