I haver a 55 gallon tank that had about 25 guppies, algie eater and a catfish. My daughter graduated and brought home about 10 more guppies, 2 zebra tetra's and a ghost shrimp.
I am down to 17 guppies, 1 ghost shimp and the 2 zebra tetras. I have been doing regular water changes and checking the water for amnoia, nitrates, nitrites, ph and ph high and have been fine up to the time she added the new fish. Now my nitrates spiked up to between 40 and 60. Everythis else is still normal. I had the water checked at 2 other aquarium stores and everything on their tests were all fine. The test kit is only 2 months old and have never had this high nitrate reading until last week (maybe bad test kit which is the API master test kit.).
I do the regular water changes and replace the filter packs. I heard this weekend that the charcol filters are really not that good and to use another product (don't recall now what it was but was a white hard ball) which I was told would keep the cycle in better shape. Also putting a lava rock would help control the cycle.
I treated the tank for bateria and fungus based on the suggestion from the aquarium store where I had the water tested.
Any help is appreciated.
I am down to 17 guppies, 1 ghost shimp and the 2 zebra tetras. I have been doing regular water changes and checking the water for amnoia, nitrates, nitrites, ph and ph high and have been fine up to the time she added the new fish. Now my nitrates spiked up to between 40 and 60. Everythis else is still normal. I had the water checked at 2 other aquarium stores and everything on their tests were all fine. The test kit is only 2 months old and have never had this high nitrate reading until last week (maybe bad test kit which is the API master test kit.).
I do the regular water changes and replace the filter packs. I heard this weekend that the charcol filters are really not that good and to use another product (don't recall now what it was but was a white hard ball) which I was told would keep the cycle in better shape. Also putting a lava rock would help control the cycle.
I treated the tank for bateria and fungus based on the suggestion from the aquarium store where I had the water tested.
Any help is appreciated.