nitrate question.

[lornajane89]

Just a thought. Could built up waste mixed with gravel be causing excessive nitrates. We have a 2nd hand tank that has always had high nitrate readings. When it was brought home and refilled the gravel and waste was mixed quite alot. Do you think its worth trying to change the substrate?

 

[reefdiver]

Have u tried using a python vac to remove some waste.

 

[aqua_chem]

Also take a second look at the stocking, check tap nitrates, and clean the filter. I've seen all of those cause nitrate issues before.

 

[lornajane89]

I cleaned the filter last weekend and saw an enormous drop in nitrates. To be honest i am fully stocked (probably a little over on paper) but to look at my tank definatley isnt. Ive got a 165l tank with a 2000 lph filter its stocked with

20 neons
3 guppys + 4 x 3 month old guppys
3 dwarf gouramis
6 julii corys
4 polka dot loaches
1 leopard frog pleco

We do have nitrates in the water 20ppm but my newest tank doesnt have the same problem. The only thing i can think of is if there is more waste under the gravel than i thought. I do use a syphon to vacuum the gravel regularly. We have white gravel but its always looks dirty.

 

[fort384]

Are you running a canister filter? They tend to be nitrate factories if they aren't cleaned properly and often.

 

[lornajane89]

No im not sure of the technical name its built in to the hood of my aquaone ar850 its got a power head that pumps water up into an over head spray bar where it filters through 4 pads and goes out into the tank.