Whats going on?

[SJones]

Hi everyone.New to the forum and been into aquariums for a couple years now.

Heres my problem.I have a 20 L and a 15L.The 20 has been up for a couple years now and i just set the 15 up a week ago.I picked up a API master kit to check the water along with some plants for the 15 .I tested the 20 and the nitrates where right through the roof,like 160 ppm.I started daily, 25%, water changes immediately.Mind you there was only 2 fish in the tank.

Well i set up the 15 and got the plants and everything in it and added some API Quick Start to kick off the fishless cycle.So everyday for a week i have been checking the 20 and the nitrates are not going down.I have vacuumed the gravel daily and change 5 gallons of the water daily.I changed the filter aswell to no help.Now today,1 week later,i checked the 15 and its telling me there is 40-80 ppm of nitrates in that.No fish in it,just the quick start.

Question is,is this test kit bad,it says it expires in 2018 but i just have a hard time believing i cant get lower readings after a week in the 20 and the 15 is showing that high with nothing in it but live plants.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.I have read every post i can find on nitrates and cant figure out whats going on.

 

[pbwedz]

How did you test the water before the new kit? What was the last reading with the old method (if any)?

 

[SJones]

The last time i tested the 20 was with strips.It was some time ago,ide say around the second to last week in January.It was around 40ppm, if memory serves me right.It was the last strip, and i forgot to get more.So it was a while ago,but with only the panda cory and a Golden Chinese Algae eater in it i guess i didnt think the bioload was great enough to raise the nitrates that high.I can assure you it will never get that far ahead again.

Also there are live plants in that tank as well.

 

[pbwedz]

I would believe the API kit over the strips. I've had bad luck with the strips and a lot of other folks don't like them either.

What's the Nitrate level of the water going in? Even if it's 0, it's going to take a lot of 25% changes to get you to a good level. Each change will lower it 25%. So the first change will take it 160*.75=120 and so on. Assuming it wasn't above 160.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

I would increase your changes to 50% and get a liquid test kit. The freshwater master test kit is ideal.

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[librarygirl]

How often do you do water changes on the 20? If nitrates are that high you're either overfeeding, undercleaning the substrate, overstocked, not doing enough water changes or all of the above.

Have you tested your tap water for nitrate?

Quick start alone won't do anything for a fishless cycle; you need to add an ammonia source. I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

Nitrates only leave the aquarium through water changes. At 160+, 5 gals a day isn't going to do much to reduce them. At the same time, your fish are constantly producing waste which in turn is being converted into nitrate. What fish are in the 20?

I would increase the water changes in the 20 to 50%. Do 2-3 water changes today (space them out at least a few hours so as not to shock the fish too much), and more tomorrow. That should reduce the nitrates unless your tap water has high nitrates already.

For the 15, did you add any filter media or gravel or anything from the 20 into the 15? If so that's where the nitrates in that tank could be coming from (or your tap water).

Also make sure you're doing the nitrate test exactly as it says on the instructions or else you can get false readings. Shake both bottles for at least 30 seconds and bang the bottom on your palm or a hard surface a few times. Then vigorously shake the tube for a full minute and then wait 5 minutes for the results.

 

[SJones]

0 nitrates in the tap water.I am starting to see better readings today.Its looking like 80 ish PPM today.I will continue the daily WCs.Yes i probably did neglect the maint on the 20 for a little to long.Just having the 2 fish probably gave me a false sense that i didnt need to clean as much.I would imagine a little over feeding was happening as well.Add it all up and it snuck up on me.Been a crazy couple months.Anyways,thnx for all the info,ill keep on the WCs and see what happens.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

You have a 20 LITRE tank that you're changing 5 GALLONS a day on? That's roughly 80% daily. Assuming your units on both are correct, are they?

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[Khuligirl93]

You have a 20 LITRE tank that you're changing 5 GALLONS a day on? That's roughly 80% daily. Assuming your units on both are correct, are they?

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When reading through the thread I was confused about this too, but I think the OP meant the L to stand for long, not liters.

 

[SJones]

Yes ,it means Long not Liters,sorry for the confusion.Just did another check tonight after todays WC.Im in the 30ish PPm now.Its looking good and im surely chalking this up to my lack of maint.I can promise it will never get like this again.Amazing how bad it can get in a months time with just 2 fish.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Long makes more sense, lol. Yeah I have a 55 and I'm changing 50% weekly to keep my nitrates around 15. I could probably let it go further, but my water stays crystal clear, just wish I had more algae growth for my pleco and gouramis, they eat it all as it forms so I never get a build up

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[SJones]

ya mines is at 20ppm today.I got to say it has not looked this clear in a while. Lesson learned,15 min once a week can save alot of head aches in the long run.