nitrates spiked help me get them down safely

[Greenwood77]

Just checked my levels everything is good except my nitrates here are my parameters:

pH: 8.1
NH3/NH4+ : 0ppm
NO2: 0ppm
NO3: 80ppm+
It seems to be in between 80 and 160 range color indicates darker than 80 but not as dark as 160.

Running eheim ecco pro 2234 I think is the number it filters up to "80" gallons I have a 37. Doing a 30% water change today and going to clean the canister. Anything else I can do to drop the nitrates down without effecting the other levels?

 

[Ronald Marcelo]

Good luck, i'm just a noob but stop feeding your fish for a day and then reduce your feeding thereafter. Just a tip to add to the water change and filter cleaning. Get a bigger cleaning crew?

 

[cbourg746]

Just checked my levels everything is good except my nitrates here are my parameters:

pH: 8.1
NH3/NH4+ : 0ppm
NO2: 0ppm
NO3: 80ppm+
It seems to be in between 80 and 160 range color indicates darker than 80 but not as dark as 160.

Running eheim ecco pro 2234 I think is the number it filters up to "80" gallons I have a 37. Doing a 30% water change today and going to clean the canister. Anything else I can do to drop the nitrates down without effecting the other levels?

I would do a 50-70% water change and rinse the filter media in tank water.

 

[Greenwood77]

Well cleaning the canister shouldn't be a problem I just took it and cleaned it out and hooked it back up to find its case was cracked at the handle.. Tried to exchange it at the LFS and I had lost the receipt so now I have a marineland penguin 200 as back up til I get my replacement from eheim.. Anyone know the customer service number for the U.S?

 

[Mogurako]

I would do a 50-70% water change and rinse the filter media in tank water.

I agree large 50-75% water changes daily until the levels are back below 20ppm. Also do a very through gravel vac, typically you don't get a big spike like that unless something dies or there's allot of uneaten food somewhere.

 

[JohnyDC]

Hello, new to site. I have a similar problem. I think you should 1st check your nitarates form the tap, you may already be starting with some levels. Consider a planted tank or a planted refugium. Plants thrive and consume large amounts of nitrates. If you haven't already added bottom feeders, they help to clean up excess food. I don't recommend cleaning filter, gravel and large water change at the same time. This would cause too much removal of beneficial bacteria, will cause too much stress to fish and may cause death. Do 20-25% water changes every 2-3 days and feed less. Hope your tank is not over-stocked. Hope any of this helps.

 

[Greenwood77]

Hello, new to site. I have a similar problem. I think you should 1st check your nitarates form the tap, you may already be starting with some levels. Consider a planted tank or a palnted refugium. Plants thrive and consume large amounts of nitrates. If you haven't already added bottom feeders, they help to clean up excess food. I don't recommend cleaning filter, gravel and large water change at the same time. This would cause too much removal of beneficial bacteria, will cause too much stress to fish and may cause death. Do 20-25% water changes every 2-3 days and feed less. Hope any of this helps.

Nah I've got good tap its right around 20ppm doing some water changes I believe I have too much rock down so I removed some and agitated it so my filter can remove some of the bio waste doing the change in a bit with a gravel vac so that should help some too

 

[Mogurako]

Nah I've got good tap its right around 20ppm doing some water changes I believe I have too much rock down so I removed some and agitated it so my filter can remove some of the bio waste doing the change in a bit with a gravel vac so that should help some too

That's more than likely the cause, biological waste that got trapped by the rocks. I tend to pull out my rocks work at least every other month or just move rocks around at water changes.

 

[erikmoseley]

Buy a small powerheads that you use as hand held tool and blow between the rocks before you change water it drives most crap out and up into the water circulation. Do that weekly and you will be good. Still SHOUKD reorganize rocks monthly or so for a thorough cleaning

 

[Mogurako]

Buy a small powerheads that you use as hand held tool and blow between the rocks before you change water it drives most crap out and up into the water circulation. Do that weekly and you will be good. Still SHOUKD reorganize rocks monthly or so for a thorough cleaning

+1 great advice.

 

[Ronald Marcelo]

A lot of great advice here but idk about reorganizing the rock for a thorough cleaning. I'm fairly new but i believe it shocks the fish... Among other things. The small nano powerhead lightly sweeping the sand bed so that it can stir up the debris is a great idea. I personally removed the top layer of diatoms and detritus when I had my outbreak and just about all the advice given on this thread. Except for moving the rock and 50-75% water change. I only did 25% consistent water changes and tested frequently.

 

[Mogurako]

Moving rock work will not negatively effect the fish in anyway. Large water changes will also not stress the fish, infact they tend to enjoy it. I would like you to consider the following:

When you change 25% of the water at 80-160 ppm you end up with 60-120 ppm of nitrates which is far from ideal. However when you change 75% you end up with 20-60 ppm while not ideal is allot better.

 

[erikmoseley]

A lot of great advice here but idk about reorganizing the rock for a thorough cleaning. I'm fairly new but i believe it shocks the fish... Among other things. The small nano powerhead lightly sweeping the sand bed so that it can stir up the debris is a great idea. I personally removed the top layer of diatoms and detritus when I had my outbreak and just about all the advice given on this thread. Except for moving the rock and 50-75% water change. I only did 25% consistent water changes and tested frequently.

My fish usually mate when I change 50% and remove all the rock and rebuild it back up Keeps aggression down as well making them have to establish their territories again. It's really good for a keeping single fish from controlling whole tank.

 

[Ronald Marcelo]

My fish usually mate when I change 50% and remove all the rock and rebuild it back up Keeps aggression down as well making them have to establish their territories again. It's really good for a keeping single fish from controlling whole tank.

Never thought that would occur (mating). However in this hobby/life, anything is possible. I can see how it keeps territorial fish from controlling a tank. I love the idea and will have to try it sometime. My biggest beef is, If it ain't broke... Don't fix it.

 

[Greenwood77]

Buy a small powerheads that you use as hand held tool and blow between the rocks before you change water it drives most crap out and up into the water circulation. Do that weekly and you will be good. Still SHOUKD reorganize rocks monthly or so for a thorough cleaning

Never thought about that... Thanks! I did take the rocks out and move the substrate around and changed about 5 gal of water for now I'm going to do a test tomorrow and then more water if need be. I'm using RO water now as well. My neighbor just got a system we are sharing so hopefully that helps some too.

 

[Ronald Marcelo]

RO/DI water is amazing! Anywho good luck.

 

[erikmoseley]

Never thought about that... Thanks! I did take the rocks out and move the substrate around and changed about 5 gal of water for now I'm going to do a test tomorrow and then more water if need be. I'm using RO water now as well. My neighbor just got a system we are sharing so hopefully that helps some too.

Awesome !!