Is this normal?

[fishfanatic]

I think they are bubbles from my newly added co2 but I throught they were supposed to dissolve not sit and float? I am afrade it will block the light fsrom getting to my plants. Please help


And as a second question... I have nitrates in my tank (120ppm) and they will not budge! I have been doing lots of PWC! but is has not helped! Is there anything else I could do?

 

[Sharklover]

That happened to me and your filter should take care of it and as for nitrates feed a little less and do a small like 5 or 6% water change and clean the gravel/sand and after a few days it will slowly drop and if you do that ur fish should be fine along with your plants!!!

 

[eco23]

Have you tested your tap water for nitrAtes? Either they're present there, or the test kit is not accurate if it's not going down after pwc's. Are you using an API Master test kit? Make sure you're shaking the #2 bottle for a full 30 seconds and shake the entire tube for a solid minute. It happens every day on this site that people don't shake long enough and get bad results. If you're using strips, they're notoriously inaccurate and I wouldn't trust the readings.

 

[eco23]

I assume the tank is fully cycled? Do you know your full parameters? (ammo, nitrIte)

 

[fishfanatic]

I have already cut back on feeding to everyother day. And every 4 days I do a 5 gallon water change. I have been doing this for 2 weeks. Shouldn't this be helping?

 

[fishfanatic]

I use RO water that I get from the fish store, my nitrites are 0, my ammonia is 0

 

[eco23]

I use RO water that I get from the fish store, my nitrites are 0, my ammonia is 0

How about the test kit?

 

[fishfanatic]

Have you tested your tap water for nitrAtes? Either they're present there, or the test kit is not accurate if it's not going down after pwc's. Are you using an API Master test kit? Make sure you're shaking the #2 bottle for a full 30 seconds and shake the entire tube for a solid minute. It happens every day on this site that people don't shake long enough and get bad results. If you're using strips, they're notoriously inaccurate and I wouldn't trust the readings.

I use a timer and everything when I shake it. I follow the instructions like they are the Bible. Lol

 

[eco23]

I use a timer and everything when I shake it. I follow the instructions like they are the Bible. Lol

I've heard stories here about water from a lfs being crazy high in no3. If you test the bottle you buy and they're that high from there...it's time to find a new lfs. It simply doesn't make sense for the no3 to not drop with a good sized pwc.

 

[fishfanatic]

I have never tested the ro water... that could be a problem! I will be so ticked if I have been paying 25 cents a gallon to put nitrates in my water!

 

[eco23]

I have never tested the ro water... that could be a problem! I will be so ticked if I have been paying 25 cents a gallon to put nitrates in my water!

Unless your tank is ridiculously overstocked, that is the only logical explanation I can fathom.

 

[fishfanatic]

I will test it when I get home then let you know

 

[fishfanatic]

I tested the RO water and it looks like it might be 2 ppm.

 

[eco23]

I tested the RO water and it looks like it might be 2 ppm.

Hmm... How heavily stocked is your tank? It still won't budge after a 50% pwc?

 

[fishfanatic]

Here is a list of fish that I have in my 40 gallon tank
1 anglefish (3.5 inches long)
1silverhatchet fish
2 rosy barbs
1 glofish
2 neon tetras
2 rasporas
4 gardneri killifish
3 emperor tetras
1 german blue ram
2 SAE
And 3 amano shrimp

 

[fishfanatic]

Do you think that I am over stocked? I have a fluval 305 filter.

 

[eco23]

Here is a list of fish that I have in my 40 gallon tank
1 anglefish (3.5 inches long)
1silverhatchet fish
2 rosy barbs
1 glofish
2 neon tetras
2 rasporas
4 gardneri killifish
3 emperor tetras
1 german blue ram
2 SAE
And 3 amano shrimp

I'm not the stocking police, but there's some problems there. First, GBR are very sensitive to nitrAtes so I'd expect that to become a problem soon. Also, virtually every other fish you have in there are schooling fish and should be kept in groups of 6 or more. I'd have to do the math to figure your stocking %, but I wouldn't think that's not enough to cause nitrAtes that high as long as you're doing weekly pwc's.

I really know very little about planted tanks, is it possible the ferts you're using contain no3?

 

[fishfanatic]

I used to have them all in schools but now they have fallen apart due to death. (I have lost some due to the nitrates and ich). Now that I think of it could paraguard have kill all of my bacteria, I also used mardel 1 and 2?

 

[eco23]

I used to have them all in schools but now they have fallen apart due to death. (I have lost some due to the nitrates and ich). Now that I think of it could paraguard have kill all of my bacteria, I also used mardel 1 and 2?

What are your ammo and no2 levels?

 

[fishfanatic]

I am going to retest it right now so give me a sec.