Nitrates...again

[Leftysav]

Hello all! So this one has snagged me up. i have read stuff forever over the last 10 days but still can't find a solution to my problem.

I have done 30% pwc everyday for the last 8 days and I am still showing 40ppm on the api liquid test kit. I have a fully planted tank with co2 and 2.6wpg lighting. I am feeding new life spectrum pellets once a day and only a very small amount.
NO MATTER WHAT THOUGH I am still showing the same results. I shake the bejesus out of both bottles every time and. It doesnt make since that I get the same reading everytime and have done that many water changes. My ph is 7.6 with 0's across the board for nitrate and ammonia.
The tank is 13 months old and none of the fish seem to be affected and the plants are growing just fine. But I dont know why the nitrates wont drop at all.
I have even bought the $30 fluval nitrate remover and put it in my filter and it still shows the same reading no matter when I test. Anyone have any ideas on this one??
I have looked for an expiration date on my kit but I do not see one anywhere and i just bought this kit about a month ago....PLEASE HELP!!

 

[Aces11]

Is it possible that you have nitrates in your tap water? Have you tested the tap yet?

 

[Leftysav]

I have and do. But it's at 20 ppm

 

[Leftysav]

I don't want to change the oh too much but I have been using about a gallon of to water w every water change to drop trates down.

 

[blert]

Try a larger water change. A 50% PWC, to a 40 ppm with tap water at 20 ppm, is still going to leave you at 30 ppm.
Also, check the ferts you are using and make sure you are not adding nitrates with them.
Do a couple of back to back large PWCs and hold the ferts, then check again.

 

[Leftysav]

I don't want to change the oh too much but I have been using about a gallon of to water w every water change to drop trates down.

Oh should be ph, sorry

 

[Leftysav]

Try a larger water change. A 50% PWC, to a 40 ppm, with tap water at 20 ppm is still going to leave you at 30 ppm.
Also, check the ferts you are using and make sure you are not adding nitrates with them.
Do a couple of back to back large PWCs and hold the ferts, then check again.

But 8 days in a row. Shouldn't they of dropped??

 

[blert]

Not necessarily. It would depend on your fish stock and the types and amounts of plants you have.

 

[Leftysav]

Not necessarily. It would depend on your fish stock and the types and amounts of plants you have.

Oh. Ok. In the tank currently I have 3 false julii cories and 6 boesemani rainbows with 3 dwarf Sagittaria. Narrow leaf sword. A crinum calamistratum. 2 small Anubias. Some dwarf baby tears and about 6 anacharis floating...

 

[jlk]

I have to agree with the bigger pwcs (atleast 50%) & i would def check the ingredients on the fertilizers your using. Most do have nitrates. Because your already starting at 20ppm nitrate in your tap, it wont take much ammonia to get your bacteria to convert an additional 20ppm nitrate. Its a tough battle to fight! I have nitrates in my tap as well, so it just means more (big 50-70%) pwcs unfortunately...

 

[Leftysav]

I'm using flourish. Nothing else but prime to condition. Thanks everyone. I'll do a couple of larger changes the next few days and tell you how it goes

 

[Leftysav]

Alright, so I've been doing larger water changes and I also have added some more plants...vallisneria spiralis and vallisneria nana and pressurized co2...checked the nitrates today after work and they were at 10ppm!!!!!! I just wasn't changing enough water perhaps and/or the added plants are eating up some of the trates. either way I'm glad they are finally backing down. thanks everyone, it truly is appreciated!!!!