I am having a big nitrate problem. I tested my 20 gallon tank a week ago and nitrate levels were very high so i performed a 25% water change. 2 days ago i tested again and they were still high, so i did another 25% water change and added Tetra EasyBalance, because of the nitrabin it contains. Yesterday, they were still high (around 100ppm) so i performed another 25% water change and vaccumed all the debris from the gravel. I also replaced the carbon part of my filter and added Cycle. Today i'm going to start doing daily 10% water changes, instead of 25%. Could something be wrong with my test strips?? Why is my nitrate still so high??
Nitrate Trouble
- Thread starter BenStolt
- Start date
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kaiofcanada
Aquarium Advice FINatic
a couple things before I make any suggestions as I think your water changes are a good thing...
what are your nitrites and ammonia readings?
how many fish and plants are in your tank?
how old is the tank?
if you have fish, do they appear stressed or sick?
It is best to use a liquid test kit rather than strips as they are not really that accurate. You can also get free water testing at your local pet store. If you can, get confirmation of your readings and pick up a full test kit.
what are your nitrites and ammonia readings?
how many fish and plants are in your tank?
how old is the tank?
if you have fish, do they appear stressed or sick?
It is best to use a liquid test kit rather than strips as they are not really that accurate. You can also get free water testing at your local pet store. If you can, get confirmation of your readings and pick up a full test kit.
jinchi
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
What are the parameters of the water that you are doing h2o changes with?
My nitrite and ammonia readings are both 0. I have 6 fish (1 guppy, 2 male platy, 3 female platy) and one 'sucker fish' (don't know real name) I have 6 fake plants and the tank is about one year old. One of the male platy seems to be stressed but it may be from the other male platy (who is bigger) chasing him around.
I took some water to the pet store on the day of my second 25% change and the nitrate tested high there also
The water i used to do the water change has < 4ppm of nitrate
Thanks for the help!!
I took some water to the pet store on the day of my second 25% change and the nitrate tested high there also
The water i used to do the water change has < 4ppm of nitrate
Thanks for the help!!
kaiofcanada
Aquarium Advice FINatic
The nitrates in your tap water are low and normal. So the high levels are coming from what is in your tank. Sounds like your cycle is established and stable, which is good....so this is my suggestion...
Get some real plants
Plants will use up the nitrates and take care of that part for you. Basically you have nothing to suck those guys up. Other than that you should be doing weekly water changes of 20% to combat nitrate levels.Get plants that only require low light unless you are considering upgrading your lighting system. If you only have the standard lights that come in your tank, you definitely should not invest in plants that require middle to high light. They will just die and clog your filtration system. I suggest a crypt, anubis, some vals, or a nice java fern.
If you don't wish to get live plants, then keep a regular schedule of water changes to keep the nitrates down once you get then in a safe range. Until then do daily water changes until you do. Hope this helps.
kaiofcanada
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I am in full support of getting as many plants as you can arrange nicely in your tank. However, this is entirely up to you. How big is your tank?
For instance, in my 20 gallon I have 11 plants or various sizes and placement (front middle background). In general, you would want to have 10-12 hours of light for any plants, but this also depends on your plants and the level of light you have. For low light plants 10-12 hours should be sufficient. There are several helpful threads about planted tanks on this site.
Planted tanks can be alot of fun and add a new dimension to your tank.
Let me know how big your tank is and I would be happy to make some suggestions for your tank size and budget.
For instance, in my 20 gallon I have 11 plants or various sizes and placement (front middle background). In general, you would want to have 10-12 hours of light for any plants, but this also depends on your plants and the level of light you have. For low light plants 10-12 hours should be sufficient. There are several helpful threads about planted tanks on this site.
Planted tanks can be alot of fun and add a new dimension to your tank.
Let me know how big your tank is and I would be happy to make some suggestions for your tank size and budget.
mgamer20o0
Aquarium Advice Addict
how often did you use to do water changes? i would also invest in a liquid test kit. the test stripes are known to give off false readings.
kaiofcanada
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I would start off with some java ferns, a corkscrew val (or other variety), and a crypt. These all do well in low light.
I recommend these two site for helping you make your choices.
Low Light Plants
PlantGeek.net - Plant Guide
I have ordered many plants from site 1. They usually are less expensive than buying them from my LFS even with shipping. Look under low light plants under the aquarium plants catergory. This was you can see picture of the plants and read about conditions. It might inspire you. Site 2 is just a great refernce for any and all aquatic plants. It provides care information as well as where you should plant things.
As for water changes...I would do 20% water changes daily unil you get your nitrates under 80ppm, then continue with weekly 20% changes.
Other nice low light plants to consider would be: wisteria, various swords, and common frills.
I recommend these two site for helping you make your choices.
Low Light Plants
PlantGeek.net - Plant Guide
I have ordered many plants from site 1. They usually are less expensive than buying them from my LFS even with shipping. Look under low light plants under the aquarium plants catergory. This was you can see picture of the plants and read about conditions. It might inspire you.
Site 2 is just a great refernce for any and all aquatic plants. It provides care information as well as where you should plant things. As for water changes...I would do 20% water changes daily unil you get your nitrates under 80ppm, then continue with weekly 20% changes.
Other nice low light plants to consider would be: wisteria, various swords, and common frills.
Thanks i will try those sites out. I have just one more question: how can i get my male platy to stop chasing and picking on my smaller male platy? I also have 3 female platy in the tank, but only one is full grown
kaiofcanada
Aquarium Advice FINatic
well...typically it is good to keep 2-3 female per male platy. Your bigger male might be trying to assert his dominance over the smaller one. You have enough room for stocking a couple more female if you want.
First, I would try isolating the bully for a day or two in a QT tank to give your smaller platy a break. Reintroduce the bully after lights out after his little holiday and see if he doesn't calm himself some in being reintroduced.
You could also get a couple more females and see if that doesn't calm the bickering.
Live plants will also help to provide some extra shelter to the smaller platy.
First, I would try isolating the bully for a day or two in a QT tank to give your smaller platy a break. Reintroduce the bully after lights out after his little holiday and see if he doesn't calm himself some in being reintroduced.
You could also get a couple more females and see if that doesn't calm the bickering.
Live plants will also help to provide some extra shelter to the smaller platy.
jeeptree
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hey Guys
Ok so I am having the same problem Very High Ammonia and nitrate levels in my 55g.
I have a lot of live plaints and my fish seem to be doing good. My plaints are growing like crazy. I did a 25% water change, with a very good cleaning of the gravel last week and still my levels are high.
Ammonia= 50 tested with a strip
PH= 7.0 liquid
nitrite= 0 tested with a strip and liquid
nitrate= 160 strip
and my temp is at 80f
The tank has been set up for 8 months now with very little problems. and never has it been this out of wack.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Two live plants. 1 Lilly thing and the rest are some fern like plant that is doing great.
2 Albino Tiger Barb
2 Striped tiger barbs
2 blue barbs
2 Rosy Barb
2 Flame Dwarf Gourami I think?
1 Honey Dwarf Gourami
1 Powder Blue Gourami
1 Pearl (Lace) Gourami
1 Angel
1 Bush Fish
1 long veil pleco
4 kribs
most of the fish are small as you can see with the exception of the angel and pearl.
Ok so I am having the same problem Very High Ammonia and nitrate levels in my 55g.
I have a lot of live plaints and my fish seem to be doing good. My plaints are growing like crazy. I did a 25% water change, with a very good cleaning of the gravel last week and still my levels are high.
Ammonia= 50 tested with a strip
PH= 7.0 liquid
nitrite= 0 tested with a strip and liquid
nitrate= 160 strip
and my temp is at 80f
The tank has been set up for 8 months now with very little problems. and never has it been this out of wack.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Two live plants. 1 Lilly thing and the rest are some fern like plant that is doing great.
2 Albino Tiger Barb
2 Striped tiger barbs
2 blue barbs
2 Rosy Barb
2 Flame Dwarf Gourami I think?
1 Honey Dwarf Gourami
1 Powder Blue Gourami
1 Pearl (Lace) Gourami
1 Angel
1 Bush Fish
1 long veil pleco
4 kribs
most of the fish are small as you can see with the exception of the angel and pearl.
kaiofcanada
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Poor fishies. Even if they are not showing it yet, with ammonia that high, they are sure to be stressed. Have the fish always been in the tank for that whole 8 months without trouble? Is it newly stocked? Did you let you tank cycle by chance?
You need to do a huge water change asap. That is no good for the fish. I am hoping your tank was cycled and your filtration and substrate are colonized with bacteria. In which case, I would do an 80% water change asap and test the water again in a couple hours.
Which kind of testing kit are you using? liquid or litmus strips?
Are all of your fish accounted for. Any chance that there is a dead fish in the tank causing the ammonia spike?
spoonman
Aquarium Advice Addict
One thing that hasnt been mentioned is that you should be doing bigger water changes right now to get the nitrate levels down. 25% is not going to lower the levels a whole lot. I would be doing 50-75% changes at least to get the levels down. That is first, then work on plants and such.
spoonman
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sorry Kai, didnt realize you told him in the last post. Big water changes for both posters are a must.
jeeptree
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hey everybody I just got done doing a huge water change. and I will test the water in about an hour of so. But in the mean time, When I set up the tank I had it set up well before i put in any fish were in it. Some of the fish like the pearl, and the gourami's have been in there since the start about 8months ago. I had a well established cycle. and now all of a sudden my levels are off.
when my levels were off last week I did a water change. ( it was more then 25% come to think of it I had the water down to the intake of the filter)
That is what got me questioning whats going on? in a week they jumped back up.
if you look next to each of the levels i wrote how it was tested.
thanks again guys.
when my levels were off last week I did a water change. ( it was more then 25% come to think of it I had the water down to the intake of the filter)
That is what got me questioning whats going on? in a week they jumped back up.
if you look next to each of the levels i wrote how it was tested.
thanks again guys.
kaiofcanada
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Ah I think I missed the test notes. Liquid for all would be best/most accurate...but even still I guess the litmus tests are high enough to definitely be taking action. I hope the water change results come back more encouraging for you.
How about your other fish...are all of your fish accounted for. Any chance that there is a dead fish in the tank causing the ammonia spike?
How about your other fish...are all of your fish accounted for. Any chance that there is a dead fish in the tank causing the ammonia spike?
martiniduck
Aquarium Advice Activist
I know that the amount of Nitrates is suppose to be <20ppm. I regularly test my water with an API master test kit and get readings that are more than that amount. They are either 40 or 80ppm. It's hard to tell with the colors on the chart so near in color temperature. Is this safe. I have a 29 gallon tank with 1 live plant. It is pretty well stocked, I am pushing the limit of the bioload in my tank. I may also be guilty of over feeding. Will these levels be harmfull to my fish. They all apear healthy. I do weekly water changes of 30-40%.
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