Spiked-out Nitrates

[unclesalty]

I Was Doing A Routine Water Change.i Did A Water Test That Showed A Higher Than Normal Nitrate(30)level.i Changed 20 Gal. On A 120 Tank.after Doing The Water Change,i Tested Again.now I Am At 100.i Did Another Water Change Right Away.i Changed Out Another 30 Gallons.still Around 100.what Am I Doing Wrong?

 

[tawolcott]

Bad water ? Bad Salt? Bad Test kit?

Confirm each by testing independent of each other.

 

[unclesalty]

I Have Used 2 Different Testing System(the Vial And Dropper And Also The Test Strips).i Checked The Water First,nothing.then After Adding The Salt To The Water,. Nothing.tested The Tank,pegged-out.

 

[melosu58]

You need to check the water you are adding. Are you using tap water? Make up a batch of new SW and do water test on that water.

 

[lando]

First, test your source water as mentioned for NO3. Then test your mixed SW that you use for water changes. Aside from that, its the usual suspects for NO3 accumulation...over-stocking, over-feeding, too little bio-filration, etc.