40% water change and more plants, but nitrates stay the same?

[Nuclear Queen]

My nitrates recently spiked due to a stocking error on my part. Lost 2 fish from it, but performed a 40% water change and added 3 more (healthy) plants from another tank. Everyone is doing fine again, but maybe 4 after the change, my nitrates haven't moved.
Should I do another big water change?

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[Peepsdayz]

What is your nitrate level?

 

[BillD]

No reason you can't do another change, but 40% isn't really big. Change out 50% and your nitrate level should be halved. Personally I don't have any qualms about doing much more than that.

 

[Nuclear Queen]

Nitrates are zero.
Another water change it is, then

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[ScotJudd]

NQ - Nitrates are zero? Are you sure? If so, why the urgency for a WC?

 

[BBradbury]

Your Tank

My nitrates recently spiked due to a stocking error on my part. Lost 2 fish from it, but performed a 40% water change and added 3 more (healthy) plants from another tank. Everyone is doing fine again, but maybe 4 after the change, my nitrates haven't moved.
Should I do another big water change?

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Hello Nuke...

You likely added too many fish and there wasn't enough bacteria to handle the added waste. Nitrates, at a low level, say in the 30 to 40 ppm range aren't going to hurt your fish. Many aquarium fish easily tolerate a level of 50 ppm. Lower nitrates is better, though. The other forms of nitrogen like ammonia and nitrite will kill your fish.

Floating plants like Hornwort and Anacharis are the best plants for lowering nitrates. You just drop the stems into the tank. The smaller the tank, the more often the water needs to be changed. I have larger tanks and replace half the water at least every two weeks. If you change a lot of water and do it often, there's no time for pollutants to build up.

B

 

[Nuclear Queen]

Wow, thanks for the through answer BB! You're right, I need to change the water more often.

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[ckalisz]

I recently had my nitrates WAY up and actually did 50pwc for 5 days straight to get them under control.