Any help with nitrates ?

[leggey]

Hay guys I have been having a lot of trouble getting my nitrates down, I do 20% pwc every 4 days but am still reading between 40-80 ppm on my nitrates is there something am missing ?

 

[rotorhead22]

What are you using for filtration? What size tank? What kin of substrate? What kind and how many fish?

 

[blert]

Think of it this way...
If nitrate is at 80ppm and you do a 20% PWC, assuming your source water has zero nitrate, the level in your tank will still be above 60ppm.

You need larger water changes.

I think this formula is correct:
(A x ((100 - B) / 100)) + (C x (B / 100))
Where:
A = tank nitrate ppm
B = % PWC
C = source nitrate ppm

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Leggey's filtration isn't the issue as long as there are just nitrates showing. A bigger issue would be if overfeeding or nitrates in the sourcewater was present. Larger pwc will help along with controlled feedings and possibly an intro of live plants.

 

[leggey]

Ok so I'll try doing 40% pwc from now on and see if that helps and also I think I do over feed a bit as I try to make sure my 2 plecs get some :s thanks for the help guys

 

[blert]

Ok so I'll try doing 40% pwc from now on and see if that helps and also I think I do over feed a bit as I try to make sure my 2 plecs get some :s thanks for the help guys

40% is still going to leave you above 40ppm. T'was me I would do a 75%, wait an hour, then do a 50%. That would bring it down to 10ppm, again assuming your source water is at zero. Monitor the nitrate for a week and see if it is actually rising fast or just a result of past small water changes.

 

[leggey]

Will do thanks for the help

 

[Wy Renegade]

If you're going to do a 75% water change, make sure you match pH and temperature as closely as possible before doing the water change, as changing such a large volume of water in one shot can have a significant impact on those two parameters.

 

[Borderlesscott]

If you have a Juwel aquarium get a nitrate sponge for the filter, it will really help.

 

[rotorhead22]

Plants will also help reduce Nitrate levels.