Can Temperature Affect Nitrates?

[rjcatlin]

Hello all,

I would like to know if temperature can affect the nitrate level in an aquarium. I recently did a water change and even rinsed my filter (two days in a row). After finally figuring out how to perform the nitrate test, I found that my nitrates are at 80 ppm. That was both before and after the water change and rinsing! The temperature of my tank today was 88*F, I lowered it to 80. Will this help, or should I do another water change and rinsing.

 

[Fishguy2727]

The way that temp will affect nitrate is through a higher metabolism in the fish. They eat more, produce more waste, and the eventual result will be higher nitrate.

If yours is 80 there is a problem. Make sure you are definitely doing it right. Test your tap water too, people always forget that tap water can bring things in as well.

Is this an API nitrate kit?
How old?
What exactly are you doing?
How big is the tank?
How is it stocked? (be specific: what type of fish, how large, how many, etc.)

 

[ejaramillo01]

Wow
88 degrees definitely was too high!

 

[meegosh]

If it is the nitrate test out of the API master kit then be sure to shake it like crazy. If not you can get some bad readings. I would start doing PWC's to get your nitrates down below 20ppm.

 

[TraceyB4602]

High temps make bacteria form more quickly. It might speed up your cycle. Are you cycling? Or are these readings from an established tank? Your water temp is very high I hope there are no fish in there. I would lower it to 78 degrees if there are fish, if not 80 is fine. Some fish do like higher temps but not most.

Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium

 

[rjcatlin]

I am using an API test kit. I checked my tap water and the nitrate reading from it is 10 ppm. It is an established 60 gal. African Cichlid tank. I have 7 Africans that are about 3", 1 cory catfish about 2", 1 parrot cichlid about 5", and 2 plecos about 6".