Is 160 ppm Nitrates too high

[pettygil]

Is 160 ppm Nitrates too high? Do I need to do a water change in my 6.5 gallon tank? Even if I do a WC the Nitrates are high. It has been about 4 days since my last water change. I do have Nitrate pads, but they do not work very well.

 

[Andy Sager]

Is 160 ppm Nitrates too high? Do I need to do a water change in my 6.5 gallon tank? Even if I do a WC the Nitrates are high. It has been about 4 days since my last water change. I do have Nitrate pads, but they do not work very well.

Well, it seems that they have run their course so need replacing more often OR switch to another brand like the Poly Filter.
Yes, 160 PPM is not healthy for the fish studies have shown. They can live in it for some time but it's doing damage to the fish's organs. You will need to do a daily water change to reduce them slowly or do a major ( 50% - 75%) water change to reduce them quickly. Since you are ( or should be) using the bottled water, I would do the large water so that you reduce the number of days to get the nitrates to a more acceptable level. Just make sure your bottled water is close in temperature to the tank's water.

 

[pettygil]

Well, it seems that they have run their course so need replacing more often OR switch to another brand like the Poly Filter.
Yes, 160 PPM is not healthy for the fish studies have shown. They can live in it for some time but it's doing damage to the fish's organs. You will need to do a daily water change to reduce them slowly or do a major ( 50% - 75%) water change to reduce them quickly. Since you are ( or should be) using the bottled water, I would do the large water so that you reduce the number of days to get the nitrates to a more acceptable level. Just make sure your bottled water is close in temperature to the tank's water.

Is the filter I should Buy. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HYN8602/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A19NVE4G6SOT2C&psc=1
i will do 50 per wc once a day.

 

[Andy Sager]

Is the filter I should Buy. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HYN8602/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A19NVE4G6SOT2C&psc=1
i will do 50 per wc once a day.

Yes, or you could get the single pad from Keith (KJE). A 3 pack will probably last you a looooooooong time.

 

[pettygil]

I just bought from Keith

Yes, or you could get the single pad from Keith (KJE). A 3 pack will probably last you a looooooooong time.

I just bought from Keith, so hopefully this works. I will keep doing wc, waiting for my package.

 

[Andy Sager]

I just bought from Keith, so hopefully this works. I will keep doing wc, waiting for my package.

Keep in mind that doing a 50% change should lower the nitrates to 80 ppm then another one will drop them to 40 ppm so you shouldn't need to do more than 3 before the pad come.
Just cut a piece to fit your filter and remember to place it in the same position the ones you are using are.

 

[pettygil]

Will the poly filter work to reduce Nitrates? Do i wash the filter with sink water, or tank water?

 

[Andy Sager]

Will the poly filter work to reduce Nitrates? Do i wash the filter with sink water, or tank water?

Yes, because it absorbs organics which means it absorbs ammonia so less ammonia helps reduce nitrates. This is why you want it to be the last pad in the filter before the water goes back into the tank. Being last it will absorb the nitrates instead of the ammonia.
You can either rinse it in tap water or the bottled water but don't run a lot of tap water through it because it will absorb all those organics. Think of it as a sponge. It will absorb anything that goes through it.

 

[pettygil]

I just got the poly filter pads. Should I do a WC, or just wait? How long will the filter pads last? I have enough for 2tmes.

 

[Andy Sager]

I just got the poly filter pads. Should I do a WC, or just wait? How long will the filter pads last? I have enough for 2tmes.

If you do a change with the bottled water first, you will extend the life of the pad. How long the pad will last is dependent on how much it pulls out of the water. Test your nitrates once a week after installing the pad. When you see it starting to rise, change the pad. Just remember to gently rinse off the pad when you do a water change to get any debris off the outside of the pad.

 

[pettygil]

If you do a change with the bottled water first, you will extend the life of the pad. How long the pad will last is dependent on how much it pulls out of the water. Test your nitrates once a week after installing the pad. When you see it starting to rise, change the pad. Just remember to gently rinse off the pad when you do a water change to get any debris off the outside of the pad.

I rinse the pad in tank water. Is that ok to do? I also did a 50 per WC on both tanks, because I am using tap water. I ran out of bottle water. I will test my Nitrates once a week. once I get paid again I will buy spring water.

 

[pettygil]

I tested my tap water and it has 0 Nitrates. So not sure what is causing it. I also checked one of the Betta tanks and it now has 0 Nitrate but the other betta tank has about 80 pmm. I will check tomorrow to see if anything has changed.

 

[Andy Sager]

I rinse the pad in tank water. Is that ok to do? I also did a 50 per WC on both tanks, because I am using tap water. I ran out of bottle water. I will test my Nitrates once a week. once I get paid again I will buy spring water.

Tank water you removed for the change? That's okay.

As long as you did a water change, take a nitrate test now to know your starting point then test again in 2 days to see how much of it the polyfilter removed. After that, switch to once a week.

 

[pettygil]

Tank water you removed for the change? That's okay.

As long as you did a water change, take a nitrate test now to know your starting point then test again in 2 days to see how much of it the polyfilter removed. After that, switch to once a week.

I waited a few days, and my Nitrates are still very high, with the polyfilter. Its about 40 to 80 ppm. I am using spring water again. I removed every thing in the tank and my Nitrates are still 80 ppm. What should I do now to remove the nitrates? should I buy plants to remove the nitrates?

 

[Andy Sager]

I waited a few days, and my Nitrates are still very high, with the polyfilter. Its about 40 to 80 ppm. I am using spring water again. I removed every thing in the tank and my Nitrates are still 80 ppm. What should I do now to remove the nitrates? should I buy plants to remove the nitrates?

If it started at 80 PPM and now is between 40 and 80, that means the filter pad is working. Keep using the spring water for water changes and let the pad do it's thing. You can do a water change to reduce the current nitrate level but every time you switch back to your tap water, you are adding ammonia/ammonium which is the source of your eventual high nitrates. Your fish will not produce the equivalent amount of ammonia that your tap water will unless you don't do water changes for months.