New SA/CA Tank

[Brookster123]

Well glad to see my tank has maintained its cycle through the move. 40ppm of nitrate....I was planning on doing a 50% pwc Saturday. Should I do it sooner?

Yah, wanna stay below 20

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[RedNeck]

Yah, wanna stay below 20

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Wc under way...time to have a beer and crank some blues

 

[RedNeck]

So I just did a 55 to 60% pwc and this is what I got now........I'm baffled.

 

[Brookster123]

Where do you live? Your source water has nitrates??

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[RedNeck]

Where do you live? Your source water has nitrates??

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Ny.....just moved to my new town a year ago and that was my first thought......SO, before I rushed to do a pwc I tested my tap.......0ppm or just about. I am completely at a loss.....those two tests look almost identical to my eyes and I'm testing just as instructed by the directions.

 

[Brookster123]

You've tested your tap recently? How old is the test kit? Did you shake the absolute bleep out it first and during?

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[RedNeck]

You've tested your tap recently? How old is the test kit? Did you shake the absolute bleep out it first and during?

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4 years old yes and yes. I tested the tap. Right after you said wc......I thought man, its been 5 days with 13" of fish in a 90 not getting over fed.....somthing seemed off. All my filters are clean as well.

 

[Brookster123]

Shaken the test bottles like they stole something and than some more. Try again.. if you havnt been in the past than they're junk.and you need new ones

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[RedNeck]

Shaken the test bottles like they stole something and than some more. Try again.. if you havnt been in the past than they're junk.and you need new ones

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Nope I've been shasking then like crazy....for a minute just like they tell you too. And why would my tank keep showing nitrates and my tap be 0 or close to it?

 

[Brookster123]

Your tank was that high?? I don't know??you using a mature cannister filter?

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[RedNeck]

Canister has all new filter material BUT all my old bio media in the baskets......not much, bag of ceramic beads......fluval stars.....that's about it. It's the same canister I used for my mbuna.....cleaned out of coarse. I'm letting it go tonight and testing again tomorrow. If I get the same results I'll go get another kit........it's going to drive me nuts because at 55-60% it should have came down a bit. Is there any media worth putting in my filters to reduce nitrates?

 

[Brookster123]

First let's rule out the test kit being good/bad. I really can't see that much waste being produced already. When they're grown this is what you'll be up against for sure. If it comes down to it??pleco is a major poo machine. I'd personally never keep a pleco with an Oscar, maybe a big bristle nose but nothing else. They really do need pristine water to thrive. Plecos just foul water imo. Anyways... you can look into seachem de-nitrate in unison with purigen.

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[RedNeck]

Thanks for your help Brookster. I'll keep you posted.

 

[RedNeck]

So this morning I tested again with the same results.....then I put about 2ml of tank water in the tube and 3ml of tap and got this slightly lighter rendition........I am going to buy a new kit(kit I'm using lot number says 08/11) in a few hours so hopefully later I have better results posted. If not I'll be doing another 50% followed by a 50% Saturday morning and see where I'm at........I've just never had this much trouble before AND the pleco was parthe of my Mbuna tank.

 

[Brookster123]

Your other pic didn't show up. That looks closer to 10ppm to me.

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[RedNeck]

Your other pic didn't show up. That looks closer to 10ppm to me.

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Well, it wasn't the kit......atleast I know that for a fact now. Time to roll up my sleeves and do another large water change and PRAY it bring it down.

 

[Brookster123]

How did it increase that much in a few hours?!?!

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[OsciTheOscar]

Different light?

 

[RedNeck]

That 10ppm is mixed 2ml to 3ml tank to tap......I was messing around to see if I could get different results.........hopefully this pwc gets it to atleast 20........or else I'm going to loose my mind.......my 3 fish are only 4" long a piece!!!! And I'm not overfeeding. I only put in what they eat in front of me.

 

[OsciTheOscar]

Its a mystery! Shall we call scooby doo and his team?