High Nitrate

[Rorie]

I have just finished fishless cycling. I had super hi nitrate at the end as can be expected. I did a 99% water change and planted my tank. I then got a couple more plants, so the next day did a 50% water change.

I am adding my fish tomorrow, but my Nitrate is at 80PPM!!! WHY?! I know there will be comments about fishless cycling and planted tanks etc, but unless it is relevant to my nitrate, i have heard it all This was the best way for me to cycle my tank haha....so, nitrate, where is it coming from?! How do i get rid of it?

 

[nicklos]

I have just finished fishless cycling. I had super hi nitrate at the end as can be expected. I did a 99% water change and planted my tank. I then got a couple more plants, so the next day did a 50% water change.

I am adding my fish tomorrow, but my Nitrate is at 80PPM!!! WHY?! I know there will be comments about fishless cycling and planted tanks etc, but unless it is relevant to my nitrate, i have heard it all This was the best way for me to cycle my tank haha....so, nitrate, where is it coming from?! How do i get rid of it?

Try testing the water you are using to fill your tank. I had this same issue once and turned out the water from my tap was at 60ppm. At any rate, it sounds like you know what you are doing and I am sure the plants will kick in shortly and absorb some of it. Just keep on the lookout for an algae bloom in there.

Just had another thought, what substrate are you using? Sometimes it can become so saturated that water changes will have no effect.


On an unrelated note, I just checked out your website. You are an amazing photographer. Especially with wildlife.

 

[Gilli]

Lots of people panic over high nitrates - its really not a problem. If it is high out of your tap all you can do is try to keep it within a reading of around 40 added to the reading you get from the tap. Usually you can keep nitrates down by water changes but if you have a high tap reading dont worry too much the fish will be fine. Just add lots of plants which will use some up, dont overfeed which will add to the high reading, do really thorough gravel vacs and stick rigidly to weekly water changes of at least 30%, and when you do add your fish dont overstock to stop them going higher.

 

[Rorie]

Thanks for the help.

I do not think there should be a problem with the tap water though - never had any issue running my other tap. I imagine it is left over from the ammonia cycle. So, i will keep an eye on it over the next couple days and like you say, maybe it will drop.

Thanks about the website Tell your friends!! Really! I just started it up a couple months ago after my friends were moaning at me to sell my stuff....so i started! Had quite a few sales locally and also one in Brazil! But nothing much further down that Glasgow. So spread the word. As you can see from the website, i just got news that i have been accepted to do a month long solo exhibition in aberdeen! On top of the two galleries that are/will stock my work

 

[guppy love]

Agree with what Gilli said so well.

Rorie you must be getting excited now the fish are nearly here, what are you planning on having?

Maybe you could give some pointers for aquarium photography! Mine are getting better as I try new angles and lighting but still not great. One problem is they seem to know when I point a camera at them and scarper, just like my cats do!

 

[Rorie]

Yup! Fish arrive on Tuesday morning! Got 50 Cardinal tetras and 4 bolivian rams in my first batch. Then i will see how it looks space wise if i want to add more cardinals or not. once they (and my plants settle) i will be adding a group of corrys and shrimp. I think i will also be adding those wee algae eaters that are only an inch long if i need them (i think they are so cool) and finally, eventually, if it is all going to plan, i will be adding a snowball plec

Aquatics photography.....i have zero experience with that haha. I will have to play about. But i think our big issue is that most cameras will focus on the glass, rather than the fish! By the time most cameras notice the fish, its gone! So thinking as i type, my initial thoughts are that you would need a decent camera (i.e. an SLR) that you can manually focus with. Then set up and wait, putting the final touch to focus when needed. Also, those wee things tend to be fast! So to have a quick enough photo, you need to have loads of light! If you are using a typical compact, use portrait mode or something similar. This will knock the background out of focus, and keep the fish in focus. BUT, by doing this you are also maximising the amount of light getting into your camera.

haha, some quick off the top of my head thoughts. I will have a play about when i get my fish and then write a post on here for you .... if i work out the answer of course

 

[Rorie]

I just checked my tap water, the Nitrate is 0. My tank is still at 80

I gather this is maybe just from the ammonia cycling process? Maybe i should try doing another large water change before i get my fish on Tuesday if it has not dropped by then?

 

[Gilli]

You are putting 50 Cardinal tetras and 4 bolivian rams in a newly cycled tank in one go?? What size is the tank?

 

[Rorie]

You are putting 50 Cardinal tetras and 4 bolivian rams in a newly cycled tank in one go?? What size is the tank?

Yup! I cycled with ammonia so technically I can fully stock it in one day! But it's 360l, so my wallet won't stretch to 100% stock levels haha

 

[Gilli]

You are braver than me! You can stock it all at once after a fishless cycle but if something hasn't gone right you could lose everything and thats a lot of fish. The other thing is you have to make sure your are not overloading your tank for the bacteria to cope with - 54 fish in one go is a lot! - whats the tank size?

 

[Joshwainwright]

You are braver than me! You can stock it all at once after a fishless cycle but if something hasn't gone right you could lose everything and thats a lot of fish. The other thing is you have to make sure your are not overloading your tank for the bacteria to cope with - 54 fish in one go is a lot! - whats the tank size?

But it's 360l, so my wallet won't stretch to 100% stock levels haha

It's still a big risk but I'm sure you'll be fine, you know what you're doing.

 

[Rorie]

You are braver than me! You can stock it all at once after a fishless cycle but if something hasn't gone right you could lose everything and thats a lot of fish. The other thing is you have to make sure your are not overloading your tank for the bacteria to cope with - 54 fish in one go is a lot! - whats the tank size?

But it's 360l, so my wallet won't stretch to 100% stock levels haha

It's still a big risk but I'm sure you'll be fine, you know what you're doing.

I thought that was the whole point in fishless cycling!! Hope everything does go to plan

 

[Joshwainwright]

For me, the point in fishless cycling is to prevent any fish from being harmed and to save myself from having to do daily water changes. I guess everything will go to plan if your tank is fully cycled and there is enough bacteria to deal with the ammonia the fish you're getting will produce.

 

[Rorie]

For me, the point in fishless cycling is to prevent any fish from being harmed and to save myself from having to do daily water changes. I guess everything will go to plan if your tank is fully cycled and there is enough bacteria to deal with the ammonia the fish you're getting will produce.

I have done so much reading and research it better workmhaha. It was processing ammonia pretty quickly at the end of the cycle. I added plants and then stopped adding ammonia. I realise this means that some bacteria will die off until the fish arrive. But, I am adding bacteria booster and also hope that the plants will process any of the extra ammonia that the dead bacteria should have dealt with. Fingers crossed! I'll do water changes regularly to cover all grounds!

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

Whats bacteria booster?

What quantity of ammonia was your filter processing in 12hrs at the end of cycling?
And how long will the time period be from when you stopped adding ammonia and to when the fish will be introduced?
Somebody (Waterdrop ) may be able to advise how much bacteria loss you may get?