High Nitrate

[CBXGhosty]

Hi all,

Found this site after bad few days with my tank, should have noticed it ealier but been busy and now my fish are dying, lost both my clown loaches which i have had for over 2 years.

All is ok with the water except Nitrate which is now at 160, did a water change on saturday (50%) and just tested it again now and its back to 160 again. Doing antoher 50% water change.

Have put some carbon filter thing in that the shop told me to add but am concerend that my other large fish will bit the bullett.

Can ony one assure me that i am doing the right thing and is there a quicker way to bring the level down.

Tank has been up and running for 2 years and totaly did not know about checking the nitrate - ever !!! ,, but never had a problem until now.

Some things you learn to late (

 

[canarsie11]

Get some live plants. But the water change, do them daily until you see difference

How big is tank

 

[rjdoghouse]

Hello there,

I am currently experiencing the same problem - sky high nitrate levels. Are your Nitrite and ammonia levels ok? Mine were - just the nitrate is really off the chart like yours.

The advice that was given to me, here on this board, yesterday was to keep up water changes daily - up to 30% and to test my tap water. My nitrate has been very high for a long time - and my fish seemed to adapt as it changed, then die in batches. I think it's the long term stress they were under, as one of them is looking poorly at this time and has been in this tank for about 2 years - could be yours has been high for quite some time, too, and the fish are now being affected. When mine died, it happened fast like what yours is doing - but only some, not all, were lost. There is hope!

My tap water tested fine - so it's the tank. I'm going to follow the advice for daily water changes. The person also suggested live plants, which feed on nitrate - but said that's a slow process, more for over the long term.

Good luck - keep up the water changes and hopefully we will both come out of this with living fish!

rj

 

[CBXGhosty]

Hi,

think you are right with the level being high all the time, i have had fish die in batches but they were always the small fish that did not last long after buying them. I put it down to the shop, guess i was wrong. I am currently doing another 50% water change then i will do 30 daily until it drops, the other levels are 100% fine, always kept an eye on them.

I have a a 4 ft tank with some plants (well one large plant) in it already, has always been there and seems to grow fine, I am guessing its because i have let it build up and only got concerened when my long time fish started dying. Is it worth taking out some of my larger fish and putting them in another tank?

thanks for all help,

 

[appleblossom]

If you have another tank with better water quality for your fish then use it until you can get your levels sorted. Adding some very fast growing plants will help to lower your nitrate in the long term but for now, as has already been explained, water changes are your best bet.
Good luck!

 

[CBXGhosty]

Well did another water change yesterday testing it now, looks like it is going to go to 80ppm, is there some thing else in the tank causing this? i have done 2 x 50% water changes. Going to do another 30% tonight. I have rocks in it that came with the tank and some slate.

Can i send anyone a small movie or some pics as i also dont know what some of my fish are

 

[CBXGhosty]

Ok, quick update, have been reading the forums as i have had some more time and it looks like i have done some thing really stupid, it looks like i have killed off the bacteria in the filter, i took it out and let it soaking in the sink - good old tap water so it seems i have killed it all off so the nitrate is just comming back and back, did not know about cleaning it out in "old fish tank water" . . derrr ...

would this account for the problem i am having?

 

[Fawke]

If you had killed all your Benificial Bacteria, your tank would be experiencing Ammonia and NitRITE spikes also.
The Bacteria lives on the surfaces and substrate in your tank, as well as your filter.
To avoid killing off the colony in your filter, you should clean it in tank water (as you found out) and if your changing media, change one set at a time.

However, as you have a large tank, i should imagine there was enough beneficial bacteria living Inside your tank to deal with the nitrogen cycle....
If your readings are all zero (excluding nitRATE) then that is the case.

Nitrates are the end product of the "cycle" and after all the bacteria has done its job, this is whats left.
Has previously stated, plants consume small amounts of nitRATE. You can get things that absorb it and chemicals that neutralise it (not really recommended). But the best and most effective is water changes.
Do a Nitrate test on your tap water to see if they are high in nitrates already, if they are, look at reducing them before putting into the tank. This will make your water changes more effective. Look into RO units, and some water conditioners (that i presume you are using to removing chlorine/chloramines) will help reduce it also.....

HTH and Good Luck

 

[CBXGhosty]

Thanks fawke,

I treat the water before it goes into the tank with aqua safe, the tap water tests at about 10ppm (or below), i am doing water changes every day but my brain can not work out why it is still staying high

nitrate = 80 change 50% water nitrate should = 40 as it has been diluted, perhaps i am being stupid but its still at 80ppm . . . will it start to change in a week or so?