High Nitrates

[Fawke]

Hi there,

Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0.1 and Nitrate through the roof.

I am aware of all that is needed to lower nitrates, without chemical interference - Adding live plants (which i have not, i have plastic ones) and regular water changes.

I have noticed my fish are occasionaly scracting/flicking themselves. They did this earlier in the cycle, but i think the ridiculaous levels of nitrate is not having a positive effect on my fish.

NOTE:
I am not after a lecture on which fish i should/should not put through the cycle.... I did a very stupid thing a bought a tank and got itchy feet, bought a loada fish my mate had kept and knew nothing of the cycle. After once a day 40% water changes i somehow managed to get my fish through the cycle and they are all alive and kicking...... excuse the phrase...

anyhow.... i am after something that can significantly reduce Nitrates, be it chemical (not damaging my b bacteria of course) or natural.....
I dont really want to be changing water any more than my weekly clean )vacuum and 20% water change.....

My tap water has high nitrates also akthough i use Aqua + which helps....

I presume this is possible as Nitrate is the end product of the cycle/b bacteria, and presumably nothing relies on this to live? so eliminating some wont effect my bio load or life in the tank.....

Jesus man, i aint half waffled on .... il shut up and let you post your opinions and ideas...

Thanks!!!!

 

[nmarc3627]

"I have noticed my fish are occasionaly scracting/flicking themselves"- that sounds like ich to me, one of my fish did that, the next day got ich, and the next day died

 

[Fawke]

naa, theyre all doing it, very infrequntly.... no other signs of it..... and they are all looking 100% and very good condition.....
I goes without saying that they have been thru some serious trauma (the cycle) so i guess you could be right....

im more optimistic tho

 

[Bol]

You could look at one of the "rechargable" items, like Nitra-Zorb.

 

[Fawke]

any more info on that... ot best to do a web search?

 

[Silly me]

nitrates is the end result of filtering, cleaning, cycleing, and and. Water changes is your best option, but since you nitrates in the tap water is kinda high you could try and add some live plant, but these wouldnt do much unless the growth is high.
Nitra-Zorb is a option aswell.

it ,ight not be possible to remove all the nitrates, but you could try to keep it as low as possible.

 

[Fawke]

What do you think to adding a VERY small internal power filter (as small as it gets, so not to obscure the tank) and using Nitrasafe, or some NITRATE only removing mineral (you know that rechargable stuff) as the media for it?

Then, i would have more water movement, medai that removes nitirate and with my water changes, problem solved?

What d'ya think?

 

[Silly me]

sound great.