How Do You Know When The Filter Is 'holding It's Own'

[Glitzy]

In a follow up to the 'been so stupid'...

Still have the 26 litre tank running, still have the 6 cardinals.
I'm doing 50% water changes daily using water from my cycled large tank.

Parameters are staying at 0 for both ammonia and nitrite but the nitrate is creeping in the little tank, despite the water I'm changing only having 5ppm in it (have low levels in big tank to my delight!)

Over the past two days the nitrate in the little tank has gone from 5ppm to 20ppm to today's reading of 40ppm, despite the daily water changes.

Now I only seeded the brand new filter with media from my cycled filter two days ago, so I know the filter isn't mature yet, but how do you know when it can cope on it's own with maintenance water changes?

What should I do to reduce nitrate? Water change from tap with aqua safe?

 

[techen]

Do you have any plants in the tank? 6 Cardinals sounds way to overstocked for a 26 litre tank.

 

[Glitzy]

I'm waiting for the plants to be delivered. I had to set the tank up in a hurry as my tiger barbs decided to eat the cardinals...

 

[techen]

Tiger barbs tend to nip at anything they feel like going for unless kept in groups of like 12.
 
You'll need a good 100L tank for Cardinals or Barbs.

 

[Glitzy]

Yep the barbs are in a shoal of 12 in the big tank. Still ate Cardinals.

 

[Mrsdubs]

In a follow up to the 'been so stupid'...

Still have the 26 litre tank running, still have the 6 cardinals.
I'm doing 50% water changes daily using water from my cycled large tank.

Parameters are staying at 0 for both ammonia and nitrite but the nitrate is creeping in the little tank, despite the water I'm changing only having 5ppm in it (have low levels in big tank to my delight!)

Over the past two days the nitrate in the little tank has gone from 5ppm to 20ppm to today's reading of 40ppm, despite the daily water changes.

Now I only seeded the brand new filter with media from my cycled filter two days ago, so I know the filter isn't mature yet, but how do you know when it can cope on it's own with maintenance water changes?

What should I do to reduce nitrate? Water change from tap with aqua safe?

You need to replace the water with fresh de-chlorinated water, not tank water

 

[Glitzy]

Will do, thanks

 

[leighton_87]

Yes tank water will have nitrates in so you will be adding nitrates to the tank