Male Platy is hiding from the rest of his tank mates

[Sweet_Sassy]

Update: I tested water directly from the source and it was showing 160+ ppm of nitrates! How should I reduce that? I have an Aqueon 20 filter and I am unsure how to put nitrate-reducing media in there. Obviously, the plants are using the nitrates to get them down to about 80ppm- should I just keep adding live plants? I don't have a different source of water so I want to fix this as soon as possible. My fish aren't showing signs of stress as they are all eating normally and none are hiding or clamping their fins. Please let me know what I can do to fix this nitrate problem, thank you!

 

[Slaphppy7]

Large water change...plants and WC's (and cleaning of dirty filters) are the main methods of reducing nitrAtes...your fish may not be "showing" signs of stress, but I'd be willing to bet they are..

 

[Sweet_Sassy]

Large water change...plants and WC's (and cleaning of dirty filters) are the main methods of reducing nitrAtes...your fish may not be "showing" signs of stress, but I'd be willing to bet they are..

But the problem is that I have nitrates in my "clean" water. If I do was water change I'm still putting nitrates in there. I don't know if there is a product I can use in my clean water to reduce nitrates before putting it into my tank. And I agree, they could still be stressed and not showing signs. I really just want to figure out a way to fix the problem of nitrates in my water supply before trying to do large water changes that aren't going to change the problem in the aquarium. I also clean the filters regularly.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Tap water or well water?
What is your reading for trAtes from your source water?

 

[Naughts]

Update: I tested water directly from the source and it was showing 160+ ppm of nitrates! How should I reduce that? I have an Aqueon 20 filter and I am unsure how to put nitrate-reducing media in there. Obviously, the plants are using the nitrates to get them down to about 80ppm- should I just keep adding live plants? I don't have a different source of water so I want to fix this as soon as possible. My fish aren't showing signs of stress as they are all eating normally and none are hiding or clamping their fins. Please let me know what I can do to fix this nitrate problem, thank you!

Yikes, don't drink that! I think you will need to look for another water source. If you change your water do it a bit at a time so you don't shock the fish.

 

[ClownLurch]

I’m no expert but your situation seems to require a huge amount of quick working (floating) plants. ie Frog bit, water lettuce, salvina if your water source is that high. Plus hornwort, moneywort, anacharis etc.
Maybe test your water again yourself just to be sure and possibly get it tested at your LFS for a second opinion perhaps?
Best of luck.

 

[Colin_T]

Update: I tested water directly from the source and it was showing 160+ ppm of nitrates! How should I reduce that?

If your water supply has 160ppm nitrate, you need to get it tested for everything by a professional water testing lab. If it has high nitrates, it could also contain herbicides, pesticides and who knows what else.

I would not use the water for the fish, yourself, your family, or any pets until is has been tested thoroughly and you know exactly what is in it.

If you drink water with nitrates in, you are at a high risk of develop stomach and intestinal cancers. The higher the nitrates, the higher the risk.

Please get your water supply tested by a professional and drink bottled water until you have had the well water tested.

 

[Sweet_Sassy]

Tap water or well water?
What is your reading for trAtes from your source water?

I thought it was 80ppm but my dad thought it was 160ppm. And it is well water

 

[Colin_T]

Any ammonia, nitrite or nitrate is bad for people and animals (fish included).

World Health Organisation guidelines suggest people avoid drinking water with any nitrite or nitrate, and most countries have a maximum limit of 50ppm of nitrate in drinking water. So 80ppm or 160ppm, is still too high.

 

[Sweet_Sassy]

Interesting. Maybe I'm just reading the test wrong? We've never had problems with the water before but I will be looking into it.

 

[Slaphppy7]

What kind of test kit are you using?

 

[Sweet_Sassy]

The API one

 

[Slaphppy7]

The liquid test?
If so, to get accurate results, you need to really shake the 2nd bottle of reagent well....shake hard, bang it on a desk, shake some more, throw it against a wall, then shake some more, before adding to the test tube...you may already know this, just making sure you are getting accurate results....AND, be sure it hasn't expired...

 

[Sweet_Sassy]

It's brand new and I have been shaking it really well before using it. I might just not be reading it right. I'll figure it out, thank you.

 

[Naughts]

The instructions are wrong, they say shake for 30 seconds but it really needs 2 minutes. Check the colour in natural daylight whenever possible.