New Tank With Fish :(

[Dieses Madchen]

It's less than 100ppm so he is not in the danger zone. You ideally want them 20 or lower but 30-40ppm is normal for most aquariums. ou just want to watch as far as your fish. Some fish are sensitive to nitrates

 

[dwarfgourami]

high natrate basically means your water is dirty. its dirty becuasen your filter bacteria hasnt been given enough time to grow, so it isnt dealing with waste properly.

Sorry mate, but that part is rubbish. We don't grow any bacteria which will process nitrate. As Dies said, nitrate is a good thing.

I must admit I'm quite surprised to see 0ammonia and 0nitrite, even after only 3 days.

I see. i stand corrected. should well cycled filter keep a tank nitrate free almost?

No, it won't. Cycling a tank means cultivating

a) bacteria that convert ammonia into nitrite

b) bacteria that convert nitrite into nitrate.

There are no bacteria that get rid of nitrate so cycling the tank won't achieve that. You have to do it with water changes- and if there are nitrates present in your tap water (which is often the case) then water changes can only do so much.

sorry about that, cross-posted: I don't know why the end of the discussion didn't seem to show up when I was reading

 

[Ruskull]

high natrate basically means your water is dirty. its dirty becuasen your filter bacteria hasnt been given enough time to grow, so it isnt dealing with waste properly.

Sorry mate, but that part is rubbish. We don't grow any bacteria which will process nitrate. As Dies said, nitrate is a good thing.

I must admit I'm quite surprised to see 0ammonia and 0nitrite, even after only 3 days.

I see. i stand corrected. should well cycled filter keep a tank nitrate free almost?

No. Fish waste creates ammonia which one type of bacteria converts into nitrites. Another type of bacteria converts the nitrites into nitrates and the only thing that removes nitrates is plants & water changes.

 

[Ruskull]

Did you add any mature media to your filter? I don't understand how your ammonia & nitrite are zero but the nitrates are high? Maybe the fertilizer?

Nice tank by the way, I guess that's about a 55 US gallon?

 

[Dieses Madchen]

His nitrates are going to be high if he doesnt change enough water per week. They build up over time as more ammonia is processed into nitrate...getting ever so much higher if regular water changes aren't done.

 

[troptank]

Did you add any mature media to your filter? I don't understand how your ammonia & nitrite are zero but the nitrates are high? Maybe the fertilizer?

Nice tank by the way, I guess that's about a 55 US gallon?

Hi
Thanks, yep it's about 55us gal.
No mature media added.

Cheers

 

[Smells a bit fishy]

He did add some filter start stuff, if anyone missed that.

So maybe they may actually work, I think the only way to tell would be for the OP to do a water change and see whether it was the ferts or the filter that's causing the high nitrates or both.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

He did add some filter start stuff, if anyone missed that.

So maybe they may actually work, I think the only way to tell would be for the OP to do a water change and see whether it was the ferts or the filter that's causing the high nitrates or both.

It would be neither causing the nitrates. The only thing that will have an impact on nitrates is how much ammonia is being processed.If enough ammonia is being processed through the nitrogen cycle, then the nitrates will be high. And they will stay high unless the OP does more frequent water changes.

 

[Essjay]

He did add some filter start stuff, if anyone missed that.

So maybe they may actually work, I think the only way to tell would be for the OP to do a water change and see whether it was the ferts or the filter that's causing the high nitrates or both.

It would be neither causing the nitrates. The only thing that will have an impact on nitrates is how much ammonia is being processed.If enough ammonia is being processed through the nitrogen cycle, then the nitrates will be high. And they will stay high unless the OP does more frequent water changes.

If the fertiliser he added contains nitrate, that would account for the level in his tank. Well, some of it anyway.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

He did add some filter start stuff, if anyone missed that.

So maybe they may actually work, I think the only way to tell would be for the OP to do a water change and see whether it was the ferts or the filter that's causing the high nitrates or both.

It would be neither causing the nitrates. The only thing that will have an impact on nitrates is how much ammonia is being processed.If enough ammonia is being processed through the nitrogen cycle, then the nitrates will be high. And they will stay high unless the OP does more frequent water changes.

If the fertiliser he added contains nitrate, that would account for the level in his tank. Well, some of it anyway.

You know, I thought of that after I typed it, and didn't feel like changing it lol. I'm just tired of people talking about the filter and its innability to filter nitrates lol. They are going to confuse this poor chap

 

[Liam2368]

before racking your mind Get your tap water tested mine has high nitrates.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

before racking your mind Get your tap water tested mine has high nitrates.

He already tested his tapwater. Its very low

 

[Essjay]

This is getting very confusing so a summary.

This is a 240 litre tank.
Tap water nitrate 10ppm [post #6]
No mature media used

The OP set his tank up, put in live plants and added plant fertiliser, Nutrafin aqua plus and Nutrafin cycle

He waited 5 days, got the tank water tested at the lfs who said it was fine.
The OP added 5 zebra danios, 6 tiger barbs, 6 black widows and 2 mollies

Three days after adding fish his tank readings were ammonia zero, nitrite zero, nitrate 40ppm [post #1]
The following day (four days after adding fish) readings were the same [post #26]
Next day (five days after adding fish) readings again the same [post #27]



A couple of questions need to be answered.
Did the fertiliser contain nitrate? The OP has thrown the bottle away so we don't know.
Has the OP been shaking bottle 2 of the nitrate test well enough?

I can't believe this is a case where the Nutrafin Cycle has actually cycled a tank in 3 days!!!!!





Troptank - when you do the nitrate test, do you shake bottle 2 till your arms fall off? If you don't, some of the nitrate tests could be inaccurate.

 

[troptank]

This is getting very confusing so a summary.

This is a 240 litre tank.
Tap water nitrate 10ppm [post #6]
No mature media used

The OP set his tank up, put in live plants and added plant fertiliser, Nutrafin aqua plus and Nutrafin cycle

He waited 5 days, got the tank water tested at the lfs who said it was fine.
The OP added 5 zebra danios, 6 tiger barbs, 6 black widows and 2 mollies

Three days after adding fish his tank readings were ammonia zero, nitrite zero, nitrate 40ppm [post #1]
The following day (four days after adding fish) readings were the same [post #26]
Next day (five days after adding fish) readings again the same [post #27]



A couple of questions need to be answered.
Did the fertiliser contain nitrate? The OP has thrown the bottle away so we don't know.
Has the OP been shaking bottle 2 of the nitrate test well enough?

I can't believe this is a case where the Nutrafin Cycle has actually cycled a tank in 3 days!!!!!





Troptank - when you do the nitrate test, do you shake bottle 2 till your arms fall off? If you don't, some of the nitrate tests could be inaccurate.

all the above is correct lol, i don't understand it myself after reading people in cycle for 2 months etc
yes i have been shaking it like crazy and banging the bottle of objects as i also read that some people advise to do that also..
i have no clue why my readings are what they are, maybe something to do with my water in north highlands of scotland?

ps: all the fish are still living and seem very happy and active, i swapped my 6 tiger barbs for 7 endler guppies on monday just gone, i put 5 tiny wee red cherry shrimps in this morning and will ad a few stones with java moss tonight. (the shrimps are so cool)
i swapped the tiger barbs with the endlers as i want a more peaceful tank with small shrimps etc in there tooo

 

[Smells a bit fishy]

Glad all is happy, I would just make a small point, as we are not sure what's going on with your tank, I would take the shrimp back. Shrimp are very susceptible to ammonia and nitrite.

Until we know whether your tank has cycled, do one water change to remove the nitrates from the tank, and check daily to see if ammonia, nitrite or nitrates rise.

What are the readings today?