Nitrate reading 100 mg/l HELP!!

[phishphood]

I've just tested both of tanks' water for the 1st time (I only just got test kits), my 2.5 gallon is showing a nitrate reading of 100 mg/l!!! The other parameters are fine, nitrite <0.3 mg/l, ph 7.5, Ammonia 0 mg/l. What can I do to get the nitrate down, and how do I keep them down. I don't want to be doing massive water changes cos of the babies, I don't want to harm them.
My other tanks readings are nitrate, 12.5 mg/l, nitrite 0.3 mg/l, ph 8.0, ammonia 0 mg/l, I think these are ok?¿?
PLEASE HELP!! Thanks...

 

[Alien Anna]

Hi, your tank is cycling. Please follow the link in my sig to read more about it and what to do to try to help your fish through this difficult stage. Good luck and any more questions please come back to us and ask.

 

[AquaNut]

Hi phishphood - I'd recommend that you do a 50% water change in your small tank and a 25% water change in the other tank (to get the nitrites down to 0 if possible). For future reference, live plants use nitrates as food and are a magnificent way of keeping the nitrates down in your tank.

 

[phishphood]

I've had the 2.5 gallon for 8 months is it really still cycling?¿?

P.S. thanx 4 ur help so far

 

[Alien Anna]

I've had the 2.5 gallon for 8 months is it really still cycling?¿?

P.S. thanx 4 ur help so far

If you've got nitrites in there then it is cycling. As you've had it for 8 months its worth looking into how that happened (I do mention this in my article, by the way). Possibly you forgot to dechlorinate some water change water at some point, or your filter was turned off during a power outage. Either way, it is certainly cycling now. This is one of the problems with small tanks - a minor crisis quickly turns into a major crisis with water quality.

 

[suemack]

hi phishphood

how old are the fry -

- I do regular 15 - 25% w/changes in my 2 small tanks when there are young fry in the tank - even the day they are born they get a 10% w/change - I've found having smaller tanks + fry + the food I feed them gets me into trouble unless I w/change

I use water that is very slightly warmer and gently pour it in from a bowl over my hand so as not to throw them round the tank too much

hope this helps