Nitrates Issues

[Fishmanic]

not a solution, but I find that the salifert test kit is much easier to use, easier to read results, and possibly more accurate than the api test kit. It's a bit more expensive but worth it in my opinion.

Hope you can find the source of your nitrate problem and can correct it.

 

[GobyMaster11276]

not a solution, but I find that the salifert test kit is much easier to use, easier to read results, and possibly more accurate than the api test kit. It's a bit more expensive but worth it in my opinion.

Hope you can find the source of your nitrate problem and can correct it.

Thanks. I will consider getting Salifert next time I run out.

 

[**sarahp**]

not a solution, but I find that the salifert test kit is much easier to use, easier to read results, and possibly more accurate than the api test kit. It's a bit more expensive but worth it in my opinion.

I just had a look at this test kit - I can only find one that says it's for marine - is that the one you mean or is there a specific fresh water one??

 

[StandbySetting]

It's suitable for freshwater and marine, the reagents are different to most other nitrate hobby test kits, they're more reliable as the reagents don't separate when stood for a while.

 

[**sarahp**]

It's suitable for freshwater and marine, the reagents are different to most other nitrate hobby test kits, they're more reliable as the reagents don't separate when stood for a while.

thanks for the info - will look into getting one of those. I've never felt completely confident with the API one for some reason.

 

[Byron]

UPDATE:
Retested the water. Nitrates are still at somewhere between 40-80ppm (maybe even higher)! After 150% worth of water changes and having both filters cleaned in the last two weeks, as well as having the gravel vacuumed it is still up that high! What am I supposed to do now? Maybe retest tomorrow after it has settled for longer? Let me know what you think.​

Do the separate series of tests Steven suggests in post #13. I expect his thinking is that there is likely some interaction causing the nitrates and you need to find out what it is. Narrowing down the options like this often does this.

I also agree on the vitamin additives being purposeless. Missed that previously, sorry. When some additive is not needed, there is no point in adding it, as the fish won't appreciate it and there can be unsuspected interactions within the complex chemistry and biology of an aquarium.

Byron.

 

[GobyMaster11276]

UPDATE:
Retested the water. Nitrates are still at somewhere between 40-80ppm (maybe even higher)! After 150% worth of water changes and having both filters cleaned in the last two weeks, as well as having the gravel vacuumed it is still up that high! What am I supposed to do now? Maybe retest tomorrow after it has settled for longer? Let me know what you think.​

Do the separate series of tests Steven suggests in post #13. I expect his thinking is that there is likely some interaction causing the nitrates and you need to find out what it is. Narrowing down the options like this often does this.

I also agree on the vitamin additives being purposeless. Missed that previously, sorry. When some additive is not needed, there is no point in adding it, as the fish won't appreciate it and there can be unsuspected interactions within the complex chemistry and biology of an aquarium.

Byron.

I wasn't sure about the vitamin additive, but the problem is that it's a two in one thing. It's the only conditioner I've got and was pretty expensive too. As for doing the separate series of tests, do you mean "take a container fill it with water and add 1/4 cup of your gravel.and then added your conditioner and vitamin supplement and then test the water in the container. If you get no reading wait a day and retest. Keep testing once per day for nitrate."? Thanks for all your help so far.

 

[Byron]

I wasn't sure about the vitamin additive, but the problem is that it's a two in one thing. It's the only conditioner I've got and was pretty expensive too. As for doing the separate series of tests, do you mean "take a container fill it with water and add 1/4 cup of your gravel.and then added your conditioner and vitamin supplement and then test the water in the container. If you get no reading wait a day and retest. Keep testing once per day for nitrate."? Thanks for all your help so far.

Yes.

Also, both Steven and I suggested you test the tap water on its own for nitrate...have you? I don't see the result in this thread, may have missed it... .

 

[GobyMaster11276]

Also, both Steven and I suggested you test the tap water on its own for nitrate...have you? I don't see the result in this thread, may have missed it... .

I believe a while ago I said it was 0ppm. I will start doing the separate testing tonight, as well as the individual tests.

 

[Byron]

I believe a while ago I said it was 0ppm. I will start doing the separate testing tonight, as well as the individual tests.

Fine, I may have just missed it when I looked back earlier. This is good, that the source water is "OK," but it does mean you/we need to find the cause of so high nitrate so rapidly.

 

[StevenF]

but the problem is that it's a two in one thing. It's the only conditioner I've got and was pretty expensive too.

If that is the case I would put enough water for a water change in a bucket and lit it sit to outgas. After a few days any chlorine in it should evaporate. That should allow you to use the outgases water without a conditioner.This would be helpful if your conditioner is the cause of the problem and you cannot get a good replacement

 

[GobyMaster11276]

If that is the case I would put enough water for a water change in a bucket and lit it sit to outgas. After a few days any chlorine in it should evaporate. That should allow you to use the outgases water without a conditioner.This would be helpful if your conditioner is the cause of the problem and you cannot get a good replacement

Yes, but I'm not sure if my water has chloramine or heavy metals (I have a thread on the matter). Also, I just got my new conditioner this week, and the problem started the week before. My previous conditioner was a different brand. I honestly don't know why this is happening, the tank has long since first cycled, and with so many plants I'd think they could at least lower the nitrates.

 

[StevenF]

I honestly don't know why this is happening, the tank has long since first cycled, and with so many plants I'd think they could at least lower the nitrates.

Plants consume more nitrogen then anything else except CO2. Plant will take the nitrogen and combine that with other nutrients to grow. With so much they will deplete the water of most of your other nutrients and once those run out the plant will stop growing and stop consuming nitrate. Adding fertilizer to the tank would help to get the levels down but it would have to be a custom mix to address this situation. But if we don't find the source of the nitrate it will just com back.

 

[Byron]

Yes, but I'm not sure if my water has chloramine or heavy metals (I have a thread on the matter).

I didn't see another thread on this...but it should be easy to find out from your water authority what they add to the water. Chlorine is fairly simple to deal with, chloramine less so (chloramine needs a conditioner that detoxifies chlorine and chloramine). Heavy metals may be present, though plants will generally deal with this unless the level of some metal is high. This can happen with copper, which at "safe" human levels is toxic to fish, and plants will not likely use much of it. But again, your water authority should have water data information.

 

[GobyMaster11276]

It should be easy to find out from your water authority what they add to the water.

I know our water provider adds fluoride, and chloramine is a possibility (I tried to call them, only to find out they closed at 4pm, not 5pm). So standing the water is out of the question. I doubt that the conditioner is the issue anyway, because, as I mentioned earlier, this problem has been going longer than I have been using it.