anyone seen this ( tank cycle ) Help

radioactive

radioactive

Member
I have been cycling my tank for around a month and 1 week . all levels ammonia , nitrite and nitrates went way up and came back down to 0 . I did a 25% water change and added 1 fish to a 75g tank . I have since checked my levels and ammonia is 0 - nitrite is 0 - but nitrates shot back to 110 . I have since done another 10% water change and still noticed nitrates being at 110 . but ammonia and nitrite are still at 0 .
I have tested my water that i am using to do my water change and it is reading 50 - 70 . does anyone know why that would be ? I am stumped and not quite sure how to proceed . I am using a hagan testing kit , and am currently running 2 protein skimmers in the 75g .... ... btw , the fish is doing great ( blue hippo tang ) . eating like crazy and very active .... Any help would be greatly appreciated ..... Thanks
 
radioactive

radioactive

Member
I am using tap water with dechlorinator . I have not fed the tang anything but some seaweed select and placed some cralupra ( I think thats what it's called ) so it could eat the bulbs off the plant . ( seems to really like it )
But why would my water change water be at 50-70 ? That is what has me stumped . Thanks
 
maroonclownfan

maroonclownfan

Member
Tap water can contain Nitrates. If you are using tap water for top off this is probably why your Trates are up.
The amount of Nitrates, phosphates, silicates in tap water just depends on the source. I had more problems with well water than with treated city water. Just depends on where you live and how well your water is treated.
MCF
 
radioactive

radioactive

Member
I live in the City and I just tested the tap water right from the sink at is is very high in nitrates , about 110 . looks like this is where the problem lies . Any suggestions for a quick fix until I purchase a RO/DI ? I would like to get this lowered down soon ... I should have tested the water before I did the water change , but live and learn ...
Is there anything I can get other than dechlorinater to lower my trates down ??? Thanks
 
radioactive

radioactive

Member
Thanks for the advise !!
I found the problem to be in the tap water ... It is measuring 110 on nitrates which is off the chart . My friend" Slick " is going to run 15g of his RO/DI water to make another water change , which should bring nitrates back down .... Looks like i will be investing in a RO/DI before my 180 g tank arrives in 2 weeks .... Thanks
 
buzz

buzz

Active Member
Radioactive - seems like you are on the right track.
SuperElvisa - I have to go with Slick on this one. Once your tank is cycled, water changes shouldn't set anything back. I wouldn't advise doing so "during" a cycle, but once the cycle is completed, water changes are par for the course.
 
slick

slick

Active Member
Bacteria does not live in the water. Well not enough to count toward anything. All the bacteria live and grown on a surface like Bio balls and Live rock. Doing a water change will not harm the bacteria that takes care of nitrates.
 
slick

slick

Active Member
Plus if your theory was correct than running a UV sterilizer would cause your tank harm. As it would kill everything in the water.
 
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