high Nitrate ?
- Thread starter dnj90
- Start date
I
ivanfj
Guest
Is this a new tank??? It's normal to have high nitrate for a new tank during the cycle. After your cycle is done, everything will come back down to earth.
samantha68
Member
I just set up a 125 gallon i have 5 damsels in it with some lava rock thats it .I have a protein skimmer,heater,2 filters,crushed coral on the bottom.I just put fish in on sat i have done my readings and my ammonia was high ,i was worried big als told me to leave it due to cycling that it will be fine to expect it for a couple more days.I have been asking people at big als about water changes but i keep getting different answers,how often do you do water changes? the most that agree are saying once a month for a 125 gallon?? i have made buckets mixed the salt and the water conditioner in it and they are waiting for when ever i need them but not sure when to do them??
broomer5
Active Member
DnJ90
Nitrate can naturally enter the tankwater from overfeeding and fish wastes, as well as some tapwater and cheap saltmixes.
What type of single fish do you have ?
What and how often do you feed it ?
What is your water change history on this tank ?
What is your freshwater source ? Tapwater ? RO ? RO/DI ?
What saltmix ?
What are you using for mechanical/chemical/biological filtration ?
These are important things to know for people to offer up meaningful advise :yes:
Nitrate can naturally enter the tankwater from overfeeding and fish wastes, as well as some tapwater and cheap saltmixes.
What type of single fish do you have ?
What and how often do you feed it ?
What is your water change history on this tank ?
What is your freshwater source ? Tapwater ? RO ? RO/DI ?
What saltmix ?
What are you using for mechanical/chemical/biological filtration ?
These are important things to know for people to offer up meaningful advise :yes:
krowleey
Active Member
first thing i would do, is get my ammonia down to zero, thats a bigger problem than your trates at this point. get that to zero and make sure your trites are at zero then worry about your nitrates. If this tank has been up for a year you got a problem somewhere, you shouldnt have any ammonia at all.
donmgicwon
Member
Originally posted by samantha68
I just set up a 125 gallon i have 5 damsels in it with some lava rock thats it .confused:
Why did you put lava rock in your tank. You are asking for a MAJOR phosphate problem. I suggest getting it out immediately.
dnj90
Member
Originally posted by broomer5
DnJ90
Nitrate can naturally enter the tankwater from overfeeding and fish wastes, as well as some tapwater and cheap saltmixes.
What type of single fish do you have ?
Its a 4" clown grouper.
What and how often do you feed it ?
1 or 2 times daily.
What is your water change history on this tank ?
In need of a water change(Doing a 25 gal. water change Fri.)
What is your freshwater source ? Tapwater ? RO ? RO/DI ?
Unfortunately its aged tap
What saltmix ?
Instant ocean.
What are you using for mechanical/chemical/biological filtration ?
I use an amiracle wet dry with bio balls and filter pads.
I
ivanfj
Guest
You overfeed IMO. 2 times a day is too many. I feed my fishy daily and still nitrate is not at 0 but under 10.
When did you do your last water change??
When did you do your last water change??
aarmatting
Member
:jumping: live rock helps as well with the filter process... ever since i added almost double in my 29g ,have 45pounds now, everything went down almost immediatly!!:happy:
samantha68
Member
i have two types lava rock plus travertine rock when i deside to add live rock it will be between the rocks i have now .The two types look great together,everyone that comes in says it looks great to.i want my fish to be my colour not my decor
hookedonreefs
Member
Overfeeding, and I (personally) am against bio balls. Aren't they good nitrate producers? That could be your issue as well.
Also try to get some macroalgae in there to take up excess nitrates.
Also try to get some macroalgae in there to take up excess nitrates.
dreeves
Active Member
If you havent done a water change in awhile...the sudden nitrate problem probably isnt from the tap.
You should use RO/DI water.
Bio-balls are fine...they dont produce nitrate...the aid in bacterial growth which consumes the amonia and nitrite...nothing more...nothing less...dirty bio-balls are less effective and usually trap sediments or remnants of uneaten food and such which will decay and create an excessive amount of ammonia to process...which inturn will raise your nitrate. Keep them clean and you are fine.
You should buy a new test kit of different manufacture and retest the amonia and the nitrate..with your .25 amonia...i would believe it to be the overfeeding which is causing it...a steady .25 would indicate a steady increase in the nitrate. Without water changes or a thriving fuge with macros...or a functioning deep sand bed...the nitrates will simply build up.
Prior to anything though...a new test kit as mentioned above.
Good luck.
You should use RO/DI water.
Bio-balls are fine...they dont produce nitrate...the aid in bacterial growth which consumes the amonia and nitrite...nothing more...nothing less...dirty bio-balls are less effective and usually trap sediments or remnants of uneaten food and such which will decay and create an excessive amount of ammonia to process...which inturn will raise your nitrate. Keep them clean and you are fine.
You should buy a new test kit of different manufacture and retest the amonia and the nitrate..with your .25 amonia...i would believe it to be the overfeeding which is causing it...a steady .25 would indicate a steady increase in the nitrate. Without water changes or a thriving fuge with macros...or a functioning deep sand bed...the nitrates will simply build up.
Prior to anything though...a new test kit as mentioned above.
Good luck.
razoreqx
Active Member
Originally posted by DnJ90
I will be doing a 25 gal. water change tommorrow.Hopefully this helps.
I think Boomer asked the right questions.. I'll repost
DnJ90
Nitrate can naturally enter the tankwater from overfeeding and fish wastes, as well as some tapwater and cheap saltmixes.
What type of single fish do you have ?
What and how often do you feed it ?
What is your water change history on this tank ?
What is your freshwater source ? Tapwater ? RO ? RO/DI ?
What saltmix ?
What are you using for mechanical/chemical/biological filtration ?
These are important things to know for people to offer up meaningful advise
I read where you are changing out your water in hopes of fixing the problem.. well.. Changing out your water is a bandaid and not a very good one.. YOu need to find the source of your high Nitrate problems... Answer those questions and I bet you get much better answers instead of a spew of opinions.
razoreqx
Active Member
ah you did answer.. I see it was bolded with the quotes..
Nitrate can naturally enter the tankwater from overfeeding and fish wastes, as well as some tapwater and cheap saltmixes.
What type of single fish do you have ?
A: Its a 4" clown grouper.
What and how often do you feed it ?
a: 1 or 2 times daily.
What is your water change history on this tank ?
a: In need of a water change(Doing a 25 gal. water change Fri.)
What is your freshwater source ? Tapwater ? RO ? RO/DI ?
a: Unfortunately its aged tap
What saltmix ?
a: Instant ocean.
What are you using for mechanical/chemical/biological filtration ?
a: I use an amiracle wet dry with bio balls and filter pads.
Nitrate can naturally enter the tankwater from overfeeding and fish wastes, as well as some tapwater and cheap saltmixes.
What type of single fish do you have ?
A: Its a 4" clown grouper.
What and how often do you feed it ?
a: 1 or 2 times daily.
What is your water change history on this tank ?
a: In need of a water change(Doing a 25 gal. water change Fri.)
What is your freshwater source ? Tapwater ? RO ? RO/DI ?
a: Unfortunately its aged tap
What saltmix ?
a: Instant ocean.
What are you using for mechanical/chemical/biological filtration ?
a: I use an amiracle wet dry with bio balls and filter pads.
razoreqx
Active Member
Originally posted by dreeves
If you havent done a water change in awhile...the sudden nitrate problem probably isnt from the tap.
You should use RO/DI water.
Bio-balls are fine...they dont produce nitrate...the aid in bacterial growth which consumes the amonia and nitrite...nothing more...nothing less...dirty bio-balls are less effective and usually trap sediments or remnants of uneaten food and such which will decay and create an excessive amount of ammonia to process...which inturn will raise your nitrate. Keep them clean and you are fine.
You should buy a new test kit of different manufacture and retest the amonia and the nitrate..with your .25 amonia...i would believe it to be the overfeeding which is causing it...a steady .25 would indicate a steady increase in the nitrate. Without water changes or a thriving fuge with macros...or a functioning deep sand bed...the nitrates will simply build up.
Prior to anything though...a new test kit as mentioned above.
Good luck.
wow and based on the answers to those questions this is some good advice... I'll shutup now
dnj90
Member
Did a 25 gal water change today and alls seems to be alot better then before Hopefully this will help as I havent done one in a long time.(I am embarresed to say my wife reminded me it was in august)I also hope this is more than just a "band aid".Razor please keep talking I need all the help I can get
Hopefully this will help as I havent done one in a long time.(I am embarresed to say my wife reminded me it was in august)I also hope this is more than just a "band aid".Razor please keep talking I need all the help I can get
dreeves
Active Member
I would suggest also that you continue with a few more 10-20% water changes spreading them out of a 3 or so days between them...also more attention to the water changes would probably be in order here as well....imagine your house being offered only filtered air...no fresh air for about 6 months...that would really suck...same goes for your tank.