Nitrates wont go down even after 4 water changes!!!

[puffrbware]

I added 5 new fish to my tank within a 2 week timespan(1st mistake). I notice now my trates are about 80... i have done 4 30% water changes since noticing and no drop !!! I have a 125 fowlr setup running a wetdry, skimmer, ls and 80lbs of lr. tank has been running for years!!! I have stopped my skimmer from running for the past 2 weeks and also removed alll carbon,, and chemipure from the wet dry since im treating the whole tank with melafix!!! Do u think the discontinued use of carbon and skimmer caused the spike------- if so would 4 water changes knock it down,,,,,, since 4 30 gallon water changes = the complete copacity of the tank!
Thanks in advance with any feedback!!

 

[flower]

Hi,
Are you using API test kits? I had API kits (3 different ones) they all said my nitrates were over 80....I switched from canisters to a sump and did daily water changes. The nitrates would be down right after a water change then pop back up to 80+ the next morning. I got a SeaChem kit....the nitrates were 1. After you did such a large water change, I think your test kit is off.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Have your LFS test your water and buy a good titration test kit.

 

[saban2013]

You mentioned adding your fish, but you did not mention why you were treating with Melafix. Stopping your skimmer and also removing your carbon (If you use carbon regurlary.) will cause such a spike. If you do too many water changes close together, you can actually create a mini-cycle. Both of these senarios could cause your nitrate spike. If you have ill fish, I would also recommend having a QT tank. Having a QT tank will not only eliminate stresses on your main aquarium, but will lessen the amount of treatment required.

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by PuffrBware http:///t/394807/nitrates-wont-go-down-even-after-4-water-changes#post_3514154
I added 5 new fish to my tank within a 2 week timespan(1st mistake). I notice now my trates are about 80... i have done 4 30% water changes since noticing and no drop !!! I have a 125 fowlr setup running a wetdry, skimmer, ls and 80lbs of lr. tank has been running for years!!! I have stopped my skimmer from running for the past 2 weeks and also removed alll carbon,, and chemipure from the wet dry since im treating the whole tank with melafix!!! Do u think the discontinued use of carbon and skimmer caused the spike------- if so would 4 water changes knock it down,,,,,, since 4 30 gallon water changes = the complete copacity of the tank!
Thanks in advance with any feedback!!
Hey there,
4 x 30gal of water changes does equal replacing 120 gallons of water. And if you have a 125 gallon tank that is almost equal to that total amount of water. But 4 30g water changes over the span of 2 weeks does not equal a 100% water change.
Lets say that your nitrates were 100 ppm and you did a 30% WC. Your nitrates should then be 70 ppm. Now you wait 4 days and get ready to do another 30% WC, but your nitrates went from 70 ppm to 85 ppm because you feed the tank and other normal tank stuff. The next 30% WC will take the nitrates from 85 ppm to 59.5 ppm. Again you feed the tank maybe add a new fish and the nitrates creep up to 90 ppm again, so yet another 30% WC. Nitrates go from 90 ppm to 63 ppm.
So it may seem like you did a full 100% water change, but because of the time in between and adding fish, shutting down the skimmer, it could have caused the nitrates to continue to climb in an amount equal what you were reducing the nitrates by WC's.
There is an old school member on the site here that advocates near 100% WC's for this exact reason. Reefkprz
Although, you could have bad test kits too, so check that out. And adding 5 new fish (no clue what size or what effect they would have on the bio load without knowing what kind of fish and size you added), AND shutting down your skimmer would have a pretty large effect on the bio filtration and stability of any established tank.
I would do the largest WC possible on the tank (once you figure out that it is not bad test kits) and try to drop the nitrates. I agree about setting up a QT as well.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Pics of your fish would be nice so that we can ID the disease you are trying to treat.
Quarantine is something I would also suggest.
If nitrates are high, add macroalgae to a fuge part of your sump or display tank.
If you have cyanobacterial growth and/or hair algae then you may very well have a nutrient issue, if not, it may just be a bad test kit.

 

[flower]

I looked up malafix because treating a sick fish in the display is a big no-no...it's for flatworms, and it does need to go into the display. After such huge water changes I really think the problem is the test kit. Nor will it create a mini cycle to do water changes, there is very little good bacteria in the water, it's on the rock and sand. You can do water changes every single day with no harm. It stresses the fish is the only reason doing a big water change too often is not recommended.

 

[puffrbware]

Thanks everyone for all the responses,,,,, I have eliminated the test kit (API) from the equation as i find i get a perfect reading from fresh new tap. I was treating with Melafix because 2 fish started to show signs of cloudy & pop eye!! So Melafix Marine worked perfectly as all fish look great and are all eating!! A QT is pretty much impossible for me to set up other than a lil 10 or 20 gallon which ive done!! Maybe The addition of carbon and protein skimmer will show progress!! Im just baffled after all these water changes and found none of the slightest changes in the trates!! I will also use a product called Prime which i hear helps reduce trates---- i hate using products i wish i can go ol natural but this is freaking me out!!! So I stand like this IM adding my carbon and skimmer--- ill do a 30% change in 1 more day and then ill use Prime. Ill let everyone know how it turns out ,,,, thanks again!!! as

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by PuffrBware http:///t/394807/nitrates-wont-go-down-even-after-4-water-changes#post_3514248
Thanks everyone for all the responses,,,,, I have eliminated the test kit (API) from the equation as i find i get a perfect reading from fresh new tap. I was treating with Melafix because 2 fish started to show signs of cloudy & pop eye!! So Melafix Marine worked perfectly as all fish look great and are all eating!! A QT is pretty much impossible for me to set up other than a lil 10 or 20 gallon which ive done!! Maybe The addition of carbon and protein skimmer will show progress!! Im just baffled after all these water changes and found none of the slightest changes in the trates!! I will also use a product called Prime which i hear helps reduce trates---- i hate using products i wish i can go ol natural but this is freaking me out!!! So I stand like this IM adding my carbon and skimmer--- ill do a 30% change in 1 more day and then ill use Prime. Ill let everyone know how it turns out ,,,, thanks again!!! as
You didn't eliminate anything....Your tap water does not have any nitrates...the problem with API test kits is that it reads the nitrates that are there as much higher then they really are. My API test kit said I had trates at 80+...I got a SeaChem kit, their kits come with a regent to double check that it's accurate, my nitrates were 1 not 80+.
I looked up malafix and it said it was for flat worms...which I assumed you had. The medicines you dose for sick fish often kill off your inverts and coral. Never dose a display tank. Prime is for ammonia, not nitrates....you are just dumping stuff in your tank, and that isn't good to do. You have to take a deep breath...and stop freaking out.
Go purchase a different nitrate test kit then the API brand. A 20g QT is just what you need. It is easy to dose because you know how much water you have in there, in a display...you have to calculate the rock and sand as to how much water is actually in the tank, then add up the fact that your rocks and sand will also absorb the medicine. If you overdose you kill everything, or under dose and make it useless.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/394807/nitrates-wont-go-down-even-after-4-water-changes#post_3514251
You didn't eliminate anything....Your tap water does not have any nitrates...the problem with API test kits is that it reads the nitrates that are there as much higher then they really are. My API test kit said I had trates at 80+...I got a SeaChem kit, their kits come with a regent to double check that it's accurate, my nitrates were 1 not 80+.
I looked up malafix and it said it was for flat worms...which I assumed you had. The medicines you dose for sick fish often kill off your inverts and coral. Never dose a display tank. Prime is for ammonia, not nitrates....you are just dumping stuff in your tank, and that isn't good to do. You have to take a deep breath...and stop freaking out.
Go purchase a different nitrate test kit then the API brand. A 20g QT is just what you need. It is easy to dose because you know how much water you have in there, in a display...you have to calculate the rock and sand as to how much water is actually in the tank, then add up the fact that your rocks and sand will also absorb the medicine. If you overdose you kill everything, or under dose and make it useless.
Chlorine in tap water does weird stuff to any test kit... I assure you, there are nitrates, phosphates, chemicals, toxins, leftover medicines, occasionally even E. Coli bacteria in tap water. Melafix is more than just for worms, but I agree - you NEVER dose anything in your display tank. I also recommend buying a different, more accurate test kit. Prime actually neutralizes chlorine and chloramines but it makes ammonia, nitrite and nitrate into "less harmful forms." It does not remove it from the system, however. Nitrate still has to be dealt with by water changes, protein skimming and/or something more natural like a fully working refugium or algae scrubber.

 

[puffrbware]

I felt i had to treat the display tank ( fowlr )when 2 fish in no-time showed ill symptoms and afraid the others would have developed them as well . I have 9 fish and a 22 inch snowflake,,, I would only have room for 2 sick fish the most in a qt,,, melafix marine is actually safe for all inverts and is formulated to not overwork the skimmer,,,, i removed the carbon and skimmer because I also added 1 dose of pimafix which works well with melafix----- for fungal and bacterial infections (all worked well and the fish now look great *knock wood* Melafix marine does work in display tanks ( i want people to know it worked for me and others--- look more into it , its not a dangerous product and is nothing like copper ! So if your fish have Cloudy eye, pop eye, fin rot, open wounds ect melafix marine works in the display !!! Ill gladly add a pic or video if anyone cares to see !! all my guys are thriving!!! I'm still fighting the nitrates and ill post on progress!! Thanks Again!