Regular Member Kerstin Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Hi there, my nitrates went up to 20pp even after the 50% water change I did today. Did not check them before the water change so I have no idea what they were like. What do I do to lower them? Another water change or is it not so bad yet? Thanks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member caitie Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 The only way to lower nitrates are through water changes, if they are at 20 then I would do another wc as soon as possible. Some fish might be okay with them so high but others will react to the nitrates. I know you didn't test before your wc but what are they usually like do you know? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Kerstin Posted November 10, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Last time about 2 weeks ago they were 5ppm. I set the tank up at the middle of August. Nitrites and ammonia are both 0. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member flutterbudget Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Have you checked to make sure there aren't nitrates in your tap water? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member caitie Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Since they are usually lower, than I think you should do another wc and maybe vacuum the gravel really well. You might also want to test your tap water just in case as Flutterbudget suggested. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Kerstin Posted November 10, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Ok. I'll test the tab water right now and do a large water change tomorrow. Thanks guys. Now I really want a python... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member caitie Posted November 11, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 11, 2010 Are the nitrates going down yet? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member pss_gold Posted November 11, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 11, 2010 The only way to lower nitrates are through water changes I've been told that plenty of times on this forum and while it is easier, simply doing it the way nature does it works too. Just like with the cycle we do with ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, nitrate can be turned back into nitrogen and returned to the atmosphere by another kind of bacteria. The thing is though, it's a anaerobic bacteria, lives and works in areas without oxygen. I've been using seachem's matrix in my filter and it's kept my nitrates under control for me. Below 10ppm. In high flow areas (over 50gph, like most of our filters) matrix is best, not de-nitrate which is meant for under 50gph. If changing water or adding plants were the only way to remove nitrates, we'd be up to our eyeballs in it after 410 million years of fish living on this planet. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Kerstin Posted November 11, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 11, 2010 The only way to lower nitrates are through water changes I've been told that plenty of times on this forum and while it is easier, simply doing it the way nature does it works too. Just like with the cycle we do with ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, nitrate can be turned back into nitrogen and returned to the atmosphere by another kind of bacteria. The thing is though, it's a anaerobic bacteria, lives and works in areas without oxygen. I've been using seachem's matrix in my filter and it's kept my nitrates under control for me. Below 10ppm. In high flow areas (over 50gph, like most of our filters) matrix is best, not de-nitrate which is meant for under 50gph. If changing water or adding plants were the only way to remove nitrates, we'd be up to our eyeballs in it after 410 million years of fish living on this planet. What is seachem matrix? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Kerstin Posted November 11, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 11, 2010 Did a 50% water change and now I'm somewhere between 5 and 10 I think. The problem with my colorchart is that 10 and 20 look really similar. But I think it's pretty close to 5. Also tested my tabwater which is 0. Should I do another 50% tomorrow or leave it a few days. Will it go up again or is it like the ammonia and nitrite levels after cycling where they just even out? Pete and Paul are way more active again now that the nitrates are down. Not that they were totally lethargic, but they just were not their speedy selves, esp. Pete. Thanks for your help. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jody Posted November 11, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 11, 2010 (edited) x Edited November 11, 2010 by Hawaiian Crush 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Kerstin Posted November 11, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 11, 2010 x x? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member pss_gold Posted November 11, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 11, 2010 (edited) It's a highly porous biomedia supposedly better than bioballs but i've never used them. You can find it on seachem's website. Since I started using it, I've never seen my nitrates get over 20ppm and that's with an over stocked tank with lots of food. My filter does 340 gph but the results will vary from tank to tank. It could also be that the bacteria is living in the crushed coral I have in my filter since the bags are really full and the last thing the water goes through before heading back in. I'm still testing to see what's up. I don't have any live plants yet, that's for sure. They're too hungry all the time xD A lot of companies are trying to figure out how to remove nitrates other than changing water so they can get the profits instead of the water companies. There's plenty of products claiming to remove it now but some do, some don't. This biomedia seems to give the bacteria the home it needs and I personally would rather follow nature than put another chemical in with them. Another way to get rid of nitrates is amquel+ but since it destorys ammonia and nitrite too, your bacteria will have no food and die off a bit Another reason my tank took forever to cycle Edited November 11, 2010 by Yuko 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Kerstin Posted November 11, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 11, 2010 It's a highly porous biomedia supposedly better than bioballs but i've never used them. You can find it on seachem's website. Since I started using it, I've never seen my nitrates get over 20ppm and that's with an over stocked tank with lots of food. My filter does 340 gph but the results will vary from tank to tank. It could also be that the bacteria is living in the crushed coral I have in my filter since the bags are really full and the last thing the water goes through before heading back in. I'm still testing to see what's up. I don't have any live plants yet, that's for sure. They're too hungry all the time xD A lot of companies are trying to figure out how to remove nitrates other than changing water so they can get the profits instead of the water companies. There's plenty of products claiming to remove it now but some do, some don't. This biomedia seems to give the bacteria the home it needs and I personally would rather follow nature than put another chemical in with them. Another way to get rid of nitrates is amquel+ but since it destorys ammonia and nitrite too, your bacteria will have no food and die off a bit Another reason my tank took forever to cycle I'll look into that. Thanks Yoko 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member caitie Posted November 11, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 11, 2010 If the nitrates stay around 5 that is good. Just keep checking for a while to see if it goes back up or not. Usually mine will go up to 10 or sometimes 15 when I'm due for a wc. But the rest of the time it is down to around 5 too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Kerstin Posted November 11, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 11, 2010 If the nitrates stay around 5 that is good. Just keep checking for a while to see if it goes back up or not. Usually mine will go up to 10 or sometimes 15 when I'm due for a wc. But the rest of the time it is down to around 5 too. Thanks edith. Will do that. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member amynmitchell Posted November 11, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 11, 2010 Water changes are the way to go...goldies love clean fresh water and it keeps those helpful nitrates in check. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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