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On Top of the Board Ma ! => Newbies => Topic started by: Mat246 on May 18, 2017, 02:16:55 pm

Title: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 18, 2017, 02:16:55 pm
Posted in my old thread but thought a new one would get noticed more. So just did a test and nitrate is super high! So how how much of a water change should I do? Also can anyone confirm what my ammonia and nitrite levels are in the picture attached, I'd say both are 0.25
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Gingerlove05 on May 18, 2017, 02:29:24 pm
Both ammonia and nitrite are definitely reading at least 0.25 and your nitrate is high.
I would do a 50% change at least especially if you have fish, to dilute the toxins. Also seachem prime is a good water conditioner to have for situations like this.
Have you done anything recently that could have caused a spike in the levels? For example cleaning/over cleaning the filter or changing sponges or other filter media?


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Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 18, 2017, 02:39:35 pm
Both ammonia and nitrite are definitely reading at least 0.25 and your nitrate is high.
I would do a 50% change at least especially if you have fish, to dilute the toxins. Also seachem prime is a good water conditioner to have for situations like this.
Have you done anything recently that could have caused a spike in the levels? For example cleaning/over cleaning the filter or changing sponges or other filter media?



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Only thing I can think of is one of my minnows died the other day, I removed it as soon as I saw it but it had been munched on by my snails. I haven't cleaned my filter in a few weeks but do a 25% water change each week. I do have prime aswell
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Gingerlove05 on May 18, 2017, 03:27:24 pm
How long has the tank been running?


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Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 18, 2017, 03:30:18 pm
How long has the tank been running?


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A few years but admittedly haven't done things properly until a couple months ago like checking water etc and cleaning filters in tap water. But the tank should be cycled by now I would of thought, it's never been without fish in.
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Gingerlove05 on May 18, 2017, 03:56:47 pm
Yeah dont clean the filters in tap water, only do one sponge/tray at a time, and only do one a month. Just a swill in tank water taken out from changes.
When was the last time you cleaned the filters in tap water? Or cleaned them lately?


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Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 18, 2017, 04:01:26 pm
Yeah dont clean the filters in tap water, only do one sponge/tray at a time, and only do one a month. Just a swill in tank water taken out from changes.
When was the last time you cleaned the filters in tap water? Or cleaned them lately?


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Haven't done that in a few months, last cleaned the filter about 3 weeks ago
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 19, 2017, 04:24:48 pm
Did a 50% water change yesterday and got it in the orange, however today I retested and it's gone back up - not exactly sure what it's on so can anyone say for definite from the pic?
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Suelo on May 19, 2017, 04:44:23 pm
I'd be interested in what others think as I had a reading last night from my cycling tank that looked this colour. I couldn't decide either what colour it was, only that it was somewhere more than 40.
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Gingerlove05 on May 19, 2017, 05:11:29 pm
Mines regularly 40-80ppm a similar colour to yours now (but i cant tell the difference on the card), i have had a slight orange (20ppm) once or twice lately but thats me experimenting with my ferts.
Do you have any plants? And is it possible theres any rotting plant matter, i think that would increase nitrates as it could possibly cause a spike in ammonia as well.


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Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 19, 2017, 05:18:24 pm
Mines regularly 40-80ppm a similar colour to yours now (but i cant tell the difference on the card), i have had a slight orange (20ppm) once or twice lately but thats me experimenting with my ferts.
Do you have any plants? And is it possible theres any rotting plant matter, i think that would increase nitrates as it could possibly cause a spike in ammonia as well.


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Only plant I have is frogbit and my snails have been eating it so wil have to remove it
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Gingerlove05 on May 19, 2017, 06:07:03 pm
This just gets more and more baffling.
I take it the filter is running correctly and the impeller is not jamming or running slow?
Might be worth a look and a clean if you see any gunk built up around it.
I am running out of ideas though :/


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Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: kas on May 19, 2017, 06:27:02 pm
What is the nitrate level in your tap water?
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Suelo on May 19, 2017, 07:07:41 pm
I was just reading back through some of your other posts. I don't know whether it makes a difference, but have you just changed from cold water to tropical on this tank? If so, I wonder if the filter bacteria are still adjusting, or whether different processes are beginning to work on whatever is in your tanks e.g. breaking down old plant matter?
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 19, 2017, 08:16:49 pm
This just gets more and more baffling.
I take it the filter is running correctly and the impeller is not jamming or running slow?
Might be worth a look and a clean if you see any gunk built up around it.
I am running out of ideas though :/


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Filter is running fine but I could clean it I suppose
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 19, 2017, 08:17:16 pm
I was just reading back through some of your other posts. I don't know whether it makes a difference, but have you just changed from cold water to tropical on this tank? If so, I wonder if the filter bacteria are still adjusting, or whether different processes are beginning to work on whatever is in your tanks e.g. breaking down old plant matter?
It's still cold water at the moment
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 19, 2017, 08:23:19 pm
Going to test again and test the tap water and report back
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Suelo on May 19, 2017, 08:24:52 pm
I think I'm out of ideas too. Well, the only other thing I can think of (unless something comes back revthere tapwater Nitrate) is have you removed a lot of plants recently? If so, I wonder if they have been using a lot of ammonia/nitrate & now they're not doing it?

Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 19, 2017, 08:42:27 pm
Ok here's the results, last pic is straight from the tap
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: kas on May 19, 2017, 09:05:48 pm
Well there are nitrates in your tap water but they aren't too high between 20 to 40ppm. It looks like ammonia is .25 in your pic.  It would be good to test your tap water for ammonia too, just to compare.

Are you adding any ferts to the water?
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 19, 2017, 09:26:03 pm
Well there are nitrates in your tap water but they aren't too high between 20 to 40ppm. It looks like ammonia is .25 in your pic.  It would be good to test your tap water for ammonia too, just to compare.

Are you adding any ferts to the water?
No ferts atall, at a loss really cause I wanted to get the fish soon but won't until the waters right. My plec is being rehomed on  Monday so that will be less old on the tank but not sure otherwise, although I do have A LOT of Apple snails, in just waiting for them to die off but that will take a while.
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: kas on May 19, 2017, 09:40:06 pm
It's probably a number of things. You've said you have only really started testing recently, you been cleaning the filter (perhaps too much). Water changes might not have been enough, frequency or amounts...? I think the tank needs time to settle.

Could your test be wrong? Are you shaking the living hell out of the nitrate 2 bottle?
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 19, 2017, 10:15:06 pm
It's probably a number of things. You've said you have only really started testing recently, you been cleaning the filter (perhaps too much). Water changes might not have been enough, frequency or amounts...? I think the tank needs time to settle.

Could your test be wrong? Are you shaking the living hell out of the nitrate 2 bottle?
Yes I've shook the bottle like hell in all the nitrate tests, the filter is a fairly new addition and was bought used and I've never personally cleaned it with tap water, just squeezed it out in tank water.
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: kas on May 20, 2017, 07:19:31 am
I didn't see your old thread, apologies if you have been asked before. Whats the tank size, stock, and how much are you feeding each day?
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 20, 2017, 09:07:26 am
I didn't see your old thread, apologies if you have been asked before. Whats the tank size, stock, and how much are you feeding each day?
It's ok, stock is just 3 Minnows a common pleco which is going on Monday and loads of Apple snails. The minnows are going to the other tank so I was thinking it might be an idea to just drain all the water since I wanted to change the gravel anyway and go from there
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Massy2k on May 20, 2017, 09:17:30 am
Could you have a bunch of dead apple snails hidden around the tank, maybe even in the substrate? I'm sure a rotting snail or two could increase ammonia levels a bit.
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 20, 2017, 10:08:31 am
Could you have a bunch of dead apple snails hidden around the tank, maybe even in the substrate? I'm sure a rotting snail or two could increase ammonia levels a bit.
Possibly but I'm usually pretty good with removing them and cleaning the gravel. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish between dead or alive because some have lost their "foot" but still move when touched then ok find empty shells occasionally
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 20, 2017, 10:13:20 am
Could you have a bunch of dead apple snails hidden around the tank, maybe even in the substrate? I'm sure a rotting snail or two could increase ammonia levels a bit.
Possibly but I'm usually pretty good with removing them and cleaning the gravel. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish between dead or alive because some have lost their "foot" but still move when touched then il find empty shells occasionally
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: plankton on May 20, 2017, 10:37:53 am
The common plec will be creating a lot of waste, which will push the nitrates up.
You don't actually have anything that is sensitive to nitrates, so I wouldn't worry.
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 20, 2017, 10:45:07 am
The common plec will be creating a lot of waste, which will push the nitrates up.
You don't actually have anything that is sensitive to nitrates, so I wouldn't worry.
Oh ok the pleco is going on Monday anyway, Just want to get to the point where I can add tropical now so will the nitrates still be okay?
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: plankton on May 21, 2017, 09:20:04 am
They will eventually fall to that of the tapwater with regular maintenance, so it'll be fine. ;)
Title: Re: High nitrate 160ppm
Post by: Mat246 on May 21, 2017, 06:00:06 pm
They will eventually fall to that of the tapwater with regular maintenance, so it'll be fine. ;)
Thanks..again!  *grin*