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need help with high nitrates

Discussion in 'Aquarium Equipment & Decor' started by Anonymous, Mar 16, 2009.

  1. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Nitrates

    My nitrate level's have sky rocketed in my tank, and I am not really sure why. Today I cleaned my tank really good, I scrubed my decore becasue it has feathery algea all over it and a 20% water change. I added a few plants to the tank and am hoping that my fish will leave them alone because they never leave them alone, but they have been in there for 2 hours now and they haven't attacked them yet which is a first. How often should I do water changes to get this down? I am also wondering if this spike could have anything to do with my changing from gravel to sand in my tank? any advice would be great.
     
  2. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Nitrates

    What's the nitrate reading ?
     
  3. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Re: Nitrates

    It is hard to tell the color difference on my thing but between 40-80
     
  4. James0816

    James0816 New Member

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    Re: Nitrates

    What is/was your standard maintenance on the tank? (I.e. water changes and chems, etc.)
     
  5. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Re: Nitrates

    I have always done a once a monthe 20% water change but have to add water weekly because I have a fire place in the same room so it evaporates quickly and as far as chemicals I only use a water conditioner
     
  6. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Nitrates

    You'll want to increase that to weekly water changes, that's what most of us do. In the mean time you'll want to do several large water changes to get the nitrates down.

    When water evaporates nothing is removed from the tank (nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, etc).

    Also, read this thread. This user had high nitrates as well and this is what she's done to get them down.

    Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading in Planted Tank
     
  7. James0816

    James0816 New Member

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    Re: Nitrates

    Ok...this is an issue. At bare minimum, wc's should be bi-weekly depending on stock but highly recommend 25%/wk.

    Top offs are a recipe for disaster. OTS (Old Tank Syndrome). Depending on the water from your tap, ickies like nitrates, ammonia and such just sit there building until you do a water change. With the little amount that you do, you are retaining quite a bit of them in the water.

    Thus they build up over time until now where you see high levels.

    Do 50% wc's for the next couple of days and see where that gets you. Definately consider bumping up your maintenance routine.
     
  8. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Re: Nitrates

    I have always only done a water change once a month when I had gravel in my tanks and never had a problem, is the sand in my tank holding the nitrates more then what my gravel would have? Also would it be safe to do 2 water changes a day untill I get the levels down?
     
  9. James0816

    James0816 New Member

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    Re: Nitrates

    No difference in sand as referring to nitrates. I would not do two wc's a day. Only in extreme cases would i consider it.
     
  10. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Re: Nitrates

    thanks for the help