Water quality issue

[fatboy8]

Since I picked up my Flowerhorn I have been increasing the amount of times I feed my tank (90 gallon, stock includes 1x FH ,1x Clown loach 3" ,2x Tinfoil barbs 6") from once a day to 2-3 times a day. Only feeding pellets at this time as well. I took a water sample last Thursday and noticed my NO3 was around 80 ppm NO2 and Ammonia were 0. I did a little bit of a larger water change than normal close to 40% ( regular WC is 25%) and vaccumed my substrate. Monday I again checked my levels with my Nitrate again up to 80ppm and Nitrite and Ammonia 0. Did the larger than normal water change again around 40% and cleaned my canister filter. Yesterday I checked my levels again and NO3 was at an alarming 160ppm. I am under the impression that the larger water change I conducted last week sparked this by killing off beneficial bacteria and I am getting a case of new tank syndrome. I went out and purchased stability and have been treating with one capfull for 20 gallons since I do not want to shock my fish. Today levels were back down to ~80 and hopefully dropping more. I suspect the larger WC and cleaning the filter to be the cause of this but is it possible it is the increased feeding?

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

more food = more waste = more nitrate at the end chain process
*Also test your tap water nitrate before you put it in your tank.

 

[raubiy]

I'm thinking your tap water have nitrate. Test your tap. Go to local store and buy pothos plant. Check some threads about this plant.
You can't go wrong with pothos. In your case is way better than nothing.

 

[duanes]

I agree with Yuki.
If you're going to feed 3 Xs per day (and to me that is excessive), you are going to need to up your water change schedule.

 

[Stang725]

3x per day feeding is excessive, while not ideal for growth you can get away with even 1x every two days for the most part.. or at least till you stabilize your nitrates than maybe go back to once a day... maybe a small snack for a second feeding.

What type of pellets?

I agree with getting your tap water tested, as you can get both NH and NO3 from the tap. Are you using Prime with your water changes. I would have possibly blamed the filter media and substrate for having a lot of dissolved organics in it and you stirring things up when you were cleaning things, for the 2nd increase... but you would have NO2 and NH being elevated if you killed off your bio filter, not NO3...

Likely incoming from tap + you stirring up stuff that was in your substrate/filter....

I also 2nd Pothos, keep a rather large plant in my sump next to my sock filters and I'm pretty sure its doing something for me because its growing like crazy. I do ~90G changes with about ~250G of water in my tank/sump 1-2x per week with some NH and NO3 coming from my tap... with that pothos, I can feed multiple times a day (mussels/shrimp/flake/pellets/you name it) with some messy eaters and I hover around 10-20ppm NO3. My tank is stocked with about ~40 misc loaches/cichlids/plecos and a juvenile MBU. I need to sit down and do some calculations for what my plant is doing for me in terms of reduction of NO3 vs. leaf canopy area vs. light lumens/wattage at some point.

 

[raubiy]

Update on my uper post.
It look nice + reduce no3
Here is my living room jungle.

 

[pops]

IMHO every water change should be fin level or 90%. if nitrates at 80, you do a 50% nitrates will be 40. this is what allot of folks conceder max nitrate level and water change time. I am of the no more than 20ppm but that is me. def cut feeding. 3 times to much and will send your nitrates through the roof.

 

[fatboy8]

Tested the tap water and it was fine <20ppm. When I feed them the three times a day it was instead of one heavy feeding. Now when I vacuum I make sure that I remove all visible poop, food scraps, whatever else is on the bottom. I know Thursday I cleaned under two rocks I have in the tank for the first time in awhile and then Monday cleaned my artificial plants. I'm guessing maybe I stirred something up like previously mentioned? I'm almost stumped here to where I would be getting all this NO3 from but lacking NO2 and Ammonia readings. As for the pothos plants I've always wanted to try them and have kept an eye out for them but never found them. i will look for a place while at work tomorrow to pick one up. And for the food pellets I use they are hikari cichlid gold and a few cichlid staple pellets ( both floating type) thrown in. I make sure that there is no excess food floating at the top. I have observed the Flowerhorn is a messy eater but I have been vacuuming his excess scraps like I mentioned before. I do appreciate the replies form everyone

 

[duanes]

Fish poop is "not" where a majority of ammonia (that ends up as nitrate) comes from.
Although the metabolism of all waste produces ammonia, ammonia is constantly exuded from the fishes gills, and is invisible.
This is why large, frequent water changes are so important.
The water in a fish tank is always being inundated with ammonia from fish urine.
As far as nitrate from the tap
I just checked the Philadelphia water companies annual report, the average highest nitrate is < 4ppm, (range for 2013= 0.730-3.8ppm nitrate) the MCL for any water producer in the US, is 10ppm.
You can check it (and any US city) by going to Philadelphia (your city) annual water quality report

 

[fatboy8]

Fish poop is "not" where a majority of ammonia (that ends up as nitrate) comes from.
Although the metabolism of all waste produces ammonia, ammonia is constantly exuded from the fishes gills, and is invisible.
This is why large, frequent water changes are so important.
The water in a fish tank is always being inundated with ammonia from fish urine.
As far as nitrate from the tap
I just checked the Philadelphia water companies annual report, the average highest nitrate is < 4ppm, (range for 2013= 0.730-3.8ppm nitrate) the MCL for any water producer in the US, is 10ppm.
You can check it (and any US city) by going to Philadelphia (your city) annual water quality report

Interesting I appreciate the help and the information. For now I will monitor and increase my water changes to at least two a week and see what happens. I have also cut the feeding back as well. I appreciate all the help.