Help: NITRATE - 100+

Jay88 said:

Im going to just shoot mysef..I am having such a hard life this month (with even personal things)...

My 20 gallon... has

Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 100+ its full red!

I did a 80% water change, I come back home...still RED! My baby flowerhorn is in there, I think my filtration needs to be improved..so I am doing this first thing tomorrow morning..

But why is the nitrate so high even after 80% water change? Is my filter failing?

Will a fish be ok for a some time even with 100 nitrate?

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A few questions:
How big is the FH?
Any other inhabitents?
What media is in your filter?

If there is 0 ammonia and 0 nitrate then the nitrogen cycle is working - which indicates your filter isn't failing. If your filter has any nitrate remover - then I would suggest that this is failing. The BB will not remove nitrate so other than different medias, w/c are your best bet.

You could add some live plants in the hope of bringing down the nitrate and cutting back on your feeding (the waste will eventually be converted to nitrate). There is quick solutions which you add to the water (never tried them - so i cannot vouch for their effectiveness), these may be worth a try.

As for a fish living in 100 nitrate, sure it could survive. But there could be a detrimental effect on its health in the long run. I wouldn't waste any time in sorting out the params.

Jay88 said:

Your a legend Grant...tomorrow I will be getting some nitrate remover...and doing 25% water changes daily..

I heard if you do to many rapid water changes...the fish get shocked...

the tank is 20 gallons, the flowerhorn is 9-10cm. Only fish.

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I like to think so

Keeping up the regular water changes with the addition of some nitrate remover sounds like a good idea. However, a bigger aquarium would make it easier to control the params (don't want to be a preacher,but it is very true).

As for the rapid changes, I have never heard this. But I fail to see the logic, the change from poor to good quality water is an improvement, no matter what the speed. Also, if the fish is shocked, the good quality water is going to be more forgiving than any other conditions would be.

But as for the additives, I would imagine they take time to work. So is not to shock the fish.

Either way, Best of luck! Research the nitrogen cycle - although it looks fairly daunting, it isn't really, and itis one ofthe most valuable things to know in fishkeeping.

Sounds like u have old rotting food stuck under something like a decoration. Same kinda thing happened to me and i took everything out and vacumed gravel VERY THOURGHLY, after that nitrates were 15-20ppm. Just some advice

#1 S. Vettel

Jay88 said:

Dude I was thinking the SAME damn thing.... same damn thing...

Guys is it SAFE to remove ALL gravel... and vaccum the tank VERY WELL? Filter I will not touch.... what you guys think? And how much water change should I do after that?

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As long as ur bio media has bb then it shouldnt crash! Dont remove gravel just vac the crap out of it. Over time food gets stuck ever where, for instance i moved my big piece of DW and omg there was a 1cm layer of red slime crap from my pellets i guess, luckily the vac was already in the water siphoning that area to catch it before it dispursed! Ur water contains little to no bb so just vac till the water level is 40*50% then fill it back up and test, i bet ur nitrates will have dropped drasticly!

#1 S. Vettel