Hey all, so recently all my stocks in my 75g all died out besides 1 Red Belly Piranha at about 4 inches. Now I tested the nitrates and they were at the darker red side using the API drop tests. I did a water change about 40% and the next day, the same result. I then tested my tap water and it was 0 nitrate. I'm not sure what the problem is and why my nitrates go up so fast when theres only 1 small fish in the 75. My PH levels are very low too below the safety 6, so I'm planning on buying some florida crushed coral to raise the PH. Anyone have ideas on why my nitrates are so high? Ammonia and Nitrite are both 0. The tank is currently running 1 emp400 and 1 ac110 and has been running for almost 2 years. Any help would be appreciated!
Cant Remove High Nitrates
- Thread starter DeChrii
- Start date
sounds like problem with your test kit
Either that or maybe its time to start cleaning the filters, for they have become nitrate factories
Either that or maybe its time to start cleaning the filters, for they have become nitrate factories
How clean is your gravel? You can have the cleanest filters in the world, but you might have too much junk in your gravel!
Old Tank Syndrom???
Do you clean the filters? What do you have for substrate....how deep is it...do you clean it on a regular basis?
If not, both these things could be creating high Nitrate readings...
Do you clean the filters? What do you have for substrate....how deep is it...do you clean it on a regular basis?
If not, both these things could be creating high Nitrate readings...
Who knows? Maybe it could give a false reading on the tapwater as well.
BTW, since you said your stocks died recently, I would check the entire tank for any dead fish left.
It could be contributing to the high nitrate reading.
BTW, since you said your stocks died recently, I would check the entire tank for any dead fish left.
It could be contributing to the high nitrate reading.
Take a bucket, fill it up with aquarium water.
Dip the media into it and give it a good swirl to get all the gunk out
Dip the media into it and give it a good swirl to get all the gunk out
The nitratre level may be so high that the test kit can't read it. For example, if the last scale of the nitrate kit is 120 ppm, and the tank level is 500 ppm, even if you do a 50% water change, and drop the tank level to 250 ppm, the test kit would still indicates 120 ppm.
You could try a 100% water change (two 80% back to back).
How much water do you change on a weekly basis ?
You could try a 100% water change (two 80% back to back).
How much water do you change on a weekly basis ?