HELP NITRATE OVERLOAD!!!!

[aldrino_17]

Please help me i just tested my water parameters and to my surprise my nitrate is at 160PPM!!!! this is my 3rd day since I first found out of my nitrate and since then i am doing 20-25 water change a day... maybe later i will do a 50% WC with stresscoat. please help me!!! how can i reduce my nitrate... here is my inhabitants:
1 9-10" asian aro
1 fem 5-6: motoro
1 male 7-8" motoro
3 surinamensis 4-5"
1 fire eel 10-11"
1 cichla zul 4"
1 angel fish
1 discus

they are at a standard 100 gallons tank, my filtration is a DIY trickle filter (2 layers with ammonia pad and ceramic rings in it) and a hydra 50 to support it. i dont have any sand i just added 3 plants on my tank and still my nitrate is at 160 PPM....

PS: my other reading is as follows

PH 7.6
ammonia 0 ppm
nitrite 0 ppm

 

[SHARK13]

That is a fairly heavily stocked 100 gallon. My guess is either your trickle filter is clogged with waste, and or you have not been doing enough waterchanges to keep up with the waste.

Make your water changes 50% once or twice a day till the nitrates come down. Feed lightly or not at all. The absolute best thing you can do is set up a drip system if you can. Drip freshwater in at a slow rate maybe 50 gallons a day, and have it drain out into waste water area like your drain or sump in your house. That way your tank gets a constant water change.

Nitrates didn't get that high over night, they will not drop back down to a safer level overnight either. Keep doing what you are doing, stay on top of it. They will come down eventually.

You are going to want to add more filtration to your tank, like a bio reactor or something with K1 media to support a bioload like that. Plan on upgrading tanks soon, as those motoro's are going to outgrow that 100 in a very short time.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

that tank, regardless of how big the fish are, is overstocked. That coupled with the fact that you have some of the more messy fish in there is going to skyrocket your nitrates. You most likely are overfeeding and not doing enough water changes. With that tank WC's will need to be like 50% twice a week minimum.

Post above is all solid advice, get ready to upgrade within a few months.

I'm actually impressed your rays, geos and discus are still alive at that high a nitrate count, which also leads me to believe this happened over the course of several weeks to a month for sensitive fish like that to be accustomed to the high TDS.

 

[Ihsnshaik]

Sorry can't help you if you can't help your own fish. Need a bigger tank. Not being rude but thats just way too overstocked. An Asian Arow can't live in 100 gallon tank. One motoro needs a min of a 200 gallon tank.

 

[Thekid]

Add some more pothos or similar plants to help with the water quality. That won't cure everything but will be a start. Start every other day 80% water changes to help prevent the discus from being further stunted. I'm hoping this is a grow out tank but I'd take a look at your stock and keep only what you're attached to and then sell or rehome the unnecessary fish to help lighten up the bio load.

 

[Skalper666]

Good advice above. I would likely be doing 75% water changes myself back to back each day, cleaning the gravel well, and very lightly clean the filter. 160 ppm has to be pretty hard on that discus.

 

[aldrino_17]

That is a fairly heavily stocked 100 gallon. My guess is either your trickle filter is clogged with waste, and or you have not been doing enough waterchanges to keep up with the waste.

Make your water changes 50% once or twice a day till the nitrates come down. Feed lightly or not at all. The absolute best thing you can do is set up a drip system if you can. Drip freshwater in at a slow rate maybe 50 gallons a day, and have it drain out into waste water area like your drain or sump in your house. That way your tank gets a constant water change.

Nitrates didn't get that high over night, they will not drop back down to a safer level overnight either. Keep doing what you are doing, stay on top of it. They will come down eventually.

You are going to want to add more filtration to your tank, like a bio reactor or something with K1 media to support a bioload like that. Plan on upgrading tanks soon, as those motoro's are going to outgrow that 100 in a very short time.

thanks! I did a 50% WC last night and after an hour my nitrate reading is still high at around 40-80ppm.. I will add later today pothos plants and maybe later this week will add another layer to my DIY trickle filter and put Nitrate pads in it. i just hope it helps.... upgrading of my tank is a must but i cant guaranty it will be done this year. I need a larger space in the house though... If worse come to worse i will try rehoming some of them if it still continues....

 

[aldrino_17]

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That is a fairly heavily stocked 100 gallon. My guess is either your trickle filter is clogged with waste, and or you have not been doing enough waterchanges to keep up with the waste.

Make your water changes 50% once or twice a day till the nitrates come down. Feed lightly or not at all. The absolute best thing you can do is set up a drip system if you can. Drip freshwater in at a slow rate maybe 50 gallons a day, and have it drain out into waste water area like your drain or sump in your house. That way your tank gets a constant water change.

Nitrates didn't get that high over night, they will not drop back down to a safer level overnight either. Keep doing what you are doing, stay on top of it. They will come down eventually.

You are going to want to add more filtration to your tank, like a bio reactor or something with K1 media to support a bioload like that. Plan on upgrading tanks soon, as those motoro's are going to outgrow that 100 in a very short time.

Well actually my discuss and rays are doing fine believe it or not.... though im just scared of the continuous side effect that can harm them over time... and if adding lots of pothos plants and nitrate pads dont work in about a week or two, Im planning on re homing one of the rays,discus,angel fish, one of the geos or even the fire eel.... just taking this problem step by step. I dont want to shocked the fishes with sudden change of parameters or even the environment... i will do a 2nd day 50% WC later. i did a 50% wc last night and after an hour or so i test for nitrate and it lowers down to I think 40-80ppm (though its still high)....

 

[aldrino_17]

Add some more pothos or similar plants to help with the water quality. That won't cure everything but will be a start. Start every other day 80% water changes to help prevent the discus from being further stunted. I'm hoping this is a grow out tank but I'd take a look at your stock and keep only what you're attached to and then sell or rehome the unnecessary fish to help lighten up the bio load.

well if im taking it to attachement or sentimental value to me, I really want to keep the High back arowana, i think 1 or 2 geos and the cichla, also I really really want to keep one of the rays... im very confused on the 2 coz the male is my very first ray while the female have a good spots than the male....

 

[SHARK13]

thanks! I did a 50% WC last night and after an hour my nitrate reading is still high at around 40-80ppm.. I will add later today pothos plants and maybe later this week will add another layer to my DIY trickle filter and put Nitrate pads in it. i just hope it helps.... upgrading of my tank is a must but i cant guaranty it will be done this year. I need a larger space in the house though... If worse come to worse i will try rehoming some of them if it still continues....

Just remember once you start doing big water changes it is very very important that the water you are adding back into the system is equal temperature. If you are careless your fish will suffer from the shock.