Help with nitrates in brackish.

[Rocksor]

What dietary changes are you talking about? Feeding less every few days? Nitrates can be high, and yet your fish can be okay throughout the ordeal due to the bacteria dealing with the ammonia and nitrites before it affects them, especially since they haven't had to deal with the nitrates that high for 2-3 months.

Clear water does not mean good water parameters. Heck in the wild the water doesn't have to be clear, and yet there isn't any traceable nitrate by the API test kit.

 

[xenacanth9]

What dietary changes are you talking about? Feeding less every few days? Nitrates can be high, and yet your fish can be okay throughout the ordeal due to the bacteria dealing with the ammonia and nitrites before it affects them, especially since they haven't had to deal with the nitrates that high for 2-3 months.

Clear water does not mean good water parameters. Heck in the wild the water doesn't have to be clear, and yet there isn't any traceable nitrate by the API test kit.

I found that I was feeding specific foods at a level that was unnecessary and decided to cut down slightly on frozen and substitute with other, less messy foods when possible. You might be right about the bacteria. Also, for the second line, I know, it's just that cloudy water can be indicative of bad params

 

[Rocksor]

Did you only start testing nitrates recently? Were you not testing nitrates at least once a week (since fish were still growing)?

 

[xenacanth9]

I was, but admittedly not as commonly-- which was completely my fault and I should've known to

 

[duanes]

Nitrate is invisible.
Clear water has nothing to do with the level of nitrate.

If it were me, and if other plants aren't able to grow in brackish water, while your fish are still young young, I'd be starting a bunch of mangrove in the tank to soak up nitrate later as the fish grow (maybe a dozen mangroves). One or two will not make even a dent in nitrate (at least not until they have some size.
I have 14 mangrove seedlings started in my freshwater tank at the moment, they began as pods I collected back in August, they will easily take your salinity.
The parent trees can live in total sea water
Here they are today.

Another great nitrate sponge type plant that tolerates brackish water, is papyrus (aka umbrella palm)

Above Papyrus growing in my sump.

Mangrove tree pod washed up

After some heavy storms in Panama throughout the last week, lots of junk washing up on the island of Taboga, 10 miles off shore of the mainland. A couple mangrove pods washed up, one looked viable, whether of not it is, is another story. Whether or not it is the fresh, or salt water type may be...

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