Need advice about lowering Nitrates

[aclockworkorange]

You're overstocked which is causing the really high nitrates. Your goal should be to stay under 20 ppm nitrates. So for example, in your 55 gallon just the pleco by himself would probably get the tank to near 20ppm nitrates in a about a week under normal feeding conditions. So add to that all those other fish, your 25% changes are not nearly enough. You are going to have to start doing twice weekly large water changes like 80% or get bigger tanks. You won't be able to add nearly enough plants to that tank to take care of those nitrates.

He's really not THAT overstocked... I said fast growing plants would HELP, not fix the issue.

 

[catoprion]

if you have two spare tanks, you may also consider setting up FW refugia to scrub the main tanks. will be effective even if a little expensive.

good luck!

 

[jgjoneslaw]

Each of those fish needs 50 gallons to keep nitrates under 20ppm in a week. We can push that up to 40ppm but we're getting 80ppm nitrates here and these fish aren't even full grown yet. This is very overstocked IMO and keeping nitrates under control is going to be an issue but hopefully it can.

 

[aclockworkorange]

Each of those fish needs 50 gallons to keep nitrates under 20ppm in a week. We can push that up to 40ppm but we're getting 80ppm nitrates here and these fish aren't even full grown yet. This is very overstocked IMO and keeping nitrates under control is going to be an issue but hopefully it can.

Where are you coming up with these figures?

 

[Chizzle]

For my 240 and 150 i do a 30% WC every 2-3 days. Keeps the nitrates minimal especially b/c my fish eat/poop a lot.

 

[MyGiants]

Test you water source. I have read people having 40ppm nitrates in there tap water.

 

[jgjoneslaw]

I've kept Severums and Pelcos and know many others who have kept them as well. The only way I was ever able to keep nitrates below 20ppm was by doing 70% water changes every week per 50 gallons of water and even then it was a challenge. I thought it was pretty accepted that a severum needs a 50 gallon tank at least as well as an emperor Pleco. I didn't think I was taking that controversial a position here... the guy is having very high nitrate problems even though he's doing weekly water changes. Sounds like overstocked to me.

 

[MonsterMinis]

Can't really argue with any of the suggestions made here. Thinning your livestock will lead to less nitrates and you would be able to find a balance to continue your current maintence. adding pothos would help control your nitrate levels. adding a FW refrugium/algae scrubber type set-up would also help. the main thing no ones pointed out either though is generally with nitrate build-up your going to see organic build-up which as far as I know isn't testable.

imho I would increase your wc's to 50% a week. and either impliment the use of pothos or a fw refugium. Or downsize your stock, which you may liekly have to do anyways depending on how your changes are done.

I doubt any one way is "best" and a combo of a few is likely to reach the best results. barring a sever downsize in livestock ( which lets face it no one ever usually wants to do).

 

[vfc]

I do 60% WCs weekly on my 125G. To get the nitrates under 60PPMs I had to thin out the herd. I now have just two fish: 7" TFH and 8" Fossie.

The only effective way to lower your nitrates with your current stocking level is to either thin out your herd or do daily 50% WCs.

 

[bomber]

Set up a drip system and that should help more then anything ime.