Nitrate problems

[mzhantsche]

I now have over 150 pieces of bamboo in my new sump. If nitrates dont start going down in a few weeks I will add a bunch of pothos. Thanks for the tip on the plants.

I do not stir the sand. But i have gotten to the realization that the sand must be cleaned. So i will start cleaning the sand with a syphin when i do water changes.

It had been a almost 4 months since i had cleaned out my canisters. So last week i cleaned out my fx5. This week i will clean out my fulval 404.

Tap water nitrate are 10ppm. This really bumbs me out. I want to set up a constant drip system from my tap. Is their any point in doing this with nitrate at 10ppm from the tap?

I do 50% water changes once a week. I dont have the time to do two water changes a week. Thats why im trying for every other option.

I use the API nitrate test kit. I kept my old one under my tank and was told that if i kept the test in high temp. that it would give inaccurate reading. So i bought a new kit and got slightly lower results but still way too high.

I have about an inch and a half of sand in the tank. So im going to try and bring the sand down to 1/2 inch. Im thinking the sand is whats spiking the nitrate so high. Im just scared i wont get the problem fixed in enough time before the ray dies.

I really want to thank everyone for giving advice. Im the only one in my area that i know of that keeps large fish. This nitrate issue has been waying heavy on my mind for a long time now. No one else cares. Its nice to have people who are taking the time to help me out. My fish and I thank you. Ill update in a week of my nitrate progress. Hopefully the new plant sump helps.

 

[mzhantsche]

I picked up an extra-long gravel vacuum tonight. When i did my water change i vacuumed the hell out of the sand. I was kicking up tons of sulfur bubbles. I have read on one of the stickys about waste being trapped in the sand and creating sulfur bubbles. I know they were because when i vacuumed the bubbles out of the sand, the bucket i emptied them into smelled like rotten eggs. I vacuumed 70gal by hand.

So far my fish all look fine. I used prime when i do my water changes so i hope that will help. Ill probably do another water change in two days (50gal).

I have to part with the sand. I scooped about 5 pound out tonight. When i do my next WC ill scoop a bunch more out. Ill just keep taking it out till my nitrates go down.

 

[plecostic]

I tried pothos once, but the fish kept eating the roots, I was thinking it would grow fast but it didn't. I also stopped vaccuming the sand and just let nature run it's course, the beneficial bacteria will take care of it and I also add some stuff to break it down. It's next to impossible to keep up with the pooping pleco machine.

 

[anarekist]

dont worry about the sulfur gas, if it's bubbling then it just going to the surface and escaping into the atmosphere, that rotten egg smell is only a fraction of what it takes for sulfur to be lethal to you or your fish.

i know you're taking your sand out but you ever thought of creating a deep sand bed? with about 3+ inches of sand the bottom layer become anaerobic and it will break down nitrates into nitrogen gas.