Those Darn Nitrates.

[FinFun]

I've been fighting them for so long! I have two 55s connected being filtered by a diy drip filter. I use lava rock as one of my media's. It filters just under 1600gph. One side has eco plant substrate with regular sand on top. I have some plants in there. ( There are no gas pockets. ) The other has sand, no pockets again. I am not seeing any nitrites but some ammonia and lots of nitrates. 40ppm+ I keep doing water changes but I'm stumped what to do. I'll do a 50% water change and it's just as bad the day before.

And it's not just this tank, I struggle with others too. Any ideas?

 

[JK47]

What is your reading straight out of the faucet? I used to live in a house that had 20ppm right out of the faucet. What is the stock list/bioload?

 

[FinFun]

What is your reading straight out of the faucet? I used to live in a house that had 20ppm right out of the faucet. What is the stock list/bioload?

It's 0, but I've tested water that's sat a couple weeks and it built but a few. One tank is approx. 25 small cichlids which I'm going to try to get to a more reasonable number like 10 - 15. The other side has 2 small gold gourami, 3 pearl gourami, 1 bristle nose pleco, a baby dragon goby and 6 angelfish. I'm be changing that tank as well to less angels and no goby. That's it I think.

 

[ragin_cajun]

That's a LOT of fish in a 55 gallon tank. And nitrates levels are high? You need bigger tanks, or fewer fish.

 

[Chillz23]

Your nitrates are zero straight from the tap? Really?

That level looks like 10-20ppm to me, which is fine?

 

[xraycer]

That level looks like 10-20ppm to me, which is fine?

^^^Agree^^^
It can be a real PITA to distinguish some of those colors from the API chart.

If you really want to lower the nitrate level even more than do >50% everyday until you get to where you want to be. Then decrease the frequency until you get to a w/c regiment that you prefer...........to maintain that nitrate level.

 

[FinFun]

I realize I have to decrease my fish, I said that. And it's 0 out of the tap. Idk it seems like it's higher than that to me? That is after having a water change the day before, I can post a picture tonight since then. But they just keep going up and up. I have read and read on cycling but perhaps I'm paranoid and am not fully understanding it. I also have a 10 gallon with about 30 shrimp in it, which isn't many. I have the same problem with that tank. So I'm just getting very frustrated.

 

[duanes]

You do not say what your normal water change schedule, and what the amount is, so it's hard to react.
Filtration alone does not reduce nitrate, only water changes, and/or in tandem with nitrate using plants like pathos, or lots of aquatic plants.
I also agree that is a lot of fish for a 55, so I would think until you reduce numbers, to keep nitrate down you would need lots of water changes, maybe 30% every other day.

 

[Chillz23]

What water conditioner are you using, I believe ones like Prime can have an effect on readings.

Also, could you do a test straight from the tap and post please? I really find it hard to believe it's coming out at dead zero.

Also, are you following the API instructions to the letter? With bottle 2 it's a suspension, so if it's been sitting for a long time some of the compound may be stuck to the bottle. Bang it on a table a few times and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to be sure.

Lastly, remember the reading of the colour should be taken at the 5 min mark, not after that; the fact that you have all 3 tests done and sat there tells me that photo probably wasn't taken at the 5 minute mark...

 

[ragin_cajun]

I realize I have to decrease my fish, I said that.

"you need bigger tanks, or fewer fish."

I personally would not decrease fish, I'd get bigger tanks, change water more frequently, and start researching a drip system to automate changing water.

Reason why you're not seeing much difference after a water change is because nitrate levels in the water sample is "off the charts". If you do a 50% water change and decrease 80ppm nitrate down to 40 ppm, the test kit still reads red. You need to get nitrate down to the 5-20 ppm range to start seeing a difference in color on the nitrate test.

Change water daily until nitrates read light orange to yellow.