Yes, of course, I had an anarobic nitrogen fixing bacteria, stuck in my head, which strips the ate, of nitrate, for its oxygen supply.
What's causing my high nitrate levels?
- Thread starter BarnacleBoy
- Start date
Good news!! Only 12 hours after adding the ammonia last night, I've already seen a spike in the nitrite and nitrate. They are converting it! The Ammonia is already almost back to zero. Looks like I'm going to have to do some water changes to bring my nitrates back down after it's all done converting right?
Oh I forgot... will doing a big water change after its cycled, decrease the amount of bacteria? To the point where its counterproductive?
If there is no fish in tank u should do like mark suggested and add some ammonia. Test ur water everyday and watch ammonia and nitrite levels as they diminissh. Watching it will help in understanding and learning the cycle process. Patience in aquariums is key to success. I think a big water change right away will throw u into a cycle again
I did what mark said and added the ammonia last night so that the tank had 2ppm of ammonia. And Only 12 hours after adding it last night, I've already seen a spike in the nitrite and nitrate. They are converting it! The Ammonia is already almost back to zero. Looks like I'm going to have to do some water changes to bring my nitrates back down after it's all done converting right?
The bacteria colony which converts nitrite into nitrates, still is developing its size.
In a fully cycled aquarium the bacteria will convert nitrite into nitrate as fast as the bacteria can convert ammonia into nitrites.
Once the nitrite is back to 0ppm. It will be safe to add fish. The nitrate will probably be in the red, but it can hit 200ppm plus with out a fish kill. * less a few sensitive types, and *salt water * inverts,* human babies.
I do about 40% water change, with 55 gallon drum slow flow mix, every week, and my nitrates stay between 15ppm and 25ppm. My tap water is on the high side at 15ppm as I live in corn counrty.
I would start with a 10% water change frequently, then a large one, to be safe, against chorimine, Ph, and temperature issues.
Right. Normally, when both ammonia and nitrite read 0 ppm 12-24 hours after adding liquid ammonia (increasing NH3 level to 2 ppm), you declare the tank cycled and perform a massive (near complete) water change. You then immediately add fish which are the new supply of ammonia from then on.
You would perform smaller water changes until then in order to keep nitrite from getting so far off the chart it becomes unreadable.
Just don't let your filter media dry out and don't change it. All the nitrifying bacteria will die.
Every 1 ppm ammonia added gets converted into about 2.8 ppm nitrite, so nitrite will get way up there until more of the nitrite-oxidizing bacteria grow in your filter media. That's the bacteria you're waiting for now.
anyone using http://www.aquariumfiltersetup.com/nitrate-removal/ ? came across this (dentrification) from last year great post by
Hendre
// https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/some-bites-from-the-professor.693795/
Hendre
// https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/some-bites-from-the-professor.693795/
