Will using prime to lower nitrates and nitrites be sufficient enough?

[duanes]

I agree with deeda, the only practical way to remove nitrate is with regular frequent water changes, not with Prime.
And filtration also has little to no effect.
I also wonder, if there was a chemical residue left in the tube between testing, I usually rinse test tubes with DI water between each test to remove residue.
Because you are dealing with parts per million, in a tiny amount of sample, all it takes is a pin head of amount of residual to skew numbers.

 

[Steve_C]

Doesn't sound like you are overstocked so kind of odd to have that high of nitrates with large weekly wc's. Check the expiration date on the test kit and make sure it has not exp.

 

[Supergeorge123]

I would double check with tetra water test strips.

 

[hibackgoldaro]

how new is the setup??...has the tank fully cycled??..

 

[Hendre]

how new is the setup??...has the tank fully cycled??..

It wouldn't read nitrates if it wasn't.

I would double check with tetra water test strips.

I'd try another liquid test brand before going strips, I tested against my liquid tests and it's vastly different.

 

[BMG94]

You don't need to buy any product to neutralize nitrite and nitrate. Nitrate is removed from the aquarium via regular and enough water changes plus regular filter maintenance.

You can use Prime as an emergency solution for ammonia and nitrite but that should be an infrequent occurrence.

The API nitrate test requires 5 minutes to develop the solution, no more-no less time wise.

Which I know and understand and all of which I do.
I am at a loss as to why it's so high nothing is dead and rotting in there substrate is clean as well filters I good to go too so at this point twice daily water changes are my only option

 

[squint]

No dechlorinator, including Prime, detoxifies, removes, or bind nitrites or nitrates. It could be argued that dechlorinators that contain chloride (such as Hikari Ultimate) detoxify nitrite. Even then, it's via competitive inhibition, so it's technically not detoxifying nitrite either.

High nitrates doesn't mean ammonia and nitrite are also high. There is somewhat of a correlation between ammonia and nitrite though.

Even if nitrates were high, they would have to be extremely high. Ammonia is roughly 2,000 times more toxic than nitrate.

For example, 160 ppm nitrate and 0.05 ppm ammonia is much safer than 5 ppm nitrate and 0.25 ppm ammonia.

 

[BMG94]

I have had this up and running for almost 5 months now, so itsi a possibility that it's not fully cycled as of yet, but I've had the fish for maybe 2 months before getting the new tank and a few more fish for the added space not to mention I used the original tanks water as a base during the dill up process and all of the media including the actual filtration system and the substrate as well as decorations and plants.

My test kit is good for another year and yes I make sure to clean all tubes after use. And measure precise.
And if not fully cycled by now I really don't see how the nitrates and nitrites would be so high..

 

[Hendre]

Which I know and understand and all of which I do.
I am at a loss as to why it's so high nothing is dead and rotting in there substrate is clean as well filters I good to go too so at this point twice daily water changes are my only option

Stir up the substrate before a change, very helpful for cleaning it out because you're siphoning gunk and letting the filter suck some up too. I can't imagine where so much nitrate comes from, I run <20ppm with monthly WC's on my 75. Maybe the difference is feeding, 5-7x a week compared to 3x daily. It's hard to pinpoint feeding regimen but with that much feeding maybe 2x a week water changes would be better than weekly or bi-weekly. And larger changes @ 75% or so should help significantly to cut nitrates down

 

[BMG94]

No dechlorinator, including Prime, detoxifies, removes, or bind nitrites or nitrates. It could be argued that dechlorinators that contain chloride (such as Hikari Ultimate) detoxify nitrite. Even then, it's via competitive inhibition, so it's technically not detoxifying nitrite either.

High nitrates doesn't mean ammonia and nitrite are also high. There is somewhat of a correlation between ammonia and nitrite though.

Even if nitrates were high, they would have to be extremely high. Ammonia is roughly 2,000 times more toxic than nitrate.

For example, 160 ppm nitrate and 0.05 ppm ammonia is much safer than 5 ppm nitrate and 0.25 ppm ammonia.

Good to know my ammonia is practically at zero it's measures slightly green tint almost unable to see unless you really look for awhile