Nitrate High After Water Change. Help

[clivealive]

nitrate weard issue??
my nitrate is very high even after water changes.
I changed 25% a week ago and I changed 40 % water yesterday and added 8 ml of alpha for reef. (marine and tropical)

***By adding it to your aquarium water you can instantly remove chlorine, chloramine and renders any released ammonia non-toxic for 24 hours. It also detoxifies nitrite and nitrate so that they too have no ill effect on the aquatic animals in your tank.It also detoxifies any toxic heavy metals that may be present in your tap water. ***


other water tests results:
ph 7.8
kh 10 - 12
ammonia 0 (tested test trip and individual test.
nitrite 0
nitrate 100 ish.
gh has 4 reading and all top of scale? purple. (always been that high before)
used jbl 5 in 1 test kit.
note : iam in a very hard water area.

fish stock : i am only 2/3 and have added 3 fish at 2 " in the last month included in that.
I know my fish i have will need moving to a bigger tank in the future when they get bigger and have been misled to what is combatable but they are still within stocking levels , so unsure of the cause.
2 x tin foil barbs 3"
1 x texas chiclid 2"
2 x severums 2 1/2"
1 x 3 1/2 " synodontis catfish.
1 x 3" sucking loach
3 x 1 1/2 -2 " pencil barbs.

I have a moss ball and another real plant (a valis I think- told its very touch for tin foils to eat.) as well as 5 plastic plants added recently.

I know this is a bit wordy but wanted to add all i can
any idea's welcome.

 

[This Old Spouse]

How big is your tank?

If you're using test strips, they are notoriously unreliable. You should get a liquid test kit to be sure of the readings.

 

[SchottayB]

If your using liquid tests and it's high then I would just do 50% daily water changes adding water treatment to the new water and hope it drops.

 

[StandbySetting]

Any nitrate kit is highly inaccurate, I wouldn't trust the test kit personally, 100Mg/L isn't that much to worry about.

 

[clivealive]

confused some say 100 isnt to worry about others say 50% water changes daily ?
i will try and get another test kit other than strips.
must add thats 100 after the water change.
tank is 4ft x 15" x 18"

 

[StandbySetting]

The best way to look at nitrate is, as low as possible is preferable, levels of up to 400Mg/L have been shown to be safe, try and get hold of a Salifert nitrate test kit, they're a lot better than most other commonly available kits even if they are fractionally more expensive, test your tap water (which if you're in the UK should by law be no higher than 50Mg/L) and your tank water and report back with your readings.

 

[clivealive]

tested tap water and hardly shows a reading granted with test strip.
how about cleanwater Filtration Medium or something like that


Salifert nitrate test kit £8-75 not too bad

 

[StandbySetting]

Do a 50% water change, retest and see what you get on the nitrate test kit.

 

[fluttermoth]

If your tap water is low in nitrate and you want to get the level in the tank down (although I agree with SBS that 100ppm is not going to be harmful, lower would be better) you just need to do a few more large water changes and it'll come down.

 

[clivealive]

anyone tried these nitrate filter media , ie
Seachem De Nitrate, JBL Bio NitratEX or cleanwater ? anygood

 

[This Old Spouse]

Why would you want to add all those chemicals to your tank?? Just do some water changes over the next few days and retest!

 

[fluttermoth]

Why would you want to add all those chemicals to your tank?? Just do some water changes over the next few days and retest!

+1
Plenty of good, clean water is all that's needed

 

[clivealive]

ok done 4 x 30% water changes no change ???
weard i know but tap water ok.
got a large rock thats not moved for years could it be that or whats under it??

 

[StandbySetting]

Throw away your test kit and get a new one, Salifert if you can.

You are shaking the bottles thoroughly right?

 

[clivealive]

yes shaking vigorously lol

Throw away your test kit and get a new one, Salifert if you can.

You are shaking the bottles thoroughly right?