Can Adding Peat To An Aquarium Affect Tests?

[chrismr]

Ok, first up, once my tank had been running for a while and after keeping testing for some time and the water always being perfect (i.e. ammonia 0, nitrites 0, and nitrate between 5 and 10) I kind of neglected testing for a little while. Maybe about a month since last test.

Today I decided to test my water and almost had a heart attack! My ammonia is still reading as 0, but nitrites reading either 0.25 or 0.5, and nitrates are reading 80+!!!!!!!

Now, earlier in the week, i put some peat granules in the filter to soften water and lower ph, which has worked a treat... but I am wondering if the peat might not be affecting the tests? Also, I use a ph lowering product to lower the ph of new water to equal that of the tank. Could this be affecting things?

I have done a water change, and placed the other halfs nitrazorb in the filter. It has been a few hours and still reading are sky high!

The fish all seem perfectly happy. In fact, my keyholes are getting ready to spawn (at last) since adding the peat. No fish are gasping, or haning around near the top. None seem pale or stressed in any way.

Ideas?

 

[CFC]

Peat shouldnt affect those tests, how old is the kit?

 

[Chri$]

i agree with CFC, done a bit of research and found that peat should not affect the tests.

 

[chrismr]

I was sold the kit as "new", but bought it on Ebay. All other tanks are testing fine, so am sure it is not the test being out of date.

I did have my doubts about it being the peat.... that leaves the nutrafin ph down that I use... or something else that I can just not think of.

what would be reasons this could happen?

I do weekly water changes of about 25%. No new fish have been added.

It is a juwel rekord 120 which, in addition to the standard juwel filter has an additional fluval 304 internal. So really more filtration that is necessary....

 

[chrismr]

Any ideas???

PS - MY KEYHOLES ARE SPAWNING!!!

Don't know if the eggs will make it considering the above, but finally I know they are a definite pair!

Am so happy

 

[fishdudein]

Congratulations on the keyholes spawning!

As far as the nitrates go, they will just continue to accumulate and rise unless there is something in the tank that can "uptake" them, i.e. plants. As "most" cichlids will uproot any plants you put in with them, you might want to consider some type of floating plant, or potted plants. Only other way to lower nitrates (naturally...I avoid chemically altering my water at all costs) is water changes, which you are doing...might want to consider going to 2 or 3 of the 25% changes a week until nitrates are back in line.

Only other suggestion would be to maybe cut back on the quantity you are feeding, make sure that the fish get fed but that there isn't anything "leftover", this only adds fuel to the nitrogen cycle.

Good luck, hope this helps!

 

[chrismr]

Congratulations on the keyholes spawning!

Thanks!

As far as the nitrates go, they will just continue to accumulate and rise unless there is something in the tank that can "uptake" them, i.e. plants. As "most" cichlids will uproot any plants you put in with them, you might want to consider some type of floating plant, or potted plants. Only other way to lower nitrates (naturally...I avoid chemically altering my water at all costs) is water changes, which you are doing...might want to consider going to 2 or 3 of the 25% changes a week until nitrates are back in line.

I currently have many plants in the tank. Will keep doing water changes every second day... if that does not work then I do not know what will do...

Only other suggestion would be to maybe cut back on the quantity you are feeding, make sure that the fish get fed but that there isn't anything "leftover", this only adds fuel to the nitrogen cycle.

I do try to be careful with amounts I give, but will pay a bit more attention. Maybe putting in very little bits over a 5 min period or something.


Thanks for the input.

 

[CFC]

Have you tested the test kit for reliability? If not id test a tapwater sample and see what readings you get from that, nitrate test kits are especially fickle if not stored properly once opened and will give wildly high readings, i once had a test kit which showed 150ppm nitrate in my ray tank which it clearly couldnt be or they would have been dead, a new test kit revealed the figure was actually 40ppm.

 

[chrismr]

Update...

Ok, have tested again this morning, adn nitrites are reading 0.

I have to ask though, how quickly can nitrate tests go off?

I am sure it was just alst weekend, maybe the weekend before, when we tested the other tanks, and all readings were fine for nitrates. However I decided to test all again this morning along with the "problem" tank, and all their readings are off teh charts for nitrates....

Surely all the quarter inch krib fry would die in this? Is it possible for the tests to go off in such a shirt time?

I will try and get hold of another test today, to check this out.

 

[CFC]

I dont know the exact time frame for the shelf life of nitrate test kits but it is believed that once opened they only last a few months at most.