Extremely High Nitrate Levels

[chabbs]

Hello all,

I am a newbie and I have made all the newbie mistakes already. My aquarium has finally completed the biolgical cycle and is now at the nitrate level. My problem is that the levels are really high and it seems that what ever I do they never come down. I have done already three partial water changes and I have added Nitra-zorb to try to bring down the levels. I have been running the Nitra-zorb product since Saturday. It says that it' supposed to reduce levels by 20 ppm per day. I have just tested my water for nitrate and the levels still read 160 ppm. The meter only goes to 160 so I don't know the actual levels. I have lost two fish in the last few days and I have one more that I am desperately trying to keep alive. Unfortunately this fish is experiencing fin rot. I have been using an anti-fungal product and she seems to be better but with the high levels of nitrate I'm not sure if she's going to last. My fish is a Dalmation Molly and I have added salt with the water changes so I don't understand why she has fin rot.

My question is; what can I do to drastically lower the levels of nitrate?

 

[Tolak]

Water changes are the quickest way to bring dow nitrates. What size tank, how many fish, and did you do a fishless cycle?

 

[ArielC]

Try not to add too many medications at once. Once you get the nitrate down to a safer level, you should try adding some plants or checking that you have the right amount of fish in your tank. To get the nitrates down fast though, water changes should be sufficient untill you get to go to the store, and but some nitrate pillows or meds. If you dont fix the problem , the nitrates will surely rise back up again. Good luck :].

 

[chabbs]

Thank you for your replies.

What size tank, how many fish, and did you do a fishless cycle?

I have a 20 gallon tank, I'm down to one fish and no I didn't do a fishless cycle. I only found out about that after I bought the aquarium and the fish. I did let the aquarium run for one week with no fish but after getting some info on the net I found out that one week was not sufficient.

Once you get the nitrate down to a safer level, you should try adding some plants or checking that you have the right amount of fish in your tank.

I added plants on Saturday because the clerk at the fish store told me that it's ok to put them in even though the nitrate levels are still high. I was hoping that the plants would start feeding on the nitrate right away. Anyway, I'm going to go ahead with more water changes and hopefully I'll see a change in the next few days.

Thanks

 

[Stone Warior]

Despite nitrates being harmless to fish just do a 20% water change dont go over 30 or else youll have to do the WHOLE cycle again, Or just plant the tank with ALOT of plants

 

[andywg]

Nitrates are toxic to fish, just at far higher quantities (greater than 100ppm) than ammonia or nitrite.

Almost none of the benefical bacteria is in the water so you can basically change as much water as you want wihtou having to cycle again, so long as you keep the filtermedia submerged in water the bacteria will die off at a slow enough rate to allow a good couple of hours maintenance with barely an ammo spike.

 

[Stone Warior]

Nitrates are toxic to fish, just at far higher quantities (greater than 100ppm) than ammonia or nitrite.

Almost none of the benefical bacteria is in the water so you can basically change as much water as you want wihtou having to cycle again, so long as you keep the filtermedia submerged in water the bacteria will die off at a slow enough rate to allow a good couple of hours maintenance with barely an ammo spike.

when i ment harmless i ment you need to do ALOT to kill them off with nitrates