High NitrAte

[bigmick474]

Hi,
my friends fish tank has sudenly had a ris in nitrate.
The ammonia is 0, The nitrite is 0, and the ph is 7.4.
How can the nitrate levels be brought back down?

Should he just do a water change each day.

its 10 gallon tank.

he has 3 sword tails, 4 plattys and 2 mollys.

 

[WILDER]

Yes water changes to fetch the reading down, what is the nitrate reading of his tap water, and how long has the tank been set up, can you say how high the nitrates are.

 

[yvez9]

get him to test his tap wtaer for nitrates

maybe his municipality suddenly put some in their water for a reaosn or another

or maybe there is something rotting in the tank and building up the nitrates.

water changes will usually keep them in check though, if the tap watre isn't full of nitrates

 

[bigmick474]

i'm not sure of his tap water readings, the tank has been set up for about 10 months and i think his nitrate was around 140ppm.
I'm not sure though

 

[WILDER]

That's high, has he maintained the filter, do the sponges wan't a squeeze in old tank water, and how regularly does he vac the gravel and water change.

 

[bigmick474]

once a week he gravel vacs and water changes. the filter sponges get "squeezed" in the old tank water when the doing the water change.

 

[WILDER]

If it's been set up 10 months he might need some new sponges, replace half of a new spong and squeeze half of the old spong on to the new one, replace sponges gradually over time, taking test results.

 

[bigmick474]

ok.i'll tell him.
how much water should be changed daily?
Thanks

 

[WILDER]

I don't no the tap nitrates, say 20% till you get the sponges, good luck.

 

[bigmick474]

thanks for your help.
Thats what i like about this place,
instant answers.
GREAT

 

[Paul_MTS]

although if it'd a old test kit that will be giving inaccurate readings.