High No3

[redgirl]

Hi there.

I'm having a little problem with my tank at the moment that I just can't seem to fix! I've had my 10gal for 6 years and have never had any issues with water quality. Recently, my NO3 levels have become really high, and my ammonia is a little elevated too. it is overstocked as it was my first ever tank and I didn't really know what I was doing, but despite that, I've never had a fish die (apart from my 5yr old danios dropping off recently.) I have been doing daily 25% water changes but nothing is happening. I spoke to my LFS who said that NO3 are the least harmful and I shouldn't panic, just keep doing the water changes to bring them down. My fish seem fine,
No behavoral issues or signs of disease. What do you guyz think the best thing to do is?

TANK
5 platys
1 lonely old danio
Fully planted
1 filter,
1 airstone.

Most recent water parameters:
NO3 -50
NO2- 1
Ammonia - 0.25
PH- 6.8

 

[KittyKat]

Compared to your ammonia (NH[sub]3[/sub]/NH[sub]4[/sub][sup]+[/sup]) and nitrite (NO[sub]2[/sub]) levels, your nitrate (NO[sub]3[/sub]) is insignificant! The other two are what I consider to be dangerously high.

Go take a sample of your tap water, and test for nitrite and nitrate. Then dechlorinate said sample and test it for ammonia. What are the readings?

 

[colleen0309]

Your ammonia and nitrite are too high! Do a large water change asap. If your nitrite is 1 and you do a 25% water change, you have only dropped it to .75ppm. If you do a 80% water change, it will drop to .20ppm. That's alot better, but still not good. ammonia and nitrite need to be as close to 0 as possible. My nitrates are 50ppm out of the tap in the spring. That's alittle high, but really nothing to worry about in my opinion.

 

[Blubble37]

what filter have you got in tha tank... it could be that the fish have outgrown the amount of media in the tank...