Nitrate HIGH!!

[Dave]

Having just discovered a bout of white spot that I am currently treating, I done a water test that proved my Nitrate was High - about 40.

My lfs said an easy way to treat this would be to leave the light on for 48hrs and the plants will deal with it. Is this true?

What do you think I should do? I'm not to keen on water changes just now as my water is undergoing whitespot treatment.

 

[Great Lakes]

Dave, how well planted is your tank, and how long have you been treating your ick?

 

[Dave]

My Tank has about 5 medium plants and one relatively large one. My tank is pretty large so I don't know if this helps you in whatever your thinking. I just spotted the ich yesterday which was when I started treating. So Im on my second day!

What do you think?

 

[Dragonslair]

Dave, what you need to ask yourself is not how do I bring down the Nitrate levels, but how did I let it get that high in the first place. Then the answer should present itself to you. Unfortunately as my good friend out to loach would say you don't have nearly enough plants to bring the nitrate down. You will need to bring the nitrte down physically. There are several remedies out there but they will absorb your treatment for ick.
I have nearly 200 fish in my tank and since I purchased an O3 unit for around £30.00 I have not suffered any of the maladies that afflict fish. They live in a virtually sterile environment and all my plants are free of snails and parasites.

 

[CFC]

What is a O3 unit?Sounds like something i could use where do i get one

 

[Dragonslair]

An O3 unit is normally refered to as an ozonator. Some LFS stock them. The reason they work is because they "burn" the parasites to death. Oxgen molecules is normally O2, but this unit electrically charges the oxygen molecules making it extremely volitile and when it comes into contact with water becomes unstable thus any pathogens entering the "bubbles" are burnt out. Fish however being bigger than pathogens don't get harmed. There is however a cautionary note. that is, people with respiratory conditions such as asthma shouldn't use one. The charged particles can in the long term cause people with respiratory problems to get worse. Normal people would get sore throats if you constantly breathed the charged air. The smell produced is similar to the one you get just after a thunderstorm.

 

[CFC]

Oh well its back to the drawing board then,the mrs is asthmatic so cant fit one.

 

[fishme2death]

Dragon, would you be able to explain the setup to me in twenty words or less ??? I sure am interested as I am hooked on fish

 

[Dragonslair]

There's always one in every forum............a comedian........
Funny....