Nitrate Problem

[kevinc945]

i do hope someone can advise me with my problem.

i have recently fish cycled my tank,actualy about a week ago, the readings were ph 7.0. amm 0ppm. nitrite 0ppm. nitrate 20.

i noticed one of my fish was behaving strangely, it was flicking and rubbing on the gravel the second fish showed no abnormal signs.

i asked a few questions and was told it most probably be white spot /ich.

i turned the temp up to 86 deg for 24 hours, then i used metelene blue it took three days for the tank to clear.

but no sign of cure fish still the same.

i red an article about a non chemical remedy ie. salt baths for three days one tea spoon per gallon of water.the water is crystal clear.

i finished up with the desease gone but my water readings up the wall.

after doing 25% water changes over a period of three days all the readings apart from the nitrate are acceptable

ph 7.0. amm 0ppm. nitrite 0ppm. nitrate 40.

will someone tell me what i can do to remedy the situation.
its doing my bonce in.
please help. kevin.

 

[modaz]

when you did the water change, did you do you filter as well?

 

[helterskelter]

plants will remove the nitrates or it's water changes (test tap water 1st as that may be high) or a chemical filter like active carbon will remove it.

 

[three-fingers]

TBH there's not really any problems with 40ppm nitrate (any higher then there is something wrong), certainly not the cause of illness in your fish.
What's your water change regime like and how many of what type of fish do you have in your tank?

Also, it's probably worthwhile to test the nitrates in your tapwater.

 

[kevinc945]

when you did the water change, did you do you filter as well?

no i didn't clean the filter because i had cleaned it before the problem a week previous after it had cycled, should i have cleaned it during the medication. ?.

TBH there's not really any problems with 40ppm nitrate (any higher then there is something wrong), certainly not the cause of illness in your fish.
What's your water change regime like and how many of what type of fish do you have in your tank?

Also, it's probably worthwhile to test the nitrates in your tapwater.

i have two sarasa comets in my tank i will test tap water for nitrates.

thanks.

plants will remove the nitrates or it's water changes (test tap water 1st as that may be high) or a chemical filter like active carbon will remove it.

i have no plants in my tank i took everything out when i noticed the problem, they were only plastic plants.

thanks.

when you did the water change, did you do you filter as well?

no i didn't.will rectify.

thanks.

 

[bare bottom]

wouldn't worry too much about 40ppm nitrates as thats what my tap water is.