Nitrate Problems

[spagbol22]

Hi everyone, I'm new but have had fish for about a year now. I hope this is the right forum, never used any forums before so I'm guessing.

A few months ago I upgraded from a 60 litre tank to a Fluval Roma 125 and I love it, however, something doesn't seem right.

The water conditions are: (using API test strips)

general hardness: 140
carbonate/alkilinity: 100
ph 7
nitrite 0
nitrate 80

No matter what I do, I can't get my nitrates down. The fish seem fine so they're either really hardy little fish or pretending to be ok to make me feel better. But I want to sort it because I know it isn't fair on them and it's bothering me a lot.

I have been to all the LFS repeatedly for help and tried everything they have said but to no avail. I currently have an external Fluval 205 and the Fluval 3 internal filter it came with both running in the tank. I clean them both once every 1 - 2 weeks and suck out all the poop from the bottom. I also do a 15-20% water change. In the tank is:

1 dwarf gourami
1 bristlenose catfish
7 platies (some were unexpected babies)
3 mollies
4 pygmy corydoras

All the plants are real and there are quite a few because I was told this would help get rid of some of the problem.

Where I live the water is very hard and have been told this has an effect but I use (and have tried) various different tap safe products.

Any ideas or suggestions would be great. really stuck and want to get it sorted.

 

[scotty]

larger water changes,do you clean the filters with tank water?

what is your ammonia levels?

what are your nitrate levels out of the tap?

 

[lordhans]

I had the same problem, only my nitrates were in the 160ppm+ range.

I read things like de*nitrate and adding live plants will help but that ultimately the only real way to solve the problem is doing a ton of water changes and giving your gravel a good vacuuming. Also you might want to clean out your filter(s)/hoses as the gunk in there will eventually become more nitrate.

It took me a good 5 or 6 50% water changes and another 5 or 6 25% water changes over the course of a few weeks to get my nitrate levels down to about the level of my tap water. It did not help the whole process that my tap water already has somewhat high nitrate levels as far as tap water goes.

 

[SLIM]

larger water changes,do you clean the filters with tank water?

what is your ammonia levels?

what are your nitrate levels out of the tap?

+1 large water changes and test the nitrate in your tap water.
Also cut down feedin to once every other day.
Saying that, 80ppm of nitrate really isnt that high and nothing to worry about.
Also I would advise you get api's liquid test kit as the strip aint accurate and not really worth using imo

 

[spagbol22]

hi thanks for the replies

@ both replies:
a little while ago I tried a bigger water change and ended up poisoning a couple of my fish because apparently the nitrate in the water that day was very, very high according to LFS (I wasn't the only one who went in with the problem). it was my fault though, I didn't check the water quality going in. But because of this I am quite reluctant to do it again.

@scotty:
I don't have an ammonia test kit but one of the bags of treatment in my fluval 205 is one that supposedly reduces ammonia. even so will get on it and buy an ammonia test kit.
At the moment I rinse the filters out in tap water but I wouldn't have thought that would have been too much of a problem if I drain out most of the excess water at least I hope it isn't. Just tested the tap water and its nitrate reading is 30ish atm.

@lordhans:
cleaning the hoses sounds like a plan. the Fluval 205 hasn't been running too long (hence why the old filter is still in there) so I wouldn't have thought it was too bad but will check that anyway.

 

[SLIM]

Never clean your filter sponges out in tap water, clean them out in tank water. Tap water contains chlorine which destroys the good bacteria in our filter thus causing your tank to cycle all over again. This is why we use dechlorinators

 

[spagbol22]

point noted. I hope I haven't been harming my fish too much. I had no idea this would have been such as issue but definitely will not be doing it again, thanks for letting me know

 

[SLIM]

If I was you, I would be more concerned now about testing for ammonia rather than nitrate. Nitrate is pretty much harmless but ammonia can cause disease or even kill fish. If u have indeed cleaned your filter out with tap water, theirs a good chance you now have ammonia present in your tank. Test for ammonia asap

 

[SLIM]

Good luck mate