Nitrates Levels

[fatelerror89]

i have a 125 l tank its been set up just over 5weeks now but my nitrate level seems to stay at 10 while my nitrite level is a 0 and my ph 7 . I am doing water changes every week and wounding how can i get it to 0

i have 6 neons ..6 five band barbs and 3 panda cory mid size i feed the tank once a day and running a aquamanta efx200 filter

 

[fluttermoth]

It would eb very unlikely that you'll ever run a tank that has zero nitrate; that's the end product of the nitrogen cycle in our tanks that goes;

ammonia >converted to> nitrite >converted to> nitrate.

Keeping nitrate at an acceptable level (which is around 40-60ppm for most fish, or no more than 20ppm above what your tap water is) is the main reason for weekly water changes.

 

[fatelerror89]

I see now that good news then well its has never past 10 on the test stick that is OK

. what is the maxim amount of fish i can add to my tank ?

 

[fluttermoth]

That's very good; some people have 40ppm in their tap water!

It's hard to give you a 'maximum number' of fish, it all depends what fish you're talking about; you can (obviously!) have less big fish than smaller ones

I would certainly think about upping the numbers in your shoals, especially the cories, which really like to in groups of at least six. The neons and the barbs would also look better in larger numbers.

 

[fatelerror89]

water must be good for something round here then lol ..

was thinking a few rainbow fish and couple of pleco fish not really fan of neon fish i just got them when i started my tank up to see if they would survive instead of buying fish what are very expensive

i notice my cory fish like sitting in the corner of the tank and quite shy but come out when i turn the light on at night which the light had blown over the weekend

.. i did wonder could the cory be shy as there is only 3 in the tanks . Do like the barbs they look nice when they get bigger