Algone

[Vivid-Dawn]

I've beaten this subject to death, but oh well..here's s'more!
Nitrates way too high, never getting less than 40ppm. I've been doing water changes constantly. Tried the once a week 10% change, then tried to do a 5% 3 times a week. I really don't want to have to change out water every single day...but it's looking like that might be my only natural option.

Algone claims that not only does it prevent algae growth, but inhibits nitrate (which of course algae needs to grow...nice little cycle, eh?). I know several people on this board say that chemicles don't always do what they claim. Such as Cycle is just useless liquid with no real bacteria (I found this out after I bought a bottle!), and Amquel doesn't actually take away chemicles, just 'detoxifies' them.

So anyhoo... would Algone help me lower nitrates? If it doesn't, is there another product recommended that would? I'm not trying to be lazy and not change my water at all, but every day might be a little too extreme and/or exhausting.

[fishfreaks]

i dont think any products will actually remove the nitrates, they just make them less harmful, and the only way to remove nitrates completly is by water changes. i dont know anything about algone. what is your current stocking level? overstocking may be the problem. how much do you feed?

[shev]

The nitrates could be coming from your water.

[fishfreaks]

Originally Posted by shev

The nitrates could be coming from your water.

true true. arent you supposed to put some tap water into a glass and hook up an airstone, and let it sit for 24 hours or something along those lines to test your tap water?

[Vivid-Dawn]

Stock:
1 albino cory cat
1 Molly (not very big, barely 2 inches)
3 zebra danios
3 guppies

Feeding:
a sprinkle in the morning - it all gets eaten within 1 minute
a sprinkle in the evening - all eaten fast too

Tap water is reading between 0-5.0 in Nitrates, and I've tested it twice...both cold and warm (right out of the tap, no aeration)

I haven't bothered testing my tank water for a while, because it's always the same! My ammonia and nitrites are always either very low or at 0. I just upgraded to a 15 gallon tank from a 10 gallon tank, with the same ammount of fish.
The reason I'm so concerned, is this was supposed to be a "practice" tank, so that when I got my 60gallon, I would be able to really take care of it all proper-like with more expensive fish... I guess not >_< (the 60's not finished cycling yet, anyway)

I do a 2 gallon water change on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. That's about a 13.5% change each time, and 40%-ish weekly (spread out of course). I really would think that would help, but it doesn't seem to. I do have a few sprigs of Anacharis that GROW! I clipped them down just 2 weeks ago so the tops were at the top of the water, and now they're so long they're bending out over the middle of the tank along the top.

Like I said, I'm not trying to be lazy. Perfectly willing to do frequent water changes, but I'd rather not have to do more than I already am. From everything I've researched, this should be enough. Aurgh!

[Damon]

I would have another source test your tank water. Your kit may be bad. Airration will not remove nitrates, only chlorine. It will not, however, remove chloramines from your water (which a lot of water companies use instead of chlorine because its more stable).

[fishfreaks]

so then you just pour a glass of water and test?

[Vivid-Dawn]

Originally Posted by fishfreaks

so then you just pour a glass of water and test?

Wasn't that what I was supposed to do? LOL
I wanted to see how it was right out of the tap. I do aerate my water for 24 hours, usually. Plus adding AmQuel Plus and Novaqua Plus, which now I'm told doesn't do piddly.
I'd give up this hobby, from frustration, but it's too interesting and fun in other ways!

But I think I will take it to Petsmart (and maybe even Petco too), to get them to test it. Also, I'm gonna buy a new test kit next month, since I found one that has extra tests (oxygen and hardness), and it's a different brand. Maybe that'll give me a better idea of what's goin' on.

[fishfreaks]

haha sorry, i was asking you guys if that was what your (not you in general) are supposed to do to test the tap. sorry for the confusion, and hijacking your thread

[Huugs]

I know that some chemicals are not worth using and this isnt really a chemical but I bought some JBL BioNitratEX. This is a bag of small beads which you put in a filter (fluvals 3plus for me) and it completes the nitrogen cycle. It says it encourages the growth of denitrifying bacteria which turn nitrates into nitrogen gas which then is released into the atmosphere through surface agitation.

I was recommended by someone on this board and its working great. My nitrates were at probably around 80ppm and my tapwater was 20ppm and now my tank is down to below 20ppm.

The fish are fine and I think the algae is growing less aswell. You could aslo plant the tank up. Which I have done aswell and Im sure that helps a bit.