Help! High Nitrates!!

Georgia Peach · 10-17-2005, 11:06 AM

WEll, I got my new test kit today - here are the readings...

PH- 7.6
Amonnia - .25
Nitrite - .25
Nitrate - 160

I just done a 20% water change. Why would the nitrates be so high?? Ive never gotten a reading that high before. I tested my tap water and it has a zero reading.. In case you all dont remember, I redone my tank, removed the UGF and old gravel and replaced it with a new HOT filter and new gravel. I left the filter media in the tank for a few days in order to save some of the bacteria. Could my tank be recycling??

**Osiris** · 10-17-2005, 11:16 AM

Hmm could be kinda big change.

I would suggest doing more like a 50% water change, get storage container, fill up with as much water your going to need, treat it, make sure temp is right, wait couple hrs then do the water change. Only reason i saw to do 50% is cuz it's large change, and dont want to shock the fish.

BTW might be able to help in chat room if there's member's in there.

Georgia Peach · 10-17-2005, 11:25 AM

thanks! My tank has been running with the new gravel and filter for about 4 weeks now. Ill check the chat room and then go pull some more water.

Georgia Peach · 10-17-2005, 12:41 PM

I done the 50% water change and retested and the readings are pretty much still the same.. How long will it take for the readings to come down?? Sorry, I feel like such a dummy - its been wayyyy too long since I have had to cycle a tank!

**Cichlid Man** · 10-17-2005, 02:09 PM

No, the tank isn't re-cycling, what's happening is that your tank is being over loaded with nutrients that your filtration system can't cope with. Ammonia is usually due to the rotting of old food and waste in an aquarium, this can also include the rotting of plants, but in an established filter system, the "good bacteria" almost turns the ammonia into less harmful nitrite but more of it. This is the most common problem in new aquariums. In a healthy aquarium however, the nitrite is then again converted into even less harmful nitrate which is relatively safe provided that it isn't allowed to build up. Whether it is ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate which is causing the problem, they can all be reduced by doing a partial water change, however, it looks as if in your tank there is so much waste, your filter bacteria just can't cope and so the rotting food and waste can't be converted into its less harmful states. Doing a 50% water change will have no effect on the ammonia levels if there are bits of food and waste lieing around the tank because as soon as you remove the old ammonia, new ammonia starts to form again from the decaying food. Make sure that when doing water changes, all food and waste is removed before it has the chance of turning from harmless protein into harmful ammonia and nitrites. I.E, remove any food the fish have ignored asap.
I hope we can solve your problem, and if in doubt, give us a shout.

fishboy · 10-17-2005, 03:04 PM

wow are you sure you're reading that test kit right?!?!? I've never heard or nitrates that high are there any fish in there?

Jonno · 10-17-2005, 03:35 PM

that is high my test kit dnt ever go that high

**Damon** · 10-18-2005, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishboy

wow are you sure you're reading that test kit right?!?!? I've never heard or nitrates that high are there any fish in there?

I'm inclined to agree here. Nitrate levels that high are unheard of. I'm thinking the test isn't being done properly or the kit is bad. Nitrate kits are some of the most unreliable ones out there. Lamotte makes a good one. AP's kit is bad but still better than most others out there.

Georgia Peach · 10-18-2005, 06:47 AM

well, its a brand new test kit.. when I test my tap water it tests at zero - and there has been some color change in the results since doing water changes. If the test was bad would it show changes like that??

Edited to add - I just tested it again - its been about an hour since I done the water change and its showing nitrates at 20.. Im heading out this morning to get some things and Ill get a new nitrate test kit to see if mine is bad..

Georgia Peach · 10-18-2005, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonno

that is high my test kit dnt ever go that high

the color of the water being tested was as red as red can get and according to the color chart that was 160

airlik73 · 12-30-2005, 11:32 PM

Hello,

I have the same problem. My nitrate level is high and i have changed water 20%-25% about 3times already in the last 2days.

The levels keep raising, and I have a Pengiun bio-wheel filter that should prevent this?....the airpump is working with air bubbles completing the gas-exchange but why do the nitrates keep coming back high.

two comets(feeders) about 3-4" long
Ph 7
temp 72F
Ammonia light yellow (safe zone -Hagen test kit)
Nitrites (also safe zone-very light pink)
Nitrates (purple-danger zone)..Hagen test kit recommended 20% water change and double dose of CYCLE which I did....

Should I leave it alone or not, I just lost 2 fishes due to illness and these fishes are not sick and wish them well.

Please advise help,
ERIC

DavidDoyle · 12-31-2005, 01:12 PM

I realize this is an old thread, but the problem looks pretty simple- to those of us who have used UGFs. The beauty of them is that, when done properly, they are still one of the best bio-filters one can use. They work by building up the bacteria in the gravel over the plate with the highest concentrations being on the surface gravel. Basically, removing the gravel removed the bio-filter from the tank. It was the equivalent to replacing the bio-wheels on a Marineland filter. In addition, replacing the filter and gravel probably releases more junk into the water which served to make even more ammonia. Fortunately, the tank was not totally devoid of bacteria since it is also on the glass and other hard surfaces, so there was probably still enough left to jump start the re-cycling of the tank.

Alin10123 · 01-01-2006, 07:49 PM

Maybe all of that stuff trapped underneath your old UGF was finally released and messing up all of you readings. It's been a little bit since you last reported this. Has anything changed or gotten better?

You've got to realize that nitrates are the end product of the biosystem when everything is finished into converting to other things. The only real way to get rid of it is to do a water change.

But have the nitrates gotten better?

airlik73 · 01-02-2006, 01:02 AM

i will also do a 50% water change, and let you all know how it goes as for the ammonia levels are building up along with the nitrates, and the water is cloudy.

Thank you,
ERIC

airlik73 · 01-02-2006, 01:04 AM

I do not have a UGF, the tank is a 30g running with a Penguin Emperor 280 and a fluval 3plus, and a Hagen air pump with a bubble disk.

ERIC

10-17-2005, 11:06 AM	#1
Georgia Peach Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gray, Georgia Age: 42 Posts: 1,610	Help! High Nitrates!! WEll, I got my new test kit today - here are the readings... PH- 7.6 Amonnia - .25 Nitrite - .25 Nitrate - 160 I just done a 20% water change. Why would the nitrates be so high?? Ive never gotten a reading that high before. I tested my tap water and it has a zero reading.. In case you all dont remember, I redone my tank, removed the UGF and old gravel and replaced it with a new HOT filter and new gravel. I left the filter media in the tank for a few days in order to save some of the bacteria. Could my tank be recycling?? __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Cichlids have more personality than most people I know !*

10-17-2005, 11:16 AM	#2
Osiris Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 25 Posts: 3,714	Hmm could be kinda big change. I would suggest doing more like a 50% water change, get storage container, fill up with as much water your going to need, treat it, make sure temp is right, wait couple hrs then do the water change. Only reason i saw to do 50% is cuz it's large change, and dont want to shock the fish. BTW might be able to help in chat room if there's member's in there. __________________ Reality is for people who can't handle Science-Fiction

10-17-2005, 11:25 AM	#3
Georgia Peach Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gray, Georgia Age: 42 Posts: 1,610	thanks! My tank has been running with the new gravel and filter for about 4 weeks now. Ill check the chat room and then go pull some more water. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Cichlids have more personality than most people I know !*

10-17-2005, 12:41 PM	#4
Georgia Peach Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gray, Georgia Age: 42 Posts: 1,610	I done the 50% water change and retested and the readings are pretty much still the same.. How long will it take for the readings to come down?? Sorry, I feel like such a dummy - its been wayyyy too long since I have had to cycle a tank! __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Cichlids have more personality than most people I know !*

10-17-2005, 02:09 PM	#5
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	No, the tank isn't re-cycling, what's happening is that your tank is being over loaded with nutrients that your filtration system can't cope with. Ammonia is usually due to the rotting of old food and waste in an aquarium, this can also include the rotting of plants, but in an established filter system, the "good bacteria" almost turns the ammonia into less harmful nitrite but more of it. This is the most common problem in new aquariums. In a healthy aquarium however, the nitrite is then again converted into even less harmful nitrate which is relatively safe provided that it isn't allowed to build up. Whether it is ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate which is causing the problem, they can all be reduced by doing a partial water change, however, it looks as if in your tank there is so much waste, your filter bacteria just can't cope and so the rotting food and waste can't be converted into its less harmful states. Doing a 50% water change will have no effect on the ammonia levels if there are bits of food and waste lieing around the tank because as soon as you remove the old ammonia, new ammonia starts to form again from the decaying food. Make sure that when doing water changes, all food and waste is removed before it has the chance of turning from harmless protein into harmful ammonia and nitrites. I.E, remove any food the fish have ignored asap. I hope we can solve your problem, and if in doubt, give us a shout. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

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10-17-2005, 03:04 PM	#6
fishboy Custom User Title Join Date: Feb 2005 Age: 17 Posts: 1,656	wow are you sure you're reading that test kit right?!?!? I've never heard or nitrates that high are there any fish in there? __________________ It is only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything

10-17-2005, 03:35 PM	#7
Jonno Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Devon, UK Age: 20 Posts: 512	that is high my test kit dnt ever go that high

10-18-2005, 06:47 AM	#9
Georgia Peach Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gray, Georgia Age: 42 Posts: 1,610	well, its a brand new test kit.. when I test my tap water it tests at zero - and there has been some color change in the results since doing water changes. If the test was bad would it show changes like that?? Edited to add - I just tested it again - its been about an hour since I done the water change and its showing nitrates at 20.. Im heading out this morning to get some things and Ill get a new nitrate test kit to see if mine is bad.. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Cichlids have more personality than most people I know !* Last edited by Georgia Peach; 10-18-2005 at 07:12 AM.

12-30-2005, 11:32 PM	#11
airlik73 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Age: 26 Posts: 7	Hello, I have the same problem. My nitrate level is high and i have changed water 20%-25% about 3times already in the last 2days. The levels keep raising, and I have a Pengiun bio-wheel filter that should prevent this?....the airpump is working with air bubbles completing the gas-exchange but why do the nitrates keep coming back high. two comets(feeders) about 3-4" long Ph 7 temp 72F Ammonia light yellow (safe zone -Hagen test kit) Nitrites (also safe zone-very light pink) Nitrates (purple-danger zone)..Hagen test kit recommended 20% water change and double dose of CYCLE which I did.... Should I leave it alone or not, I just lost 2 fishes due to illness and these fishes are not sick and wish them well. Please advise help, ERIC

12-31-2005, 01:12 PM	#12
DavidDoyle Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Age: 89 Posts: 497	I realize this is an old thread, but the problem looks pretty simple- to those of us who have used UGFs. The beauty of them is that, when done properly, they are still one of the best bio-filters one can use. They work by building up the bacteria in the gravel over the plate with the highest concentrations being on the surface gravel. Basically, removing the gravel removed the bio-filter from the tank. It was the equivalent to replacing the bio-wheels on a Marineland filter. In addition, replacing the filter and gravel probably releases more junk into the water which served to make even more ammonia. Fortunately, the tank was not totally devoid of bacteria since it is also on the glass and other hard surfaces, so there was probably still enough left to jump start the re-cycling of the tank.

01-01-2006, 07:49 PM	#13
Alin10123 Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Atlanta Posts: 524	Maybe all of that stuff trapped underneath your old UGF was finally released and messing up all of you readings. It's been a little bit since you last reported this. Has anything changed or gotten better? You've got to realize that nitrates are the end product of the biosystem when everything is finished into converting to other things. The only real way to get rid of it is to do a water change. But have the nitrates gotten better? __________________ 29 Gallon tank ~6 Long Finned Black Tetras ~3 Bosemani Rainbows ~10 Serpae Tetras 55 Gallon tank - Planted ~2 Pearl Gouramis ~2 Platys ~16 Neon Tetras ~6 Glo Light Tetras

01-02-2006, 01:02 AM	#14
airlik73 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Age: 26 Posts: 7	i will also do a 50% water change, and let you all know how it goes as for the ammonia levels are building up along with the nitrates, and the water is cloudy. Thank you, ERIC

01-02-2006, 01:04 AM	#15
airlik73 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Age: 26 Posts: 7	I do not have a UGF, the tank is a 30g running with a Penguin Emperor 280 and a fluval 3plus, and a Hagen air pump with a bubble disk. ERIC

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