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  • Nitrates

    I am trying to figure out how to get rid of such a high nitrate reading. I am showing somewhere in the range of 40-80 ppm. The color is so close to each, but if I had to guess I would probably say 60 or 70. I have a 72 gallon with 100lbs of sand and rock. I do a weekly water change consisting of about 10-13 gallons. Do I need to take out more when I do a water change. All my fish seem to do great with no problems, but I would eventually like to add an MBU and I dont want anything to go wrong. All my other readings are great. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, pH 7.8. Thanks.
    Live Fast, Die Young, Leave A Good Looking Corpse!

    Been in hobby since March 2006

  • #2
    Re: Nitrates

    if your fish are doing great, I would get another test kit.
    GIVE NONE, TAKE NONE - BE FREE, HAVE FUN

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    • #3
      Re: Nitrates

      I think you should be doing bigger water changes, esp. if you still have that big pleco in there.  

      Ellen

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      • #4
        Re: Nitrates

        What's you fish load? How long has the sand been there? Did you check out the tap?

        I had the same problem with my tank that has been set up for a long time which was off the charts so I dumped the whole tank and started over. Now with the same kit it barely reaches 20ppm. Now I have a huge bioload so I do about 30% bi-weekly. Some of my other tanks that get more frequent changes and a lighter load barely registers on the test kit.
        700g Mini-Monster tank

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        • #5
          Re: Nitrates

          I had a similar problem when I aquired an aquarium and fish when I moved into my house. the previous owners had seriously neglected the fish and the nitrates were off the scale. All other parameters were ok but the fish were not doing well -- one had a gill infection and another had hemhorages under his scales. I did 50% water changes every three days untill the nitrates came down. It took over a week to get them to reasonable levels. Unfortunately, those two fish were too far gone when I aquired them and they didn't recover but the other fish improved a great deal and their colors brightened up. Even though your fish are ok now, I think the high nitrates could have a negative affect given enough time. I would do larger water changes weekly, at least util you are more comfortable with the readings.
          Bacteria: the only culture some people have

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          • #6
            Re: Nitrates

            Ditto to everyone's advice. Did you ever sell or give away any of the fish? I remember your tank being pretty full.
            "Millennium hand and shrimp!"

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            • #7
              Re: Nitrates

              Yea I got rid of about 8 of the socolofis. I am a lot thinner than what I was. I am down to about 20 fish which are all about 2.5-3 inches. I still have yet to get rid of the large pleco. I will take $10 if anyone knows someone that may need him. I will do a 50% water change today. Thanks all.
              Live Fast, Die Young, Leave A Good Looking Corpse!

              Been in hobby since March 2006

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              • #8
                Re: Nitrates

                Do a gravel clean and see how that goes.
                700g Mini-Monster tank

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                • #9
                  Re: Nitrates

                  i have sand. I do a top clean every water change. I did a large water change today. I will do so next time too and see how that goes. Thanks.
                  Live Fast, Die Young, Leave A Good Looking Corpse!

                  Been in hobby since March 2006

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