Nitrate Nightmare

[jballew268]

API but I used the same test on the tank at my Daycare center and it was 0 so my test kit is ok its the tank.

 

[jennm]

Without hijacking the thread...(too late)...

Might be a good time to examine the routines with both tanks... stocking, feeding, water changes etc., to see why one is good and one is not.

We see people with high nitrate (legitimate high nitrate) all the time. Usually comes from long-term "something"... either not checking regularly to see if the amount of water being changed, is sufficient to keep the nutrient level down. That's the root of the problem, but can come from a variety of sources... over stocking, over feeding, dirty filters, inefficient filtration or any/all of the above.

The garbage out must equal or exceed the garbage in. That's the bottom line.

Feed too much? Cut back OR change more water.

Over stocked? Thin the stock or change more water.

Dirty filters? Clean 'em, change more water.

Crappy filter? Get a better filter, change more water.

There are biological remedies to help export the nutrients but they take time to work, in the meantime, changing more water by doing small changes, more frequently, will work to export the nitrate.

The solution to pollution is dilution.

And don't forget to vacuum the substrate.

Jenn

 

[patrick]

JennM;864311 wrote: Without hijacking the thread...(too late)...
And don't forget to vacuum the substrate.

Jenn

Prolly about one of the most important things to do with water changes if combatting nitrates. All that crap you pull out and see getting siphoned out of the substrate is a major source for nitrate production......because it is mostly fish waste, uneaten food, etc.....

So siphon the substrate.

 

[rk4435]

Thanks to everyone that offered advise. My Salifert Nitrate test kit arrived today and the results are in, it has my nitrates at 10 ppm and api still shows 100 ppm.

I'm not sure if the api kit is trash altogether or if it is measuring the nitrate that was converted by Prime while the Salifert kit is not. I'm no chemist so if anyone knows if Salifert is capable of "ignoring" nitrate that has been detoxified I would appreciate the heads up.

As far as other factors that may have helped to lower nitrates (if they were truly high) I purchased Seachem Matrix and Stability from Jenn at Imagine Ocean. I also purchased a media pad from a lfs in Chattanooga that allegedly helps to capture nitrates as well as Nitrobacter 7.

Nonetheless I am happy that I will not be doing yet another water change this evening!

 

[jennm]

API is crap.

Anything that is bound up by Prime will still register on a test, just the Prime renders it less toxic to organisms.

I had a feeling that the test kit was the culprit. You will still want to address nitrate of 10 before it climbs any higher, but it's nowhere near the problem you thought it was.

Jenn