Ray Ray Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Hello everyone! I’ve got a 30gal tank that I can’t get the nitrates down in, it got Black Diamond Sand, 1 matten filter, 1 60gal sponge filter, a Aquaclear 50 with Seachem Matrix in it, I use ro/di water and Equilibrium and Flourish. There is 1-6” Bristlenose Pleco in the tank no other livestock. It’s been set up and running for about 4 months now. I’ve done almost daily water changes of 20%, I’ve over dosed Prime, I feed the Pleco every 2 days 1 waffer and a bit of flake. I just checked my water again and it’s 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 40ppm Nitrates, kh-1, gh-5, tds-197. I don’t have this problem in any of my other tanks and have never had this issue this long. Any help would be appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Hmm… What testing method are you using? API titration? Test strips? Other? Drops sometimes crystallize and need to be vigorously shaken. Test your tap water. Adding plant fertilizer adds Nitrates. Maybe hold off on those and see how that works. Add more plants! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melkor Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 My api liquid nitrate test went bad after 6 months. I was also thinking something was wrong with my tank. Now I have test aco strips, and plan on getting salifert freshwater liquid nitrate test. Might as well make sure to have secondary test source to check against. Nothing wrong with api mind you, but I've read a few of the testing chemicals are more prone to go bad (nitrate and one or two other I forget) than others, regardless of brand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrencher_Scott Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 I vote fertilizers too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpoison Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 On 6/19/2022 at 11:18 AM, Pepere said: Floating plants really help reduce nitrate. Because the leaves are emersed they are not limited by CO2. Removing excess growth growth from time to timeremoves the nitrates that are locked up in the plant matter. Is there anything you don’t know, Pep? Great information👏♥️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 That’s puzzling. Are you using straight RO water? And is that the Flourish formula with very little Nitrogen? It’s possible that at least one of your filters needs cleaning. There might be some slowly decaying mass that’s slowly releasing Nitrates. Just a theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Ray Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 I’m using API master kit and I do shake them more than recommended my tap water does have high nitrates but I run it through a ro/di system and that comes out at 0. I did have a lot duckweed in the tank and it was still high I took it out about a week ago tho but I’m sure it will come back. I’ve been looking at red root floaters and frogbit. I only dose flourish about once a month but I’m willing to try anything lol thank you all for your help I appreciate it 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrencher_Scott Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 On 6/19/2022 at 11:41 AM, Ray Ray said: I’m using API master kit and I do shake them more than recommended my tap water does have high nitrates but I run it through a ro/di system and that comes out at 0. I did have a lot duckweed in the tank and it was still high I took it out about a week ago tho but I’m sure it will come back. I’ve been looking at red root floaters and frogbit. I only dose flourish about once a month but I’m willing to try anything lol thank you all for your help I appreciate it Which Flourish do you use? Just curious because there is a "nitrogen" one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 @Ray Ray, I'd also try a large 70% water change and see if that helps. If you do the math, one large change can reduce toxins faster that several small ones of the same volume. Doing a weekly 20 gallon change instead of five 6 gallon changes might solve the problem. Just spitballing, but it's worth a try. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Ray Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 Thank you all very much! I feel like a beginner again lol I have not ever had this problem before, water changes usually will fix my nitrates. I will give your suggestions a try. I’ll try to remember to update you thanks again 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrencher_Scott Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 @Ray Ray You know, if you are doing 20% WC EVERY day...? With RO water that tests zero nitrates? This makes no since. Right?! Have you tested it after your treatment, you don't put RO directly in do you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 On 6/19/2022 at 12:04 PM, Wrencher_Scott said: @Ray Ray You know, if you are doing 20% WC EVERY day...? With RO water that tests zero nitrates? This makes no since. Right?! Have you tested it after your treatment, you don't put RO directly in do you? I think that's why he's puzzled. I used your calculator and found that he would have to be producing something like 7ppm Nitrate per day to maintain ~40ppm while doing 20% changes every day. I’m guessing that something other than fish waste is the culprit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Ray Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 My Flourish bottle says it has 0.07% nitrogen i wouldn’t think that would be enough to do this, I only add it maybe once a month. I do add equilibrium to the ro/di water before I add it to the tank but I have tried just straight ro/di water to see if it changed anything and it didn’t 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrencher_Scott Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 (edited) Any root tabs you forgot about? Does the nitrate climb fast or? Stuck at 40? You test your makeup water recently? I wonder what Prime does, when you say overdose, how much? Do you add Prime to the tank or to your water before you add it? You could test that. What do you use for makeup water? Straight RO? Test it again, maybe the membrane is shot. I'm stumped, if you aren't adding to the nitrates with your water this is impossible really. Edit: I think I would yank that wood out of there too and see what happens. Edited June 19, 2022 by Wrencher_Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Ray Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 it’s pretty much stuck at 40 Root tabs yes it was only 3 as I ran out and they were flourish also, the Prime is probably a double does more or less and add to the tank. I’ve read it helps lower nitrates but not in my tank lol All the ro/di system filters and membrane were replaced about 3 months ago and I check it once a month but it always comes up 0 ppm everything not sure what you mean by make up water? Top off water you mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 On 6/19/2022 at 3:35 PM, Ray Ray said: it’s pretty much stuck at 40 Root tabs yes it was only 3 as I ran out and they were flourish also, the Prime is probably a double does more or less and add to the tank. I’ve read it helps lower nitrates but not in my tank lol All the ro/di system filters and membrane were replaced about 3 months ago and I check it once a month but it always comes up 0 ppm everything not sure what you mean by make up water? Top off water you mean? Prime doesn't lower nitrates. Only thing that lowers nitrates is water changes, or plants absorbing the nitrates (my preferred method), or Purigen (or similar) and the Purigen has to be recharged. My ZeroWater filter does a good job removing TDS and ntrates from my source water... until it doesn't. So I test my source water before every top off and before every water change. Yeah, I use more strips, but I cut the bottle of 200 in half = 400 tests. It's worth it to identify trends and anomalies. Plus, I can easily see if a test has gone bad. Nitrates in my tanks never mathc my tap. Typically, my tap (before the ZeroFilter) has higher nitrates than my tanks. Great, pre-fertilized water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Ray Posted June 21, 2022 Author Share Posted June 21, 2022 Here’s an update turns out my granddaughter (6) had decided I’m not the Pleco enough, so in her wisdom she decided to start feeding it every week night after everyone is a sleep. She helps me feed in the mornings so she knows where the food is, but I dish it out and she dumps it in lol, anyway my wife heard some noise and came out and there she was fish food food in hand, and fingers wet with food on them. needless to say we had really long talk lol Anyway I want to thank you all for your help. It’s good to know there is good help out there if someone needs it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawnitsud Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 Oh man, that is wild. I am sure she was doing it innocently and maybe even in excitement. I am glad you figured out the "problem" and also glad you share your hobby with her. I have three kids that got me into the hobby and they fed with abandon at first. So I understand the feeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Ray Posted June 21, 2022 Author Share Posted June 21, 2022 She said he was sucking on the glass cause he didn’t have any food lmao kid’s, what are ya gunna do lol 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrencher_Scott Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 (edited) On 6/19/2022 at 2:35 PM, Ray Ray said: it’s pretty much stuck at 40 Root tabs yes it was only 3 as I ran out and they were flourish also, the Prime is probably a double does more or less and add to the tank. I’ve read it helps lower nitrates but not in my tank lol All the ro/di system filters and membrane were replaced about 3 months ago and I check it once a month but it always comes up 0 ppm everything not sure what you mean by make up water? Top off water you mean? Yes, top off. OMG it was too much food all this time? Wow! Edited June 22, 2022 by Wrencher_Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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