# help



## GODS1KID (Jan 12, 2006)

my tank was running fine and for the past two weeks the nitrates are sky high. i have done several water changes and it only helps a little for 24 hours.


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## AE Aquatics (Alex) (Jan 15, 2006)

GODS1KID said:


> my tank was running fine and for the past two weeks the nitrates are sky high. i have done several water changes and it only helps a little for 24 hours.


Did you do a gravel vac? You might have some left over food somewhere. I don't believe Nitrates are toxic at 80ppm, but keep an eye on it.


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## Dawgz (Aug 18, 2005)

well 80ppm is pretty bad..it should be around 10-20....sometimes ok to have 40ppm


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

Dawgz said:


> well 80ppm is pretty bad..it should be around 10-20....sometimes ok to have 40ppm


Yes!
80 ppm is very near the toxic level. In fact some fishes will die even for that. You have something decaying there. Find it, remove it. Do regular water changes of about 50% per week till you have solved the problem. And do cut down the feedings about 50 % too.

Regards,


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## GODS1KID (Jan 12, 2006)

harrykaa said:


> well 80ppm is pretty bad..it should be around 10-20....sometimes ok to have 40ppm


Yes!
80 ppm is very near the toxic level. In fact some fishes will die even for that. You have something decaying there. Find it, remove it. Do regular water changes of about 50% per week till you have solved the problem. And do cut down the feedings about 50 % too.

Regards,
[/quote]
thank you for your help.


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## kelrx8 (Apr 1, 2006)

damn find that peice move some stuff around 
I just did my nit, test and set at 0ppm having a high ph level but steady


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## AE Aquatics (Alex) (Jan 15, 2006)

kelrx8 said:


> damn find that peice move some stuff around
> I just did my nit, test and set at 0ppm having a high ph level but steady


0 Nitrates?


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## GODS1KID (Jan 12, 2006)

I DID A TWO 50 PERCENT WATER CHANGES YESTERDAY AND VACUUMED THE HELL OUT OF MY GRAVEL. THE NITRATES ARE AT 60 NOW. I ALSO ADDED SOME STRESS ZYME. I WILL REPORT BACK THIS EVENING. MY P'S ARE ACTING NORMAL, I GUESS THAT IS A GOOD SIGN. THEY DON'T SEEM AS IRRITABLE THIS MORNING.


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## Kemper1989 (Feb 14, 2005)

GODS1KID said:


> I DID A TWO 50 PERCENT WATER CHANGES YESTERDAY AND VACUUMED THE HELL OUT OF MY GRAVEL. THE NITRATES ARE AT 60 NOW. I ALSO ADDED SOME STRESS ZYME. I WILL REPORT BACK THIS EVENING. MY P'S ARE ACTING NORMAL, I GUESS THAT IS A GOOD SIGN. THEY DON'T SEEM AS IRRITABLE THIS MORNING.


When you do a 50% water change shouldn't it cut your Nitrates in half?


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## kelrx8 (Apr 1, 2006)

alcas74 said:


> damn find that peice move some stuff around
> I just did my nit, test and set at 0ppm having a high ph level but steady


0 Nitrates?
[/quote]

what the freshwater master kit read


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## Dawgz (Aug 18, 2005)

Kemper1989 said:


> I DID A TWO 50 PERCENT WATER CHANGES YESTERDAY AND VACUUMED THE HELL OUT OF MY GRAVEL. THE NITRATES ARE AT 60 NOW. I ALSO ADDED SOME STRESS ZYME. I WILL REPORT BACK THIS EVENING. MY P'S ARE ACTING NORMAL, I GUESS THAT IS A GOOD SIGN. THEY DON'T SEEM AS IRRITABLE THIS MORNING.


When you do a 50% water change shouldn't it cut your Nitrates in half?
[/quote]

logically ....yes


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

GODS1KID said:


> I DID A TWO 50 PERCENT WATER CHANGES YESTERDAY AND VACUUMED THE HELL OUT OF MY GRAVEL. THE NITRATES ARE AT 60 NOW. I ALSO ADDED SOME STRESS ZYME. I WILL REPORT BACK THIS EVENING. MY P'S ARE ACTING NORMAL, I GUESS THAT IS A GOOD SIGN. THEY DON'T SEEM AS IRRITABLE THIS MORNING.


What, after two 50 % consecutive changes the level in theory should be 25% of 80ppm, which is 20 ppm. All the nitrate is in the water column, but you have some heavy duty production there going on, which need to be solved. Also do check out the filters. I would slightly rinse (in a container filled with aquarium water) the filter trays of bio media and thoroughly wash or change the mechanical filter media.

Regards,


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## GODS1KID (Jan 12, 2006)

MY NITRATES ARE ABOUT SIXTY. I WILL FOLLOW YOUR INSTRUCTIONS HARRYKAA. MY FISH ARE STILL ACTING NORMAL.


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## the_w8 (Jul 28, 2003)

my nitrates are usually at 5-10 ppm and never more....i change bout 75% of the water over the course of a week now and don't have any probs with my 125G


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

the_w8 said:


> my nitrates are usually at 5-10 ppm and never more....i change bout 75% of the water over the course of a week now and don't have any probs with my 125G


Yes obviously 75 % per week will keep nitrates down. But it is a very high water change amount.
Do you have plants in your tank? Is it overstocked?

Regards,


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## the_w8 (Jul 28, 2003)

i have 5 P's in my 125G and it is not planted at all.... I realize its a great amount, but have not had any probs with this tank recycling in the past 3 years or no bacteria blooms.....nitrates stay low 5 ppm mostly sometimes 10 ppm....there was a period where my nitrates were @ 40ppm which can be fairly dangerous if left alone...I jus lowered the feedings (amount) and haven't had probs ever since.... I also lowered my tank temp to bout 76-77 and i noticed thats helped a bit too.


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## GODS1KID (Jan 12, 2006)

I HAVE SIX P'S THAT ARE 3 TO 3.5 INCHES IN A 55. I HAVE SIX PLANTS, SOME LARGE AND SOME SMALL. I FEED CATFISH TO THEM THREE TIMES A WEEK AND DO A 50 PERCENT WATER CHANGE ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS. OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS OR BEING NOTIFIED OF NOT KNOWING WHAT IN THE HELL I'M DOING.


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## GODS1KID (Jan 12, 2006)

LJA


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

GODS1KID said:


> I HAVE SIX P'S THAT ARE 3 TO 3.5 INCHES IN A 55. I HAVE SIX PLANTS, SOME LARGE AND SOME SMALL. I FEED CATFISH TO THEM THREE TIMES A WEEK AND DO A 50 PERCENT WATER CHANGE ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS. OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS OR BEING NOTIFIED OF NOT KNOWING WHAT IN THE HELL I'M DOING.


Yes six 3-3.5 inchers will do fine for some time in your 55 gallon tank. But they grow fast and within i year you will have too much biological burden in your water no matter what amount of plants you have there. I would upgrade the tank with about 125-150 g.

Regards


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