# why is my nitrate so high



## willis18 (Feb 4, 2004)

My tank has been cycled and My Ps are in it with a pleco...They seem healthy but why is my nitrate test so hiGH!!!!!! All other tests are normal...why the nitrate?


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## blueprint (Jan 3, 2004)

when was the last time you did a water change? how big is your tank? Nitrates are the last stage of the nitrogen cycle.

doing water changes will relieve your problem.


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## willis18 (Feb 4, 2004)

I did a 25% water change 5 or 6 days ago... so if I do them on a regular babsis the nitrates will go down?


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## rufus (Jan 6, 2004)

plants reduce nitrates a very little bit, but water changes are the only way to keep the nitrate levels low.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

willis18 said:


> I did a 25% water change 5 or 6 days ago... so if I do them on a regular babsis the nitrates will go down?


 Yes....

If you do a water change of 10%-25% weekly you will be fine.


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## vtecbro007 (Feb 11, 2004)

yup waterchanges will be ur key LIVE PLANTS R OK TOO!


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## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

grosse gurke said:


> willis18 said:
> 
> 
> > I did a 25% water change 5 or 6 days ago... so if I do them on a regular babsis the nitrates will go down?
> ...


 incorect. it depends on the amount of Bioload he has in the tank..

How many fish do you have in the tank? what size are they? how big is the tank?

The Main reason we do water changes is to Remove nitrate and replenish KH.

so if your having hi nitrate you should test your tap water.. see if that has nitrate. if it doesnt then you need to double the amount of water changes you are doing.. if that does not help i recomend doing 80% a weak..


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

Peacock said:


> grosse gurke said:
> 
> 
> > willis18 said:
> ...


 I agree


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## willis18 (Feb 4, 2004)

I have 5 three inch RBP's and a 7' pleco all in a 90 gallon. So its not overloaded. I think I will test my tap water. If it is my tap water what shoudl I do?


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## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

willis18 said:


> I have 5 three inch RBP's and a 7' pleco all in a 90 gallon. So its not overloaded. I think I will test my tap water. If it is my tap water what shoudl I do?


 if its not your tap water then your not doing enough % of water changed a weak... do 60% a weak.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

60-80% water changes is overkill IMO and I would not recommend it. Too many variables in changing that much water and it will just stress the fish. If doing 10-25% weekly water changes does not bring down the nitrate level to an acceptable level, I would do bi-weekly changes instead of just upping the %. If you have no nitrates in your tap water, and need to change 80% of the water to bring them to an acceptable range, that will be a drastic change in the level of nitrates. Although nitrates are not as harmful as the ammonia and nitrites, there still is a acclimation period for the fish and drastic changes in will put unneeded stress on the fish...not to mention making sure the temp and ph are equal to your tanks existing parameters....my 2 cents.


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## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

grosse gurke said:


> 60-80% water changes is overkill IMO and I would not recommend it. Too many variables in changing that much water and it will just stress the fish. If doing 10-25% weekly water changes does not bring down the nitrate level to an acceptable level, I would do bi-weekly changes instead of just upping the %. If you have no nitrates in your tap water, and need to change 80% of the water to bring them to an acceptable range, that will be a drastic change in the level of nitrates. Although nitrates are not as harmful as the ammonia and nitrites, there still is a acclimation period for the fish and drastic changes in will put unneeded stress on the fish...not to mention making sure the temp and ph are equal to your tanks existing parameters....my 2 cents.


 if the water out of your Tap has the same GH, PH and Temp then its the BEST thing you can do for your fish...

i do 80-90% on most of my tanks........ Most discus breaders do 100% a DAY!.. discus are very sensitive fish.. if something where to stress them out, they could die.. is this why their discus grow very fast? have the best color and breed readily? YEP.

Your wrong.. if the water is the same PH, GH, and Temp then it wont be stressfull to the fish..

If its over kill then why is he having HIGH nitrate after doing what you recomended a weak?

Remember you dont just JUdge % of water change on the size of the tank.. you judge it by the BIo load you have in the tank.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Of course it is great to do massive water changes for the fish, to replenish the nutrients that are used, as long as the parameters are kept the same..but you must understand that we are dealing with the average hobbiest..not professionals. I am giving suggestion that the average hobbiest can preform while keeping his fish under the least amount of stress. I am well aware that discus breeders change 100% of the water daily, and I am also aware that the bioload of a tank will dictate the amount of nitrates that are produced as a result of the cycle. I am also aware that asside from you, there are not many hobbiest that will check the parameters of the water prior to filling the tank, therefore keeping the water changes to a lesser degree will keep the fish from suffering unnecessary stress....imo.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

> If its over kill then why is he having HIGH nitrate after doing what you recomended a weak?


I think he has high nitrates because he was not doing water changes weekly.


> I did a 25% water change 5 or 6 days ago... *so if I do them on a regular babsis the nitrates will go down*?


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## nitrofish (Jan 14, 2003)

Peacock said:


> If its over kill then why is he having HIGH nitrate after doing what you recomended a weak?


 week :bleh:


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## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

nitrofish said:


> Peacock said:
> 
> 
> > If its over kill then why is he having HIGH nitrate after doing what you recomended a weak?
> ...


 week. what ever... i dont major in spelling...


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Once the hobby becomes work, I will get out of the hobby. lol

First of all, he has not posted the original nitrate reading in which he considered "high". He has also not included what his tap water nitrate level is, as well as his maintenance schedule. I would not recommend him to do such a large water change (80%) especially if he's asking why his nitrates are so high. Discus breeders do large water change with a turn over rate of OVER 100% on their grow out tanks because that is their livelihood and they know the EXACT parameters going into their tanks. I really can't see how 5 - 3" rbp and a pleco can generate that much waste in a week to get "high" nitrate levels unless there is rotting food laying around (especially if water changes were done weekly). So let's not assume until he posts additional info (what is considered "high" nitrates, what is his nitrates from tap, and what is his maintenance schedule like?).


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## Noe (Aug 22, 2003)

blueprint said:


> when was the last time you did a water change? how big is your tank? Nitrates are the last stage of the nitrogen cycle.
> 
> doing water changes will relieve your problem.


 Listen to the man .........


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## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

DonH said:


> So let's not assume until he posts additional info (what is considered "high" nitrates, what is his nitrates from tap, and what is his maintenance schedule like?).


 yes your right, We do need adition information.


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## nitrofish (Jan 14, 2003)

blueprint said:


> doing water changes will relieve your problem.


 that about sums it up


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## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

DonH said:


> Discus breeders do large water change with a turn over rate of OVER 100% on their grow out tanks because that is their livelihood and they know the EXACT parameters going into their tanks.


 Yes, like i said.. DOing large Water changes is Fine, Just as long as the water is has the same PH, GH and Temp..

can we get aditional information about your tank routine?


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

Peacock said:


> nitrofish said:
> 
> 
> > Peacock said:
> ...


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## Noe (Aug 22, 2003)

blueprint said:


> when was the last time you did a water change? how big is your tank? Nitrates are the last stage of the nitrogen cycle.
> 
> doing water changes will relieve your problem.


 Listen to the man........................


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