# Nitrates Still Wont Go Down 80ppm I Think



## zeefs

Ive been at the same 80-160ppm forever now no matter what i do i cant get it to go down. First of all i think its 80-160ppm its the api test kit and i dont see the colour on the chart its like fruit punch red so im guessing its somewhere around 80-160ppm. 
I have 5x7" and 1x5" all reds in a 117 gallon tank, i'm running the ac 110 with the foam and 2 bio-max in it, and the fx5 filled with bio blocks and bio balls. I dont know what to do and sometimes my reds get a weird cloudy eye thing.
Ph 6
amm .5ppm
nitrites 0ppm


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## Guest

The only way to remove nitrates is to remove as much water from your tank as possible and/or add a crap load of live plants. I would strongly suggest a huge water change (75%) and then a couple of days later another huge 75% water change. Your fish are looking sick because your water is poisoning them. Have you tested your water out of the tap? Unless completely removed, nitrates will just accumulate. Are you using a dechlorinator?


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## I Can Mate

I never really trust those api kits because they go bad after a few months. If your test isn't calibrated it is going to give you the wrong answer. I use to think my tank ah 120ppm of nitrate but it didn't make sense bc my tank is loaded with plants. So I got my test done with some 400$ machine and turns out I have 0 nirates.


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## zeefs

Yah ive done large water changes like 50% then 2 days later 50% and i didnt c a change at all. not to mention everyone says at the level of nitrates i have i should have crazy algae but i dont have ne at all. My tap water doesnt have ne nitrates in it.


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## zeefs

I forgot i also have 2 lily pads in my tank growing like crazy too and i do use dechlorinator


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## JoeDizzleMPLS

How often do you feed your fish? You've got 6 decent sized natts in the tank so you've got a good bio load in there. Since you are showing a bit of ammonia along with high nitrate levels, I'd say that it's a stocking/feeding issue.


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## zeefs

i feed prob about once a week but try not to have a certain schedule sometimes ill go like 10 days without feeding them


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## Guest

50% water changes is not enough. I would not feed for a week starting tomorrow, do a huge 75-90% water change, refill and test your water before and after the change. Then 2 days later test your water again and do another 75-90% water change.


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## zeefs

that much wont that change my ph to quick


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## Guest

What is your pH out of tap compared to your tank?


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## zeefs

my tap water is 7.4 and my tank waters ph is 6


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## Guest

Whats in your tank to make it drop?? Your fish will be fine with those water changes.


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## zeefs

i have no idea whats making it drop i have 1 piece of wood in the tank that cant be it
my fish will be ok with that change ok cool thanks a lot


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## zeefs

just got back from lfs and he said my ph 5.8 and my alkalinity crashed i dont know what that means does that change what i should do?


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## JoeDizzleMPLS

There's gotta be something else going on here... once a week feedings and weekly water changes should keep the nitrate levels lower than that. Is there a lot of junk caught up in your substrate maybe? If you start out at 80ppm nitrate and do a water change of 50%, you should be sitting at 40ppm when the water change is done, another 50% change should cut it in half again... I just don't know how the nitrates could be rising that fast that these big water changes aren't doing anything.


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## Ba20

If the test results are right my guess would be that your aquarium never fully cycled hints the trace of ammonia. You should always use Seachem Prime when doing water changes unless your using RO or Well water. Doing water changes now would only prolong the cycle.


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## zeefs

My substrate is pretty thin and i keep it clean. i just did a gravel vac and there was nothing coming out. I use i think its called aqua plus dechlorinator. i was a bit lazy for awhile but for the last 4 months have been on top of it. I got the fx5 started on oct 31. Could it just be my water was so bad from before that i have all the leftover nitrates? i have completely changed the water in a matter of a week though and still nothing


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## JoeDizzleMPLS

If you slacked for a long time, it could explain how the nitrates crept that high to begin with, but after that many water changes, they should go down. I would just keep performing 20-30% water changes every day until it gets down to a manageable level.


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## zeefs

Ok man thanks a lot thats exactly what my lfs said to do too


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## zeefs

ok so today i did 55 gallon water change. Before the change my ph was 5.8 and nitrates somewhere between 80-160 
after the change i tested water again and my ph went to 6.8 and nitrates didnt look like they really changed still same colour like fruit punch red. shouldnt i have seen a change in them?


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## JoeDizzleMPLS

Are you sure your test is accurate?


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## zeefs

i went to my lfs and he checked my water as soon as he put the strip in it turned pink n he said thats 80ppm already n we gotta wait 5 mins still so im sure it went much higher than that, i got distracted and forgot to ask in 5 mins what it ended up being

Ive tested my tap water and get 0ppm only thing i havent tested is after i use my dechlorinator nutrafin aqua plus im wondering if maybe that could have nitrates in it if thats possible


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## JoeDizzleMPLS

So you've changed out all this water in the past week or so and haven't fed your fish, but your nitrates are still off the charts?


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## BuckeyeGuy777

ya with a 50% change like that you should seen a big difference...thats weird


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## zeefs

in the past week ive changed about 85 gallons and fed them once 3 days ago


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## BuckeyeGuy777

even if you have a crap ton of old food in there it still shoulda went down when u add new water


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## zeefs

yah i keep thinkin its the test kit too but when i took it to the lfs it showed up 80ppm right away and still had to wait 5 mins so i dont know how high it was im so pissed i forgot to ask in 5 mins

yah i thought foruse it woulda dropped the ph went up to 6.8, thats why i was thinkin maybe the dechlorinator im using has nitrates in it, or i just slacked for so long that the nitrates were so high they now r actually around 80ppm instead of like 160ppm


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## BuckeyeGuy777

even if you tank isnt fully cycled and you take that much water out u should see a change

any signs of distress on ur P's


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## zeefs

they have had cloudy eyes before , but as for today and all the water changes no they seem normal always hungry and wanting to eat my hands


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## zeefs

im gonna go get my water tested again tomorrow at lfs then depending on what he says prob do another 50% water change


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## Guest

Your lfs uses test strips?? I dont trust those things one bit. After a 50% water change you should have different test results. If your test is testing 0 out of the tap, then just use your test to test the water after a water change.

Wow that was a mouth full lol


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## zeefs

yah lfs uses the strips i have the api drop kit, i did test the water with my drops after and it still showed that 80-160ppm colour fruit punch red


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## Piranha feeder

zeefs said:


> 50% water changes is not enough. I would not feed for a week starting tomorrow, do a huge 75-90% water change, refill and test your water before and after the change. Then 2 days later test your water again and do another 75-90% water change.


That's way too much water to remove!! 90%? that would guarantee to send ur tank into a recycle!


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## zeefs

Yah i keep my ac110 pretty clean and the fx5 i just started on oct 31st and i feed my p's bite sized food so there isnt any pieces left over in my tank ever to go up the intake


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## fiveo93

for the ph being low, you can add some crushed coral and it will help bring it back up, and for the nitrates problem, when was the last time you cleaned out the filters & sponges? and last what are you feeding them? any chance worms?


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## Guest

Piranha feeder said:


> 50% water changes is not enough. I would not feed for a week starting tomorrow, do a huge 75-90% water change, refill and test your water before and after the change. Then 2 days later test your water again and do another 75-90% water change.


That's way too much water to remove!! 90%? that would guarantee to send ur tank into a recycle!
[/quote]

The bacteria is in your filters not the body of water. He is currently poisoning his fish with those nitrates, every day at that level will cause health issues or death with his fish. Simple solution, place fish in a bucket, remove poisoned water and start with new fresh water. Keep a very close watch on the tank, incase of a mini cycle. Stay on top of water parameters daily or every other day for the next few weeks.


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## Onkiebonkie

How thick is your substrate and how long have you had it for? I had the same problem some years ago and i found out my substrate was saturated with Nitrates and was releasing them every time i did a waterchange. I was doing 3 x 30% waterchanges a week, but it wouldn't drop. After i changed my substrate it was normal again. You will be shocked of the amount of dirt that collects in your substrate after a year or so, even with vacuuming.


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## BuckeyeGuy777

ksls said:


> 50% water changes is not enough. I would not feed for a week starting tomorrow, do a huge 75-90% water change, refill and test your water before and after the change. Then 2 days later test your water again and do another 75-90% water change.


That's way too much water to remove!! 90%? that would guarantee to send ur tank into a recycle!
[/quote]

The bacteria is in your filters not the body of water. He is currently poisoning his fish with those nitrates, every day at that level will cause health issues or death with his fish. Simple solution, place fish in a bucket, remove poisoned water and start with new fresh water. Keep a very close watch on the tank, incase of a mini cycle. Stay on top of water parameters daily or every other day for the next few weeks.
[/quote]
I agree...u need to get that water outta there....make sure when you fill it up you use you dechlorinator


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## zeefs

So i did another 55 gallons today water befor was ph 6.8 and nitrates still somewhere over 80ppm, after the water change my ph is 7.6 and nitrates look basically the same somewhere over 80ppm,it does look a little lighter than previous though.

as for my gravel i put new gravel in on july 27/10


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## BuckeyeGuy777

you should really consider changing all the water and doin a GOOD gravel vac


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## zeefs

i dont wanna have to take all 6 out and put them in buckets if i dont have to, i just did a huge gravel cleaning on the 13th too


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## Piranha feeder

zeefs said:


> i dont wanna have to take all 6 out and put them in buckets if i dont have to, i just did a huge gravel cleaning on the 13th too


Good don't. So how's the water now? Btw I'm having this sorta same issue myself except with nitrites! Their past 10ppm and have been for the last 3 weeks! Been doing the daily water chugs too but nothing is budging!!


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## zeefs

man tanks can be so frustrating especially when i knew nothing about fish tanks when i first got my P's
nitrates still crazy im gonna do another same 55 gallons tomorrow

i dont really know ne thing about nitrites either sorry i cant be of ne help man


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## Piranha feeder

zeefs said:


> man tanks can be so frustrating especially when i knew nothing about fish tanks when i first got my P's
> nitrates still crazy im gonna do another same 55 gallons tomorrow
> 
> i dont really know ne thing about nitrites either sorry i cant be of ne help man


Not much to do bout them everyone just said water changes every day and thats what I've been doin so don't know what else to do but wait. I'm new too and I guess my tank is still cycling so that's kinda my fault for not cycling prior to placing fish in the tank. It's my first tank and only been setup for 7 weeks


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## zeefs

ok so just did another 55 gallons today before nitrates still over 80ppm today after the changes it looks a lot closer to 40 ppm if nething id say like 50 ppm so i think im gonna do another 55 gallons tomrrow again


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## Piranha feeder

zeefs said:


> ok so just did another 55 gallons today before nitrates still over 80ppm today after the changes it looks a lot closer to 40 ppm if nething id say like 50 ppm so i think im gonna do another 55 gallons tomrrow again


That's good! I gave up on the water changes and now I'm going to use prime! Better work!


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## zeefs

Yah i went and picked up some prime too it seems a lot better than the dechlorinator i was using before


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## Piranha feeder

zeefs said:


> Yah i went and picked up some prime too it seems a lot better than the dechlorinator i was using before


I put it in yesterday so I haven't checked my water. Going to check it after work.


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## zeefs

Ok so today before i do my water change i went to lfs{same one that tested my water couple days ago and got nitrates over 100ppm}
todays test the nitrates he showed were 0ppm, so i come home test it myself and get nitrates of atleast 40-80pppm.
is that just cuz he uses strips and im using the drops?


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## BuckeyeGuy777

i know this sounds like a dumb question but are you putting the right amount of drops...if he's getting 0 and you geting 40 someone is wrong....strips might not be the best for accuracy but its not gunna be that far off


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## Piranha feeder

zeefs said:


> Ok so today before i do my water change i went to lfs{same one that tested my water couple days ago and got nitrates over 100ppm}
> todays test the nitrates he showed were 0ppm, so i come home test it myself and get nitrates of atleast 40-80pppm.
> is that just cuz he uses strips and im using the drops?


I tested my water and the nitrite is still 10ppm I'm hella pissed


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## zeefs

Im pretty sure im doing the drops right. I always make sure its a even drop directly from the top. Im thinkin i just have a bad test kit of the nitrates.

daMn P feeder 10ppm thats boo urns


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## Piranha feeder

zeefs said:


> Im pretty sure im doing the drops right. I always make sure its a even drop directly from the top. Im thinkin i just have a bad test kit of the nitrates.
> 
> daMn P feeder 10ppm thats boo urns


Ya man tell me about it!! It could be ur kit bro. You should look into acquiring a new one.


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## zeefs

Ok so i was still unsure about my api nitrate test kit so i went to another lfs and he did 2 different types of tests both strips and a nutrafin drop test and both showed 0ppm. So now thats 3 diff tests that all say 0ppm so forsure my api test kit is bad.


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## MPG

All that work for nothing..lol

Always double check your test kit.


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## zeefs

haha i know eh well my nitrates were over 100ppm to start just that they showed that always.


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## Ba20

Yes, re-read the instructions for the test kit you have to be sure your adding the right amount of drops and waiting the proper amount of time or buy another one


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## zeefs

Ok so today i went and returned my api kit at petsmArt and got a new one, I did the nitrate test again and still same colour like 80ppm. So i dont know what is goin on. 
Now my water is 
ph 7.6
amm- 1-2ppm
nitrite-.25-.5ppm
Is my ammo and nitrite up like this cuz i did so many water changes and now im in a minicyle or something?


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## pocketear

are you doing it right because you have to put the 10 drops from the first bottle in cap it turn ib upside down a couple times. shake the secong bottle for 30 seconds then add those 10 drops wait 5 min then see the coulor.
the reason i ask is because when i first got my kit and did it i only read how to do the first test and when i did this one it was really messed up like yours.


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## Moondemon

You seem to have tried a lot of different things...
I'd continue with the water changes and i'd go bare bottom for a while.. Or, if you don't want to take your garvel out of your tank, just add a sh*t load of live plants. I had high nitrates problems a few years ago in a pygo setup i had (9x 8-9''pygos in a 125 gallon tank) and i added a ton of plants(and continued with Water changes..). I got perfect water specs after that....

Hope this helps you..


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## zeefs

Yah im doing the drops right even like everyone on here says i shake the hell outta bottle #2 even slam it on the table


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## soitsbig

missing one thing..after shaking bottle #2 for 30 sec then you add to vial, that vial now needs to be shaken for one minute.


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## zeefs

o yah i know i do that too i have the instruction book i know im doing the drops right

o yah i know i do that too i have the instruction book i know im doing the drops right


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## soitsbig

well i have been trying not to jump on the wagon but. I have a 125gal with 5 5-6" rbps up and running since november with a Fx5 and a ac110 and a 20gal wet/dry and my nitrates are about 80ppm I have tried everything you have and i just stopped checking. I do a 45-50 percent w/c EW. I just tested now and its about 60ppm and will go back up before the week is up..Never had a problem with the fish. They look great and act normal. I use the api drops and the test strips and always reads high.I gave up. Oh I also have a large bunch of money wort amd anacaris floating in the tank which I added about 8 weeks ago and still no help..


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## zeefs

my bad on that double post i dont know how i wrote it twice and missed that lol



soitsbig said:


> well i have been trying not to jump on the wagon but. I have a 125gal with 5 5-6" rbps up and running since november with a Fx5 and a ac110 and a 20gal wet/dry and my nitrates are about 80ppm I have tried everything you have and i just stopped checking. I do a 45-50 percent w/c EW. I just tested now and its about 60ppm and will go back up before the week is up..Never had a problem with the fish. They look great and act normal. I use the api drops and the test strips and always reads high.I gave up. Oh I also have a large bunch of money wort amd anacaris floating in the tank which I added about 8 weeks ago and still no help..


o yah that sounds kinda the saME only i went to 3 different lfs and they show that i have 0ppm nitrates now but yet my api still says 40-80ppm{fruit punch red colour}


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## Piranha feeder

My nitrites r past 5 still after a month. The card only shows 5 but the liquid is a lot darker. And I have tried everything from water changes to adding chemicals nothing is working. Atleast at a normal pace. So kinda like the othe guy I just gave up! My fish r acting normal anyway. Eat great and very active! Btw I have the same test kit and the 40 and 80 r very very close in color! So u might be having 40ppm and not 80ppm which is totally fine! So if I were u I wouldn't worry too much!


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## Smoke

Anyone ever try the Tetra SafeStart with Bio-Spira to see if that helps? It should introduce a colony of BB that helps form on the filter media and contribute to the cycle.


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## I Can Mate

apitest fails. I had the same problem in my planted tank thinkinh I have 80ppm nitrate so I didn't dose any nirate for my plants and they all started dieing. I had mywater test done by a chem professor and it showed 0 ppm. I would recconmend getting a nutrafin nitrate test kit bc they are much better. If not look on google for nitrate test calibration where you can calibrate your test to a known level nirate subtance that way u know if your test kit is accurate. I would never trust the lfs either just bc there kits are normally months even years old and are just as off as yours would be. Oh yeh if u do that big of a wc and still your test is off your test is not accurate. That's if your doing the drops right.


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## zeefs

Yah its gotta be my test kit forsure. My lfs store guy said to get the nutrafin nitrate test kit too said it was most accurate. Im gonna do that forsure. I even did a test half of the 5ml of tank water and and other half tap water which have zero nitrates and even then my test still showed the same 80ppm colour


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## Piranha feeder

zeefs said:


> Anyone ever try the Tetra SafeStart with Bio-Spira to see if that helps? It should introduce a colony of BB that helps form on the filter media and contribute to the cycle.


Thanks I'll try that!!


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## zeefs

yah ive tested my tap water before and it shows nitrates 0ppm


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## Piranha feeder

zeefs said:


> yah ive tested my tap water before and it shows nitrates 0ppm


IMO i think ur test kit is fine and like i said the colors between 40ppm and 80ppm r almost identical so the max ur showing is probably 40ppm.


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## zeefs

i dunno man ive gotten so many different tests done at lfs and they show none and mine still shows 40-80ppm


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## Piranha feeder

zeefs said:


> i dunno man ive gotten so many different tests done at lfs and they show none and mine still shows 40-80ppm


Either way I think ur fine.


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## zeefs

thanks man i know so confusing. Now my problem is i have ammo .5ppm and nitrite 1ppm but they seem to be droppin now so hopefully all will be good soon


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## zeefs

i just added all new biomax rings instead of the bioballs on one level in my canister so hopefully thatll help with the ammo/nitrites


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