Nitrates extremely high help needed!!!!!

[yellow tang]

The nitrates are off the charts in my tengallon, I do gravel siphon and a 50% water change every week, nitrates won't go down. Anybody know how to lower them?

[plah831]

what are you other parameters? ammonia, nitrite, exactly how high is the nitrates. What are your inhabitants in the 10 gal?

[Needeles]

What are you using to test you water, test strips or a liquid test kit and what brand?

[yellow tang]

I am using test strips, I think they are called quick dip strips

[plah831]

I am using test strips, I think they are called quick dip strips
ahh, there could be your problem. I've found strip tests to be extremely unreliable and hard to read (is that pink or pink-orange?). I'd go with a liquid test kit.

[yellow tang]

So really my nitrates could be low and the test strips are inaccurate, I will be getting a liquid test kit this weekend

[plah831]

So really my nitrates could be low and the test strips are inaccurate, I will be getting a liquid test kit this weekend
good deal. if your nitrate readings are still high (above 20 ppm), the only solution is more frequent water changes (50% weekly may not be enough if your tank is overstocked) or lots of live plants (the trick is keeping them alive and healthy).

[khombre]

Just curious, what exactly are your nitrate levels? :confused:

[liv2padl]

it would be helpful to know (1) how many and what kind of fish are in this ten gallon tank? and (2) have you tested your tap water for nitrates?

[walaboom]

Continue doing water change, having live plants in there will definitely help.

I sometimes let a little algae grow in my tank by leaving the lights on for about 10 to 12 hours a day, that way the nitrates will stay low and plecos have plenty of food.