High nitrates?

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aviva90

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Hey all, so my newly cycled 10 gallon has extremely high nitrates and I don't know why. I mean it literally finished cycling Monday, so I don't see "old tank syndrome" being a cause. There are 4 amano shrimp in there and I worry about them. It is at the 80 mark I believe (40 and 80 are the SAME color on the card, ya know? And 160 is close... so it may be 160 but looks closer to the 40/80 color). I did a 1/3 water change and it didn't change anything...
 

dundadundun

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Jan 21, 2009
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check your tap water for nitrates.
 

the wizard

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What kind of test kit are you using?

After cycling, I ususally do a 50-70% WC to lower the nitrates.
 

Big Mike

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What kind of test kit are you using?

After cycling, I ususally do a 50-70% WC to lower the nitrates.
Well you said 40 and 80 are the same color so I bet its API. I cant tell the difference either.
 

the wizard

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If API liquid test, the Nitrate test is easy to goof and care must be taken to do it exactly as directed to get accurate results.
 

aviva90

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Yea, it's API. Good guess Big Mike haha. I've been doing the 10 drops, mix vial, shake bottle 2 for 30 sec, add 10 drops and shake vial for 1 minute... I'm doing it properly, right? When I woke up and did the test its still that red color that is either 40 or 80 (I know they only change through water change, I was just hoping I had got it wrong)... wish it was a more clear distinction =[

Just curious, why are the nitrates so high when a tank is just finished cycling? Anyone know?
 
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BettaFishMommy

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the nitrates are high at the end of a cycle because there has been a lot of ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate process going on during the cycle. nitrates are removed via water changes, which are not usually done during a fishless cycle, so they build up. that big water change before stocking a recently fishless cycled tank is the key to bring those 'trates down to a better level for the stock you are adding to the tank after the cycle.

what type of filter are you running on the tank? some can be nitrate factories once they gunk up a little. i found i had higher nitrates when using my topfin cartridge style filter, before i modded it with sponges instead of the cartridges.

also, is there a lot of mulm in the substrate? that can lend to high nitrates as well.

as mentioned, test your tap water for nitrates.

yes, you are doing the nitrate test correctly.

i would do water changes daily for a few days, at least 50%, and let us know what the nitrate level is after.
 

the wizard

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Nitrates are a by product (in a manner of speaking ) from the bacteria consuming the nitrites.
 

aviva90

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Also tested my tap water and nitrates were 0-5 as expected... did a 30% water change and it made NO difference in the nitrates in my tank (I prefer to do multiple small ones through out the day than 1 huge one at once).:nilly:
 

aviva90

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Makes sense about the nitrates, thanks.

My filter is an Aqueon Quietflow Power filter for a 10 gallon (ended up getting a kit because it was a gift and everything separate was just too expensive to ask for) with an improvised pre-filter sponge (if that's what it's called... sponge over the intake tube) . Shouldn't be much mulm, I do have some plants (especially that anacharis that "sheds" a lot) but I don't see that being a problem, in fact I left it in so my shrimp would have something to eat before I add fish and they have fish food to eat.

I will do that, as I said, did a 30% change, and the nitrates where the same. I'll do another one later today (lunch time maybe?). I just prefer doing 2 smaller ones than one large one, if anything for my peace of mind.
what type of filter are you running on the tank? some can be nitrate factories once they gunk up a little. i found i had higher nitrates when using my topfin cartridge style filter, before i modded it with sponges instead of the cartridges.

also, is there a lot of mulm in the substrate? that can lend to high nitrates as well.

as mentioned, test your tap water for nitrates.

yes, you are doing the nitrate test correctly.

i would do water changes daily for a few days, at least 50%, and let us know what the nitrate level is after.
 
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