I'm having big problems with my nitrate levels. A week after a water change the levels are at ~180 ppm. Directly after a water change the ppm is usually ~40 but sometimes up to 100 ppm. I'm perfoming a 25% water change every week. My tap water has 10 ppm so I buy reverse osmosis water. I have two filters (a biowheel and a Fluval canister) with an air pump with two big airstones for oxygenation. I've drastically cut the amount I feed them, so I can only assume it's my fish levels. In my 36x24x12 45gal. tank I have:
1 Bala Shark (6 inches)
2 Clown Loaches (3inch & 5 inch)
2 Boseman's Rainbowfish (2 1/2 inches)
2 Dwarf Gouramis (2 1/2 inches)
1 Chinese Algea eater (5 inches)
5 Zebra Danios
3 Neon Tetras
1 Guppy
1 Khuli Loach
1 Angel
2 Kribensis (Cichlids - 3 inches)
Looking at the list typed out it looks like WAY too many fish. I've added plants to the tank, too, in the hopes that they will use some of the nitrates as food. Any advice will be greatly appreciated - 2 neons and an algea eater have died, and I can only assume it's the nitrates.
:help: my fish, please!
1 Bala Shark (6 inches)
2 Clown Loaches (3inch & 5 inch)
2 Boseman's Rainbowfish (2 1/2 inches)
2 Dwarf Gouramis (2 1/2 inches)
1 Chinese Algea eater (5 inches)
5 Zebra Danios
3 Neon Tetras
1 Guppy
1 Khuli Loach
1 Angel
2 Kribensis (Cichlids - 3 inches)
Looking at the list typed out it looks like WAY too many fish. I've added plants to the tank, too, in the hopes that they will use some of the nitrates as food. Any advice will be greatly appreciated - 2 neons and an algea eater have died, and I can only assume it's the nitrates.
:help: my fish, please!