I didn't clean the filters. I just did the water changes. I never saw nitrite but I think I must have missed it before the very high nitrate killed it off. I do have sponge media as part of the 3 stage filter system in the aquaclear filter.
Did 2 total 100% Water changes and still high nitrate
- Thread starter newbietanker
- Start date
...and I've never seen any dark purple in the nitrite tube, its always just light blue and never changes. I guess if water changes won't get rid of all the nitrate, I need to start over by rinsing everything, putting all new filter media, and fresh water. What a nightmare. Unless someone can tell me that simply letting time go by without adding ammonia will kill off the nitrate. If so, ill wait it out, it's easier than rinsing everything and starting over. All this because I didn't read the nitrate testing instructions thoroughly. Sigh
Why start over? Don't clean anything, especially the bio media in your filter. Re-dose with ammonia and see if it all goes straight to nitrates indicating a fully cycled tank, or see if that ~1ppm ammonia goes to nitrites (your half way there), then crank up the heat to the mid-hi 80's and wait for nitrites to turn to nitrates.
Why you have nitrates, yet never saw nitrites I have no idea. But if ammonia is getting fully consumed and all you're seeing is nitrates, your nitrogen cycle is complete in that tank.
Why you have nitrates, yet never saw nitrites I have no idea. But if ammonia is getting fully consumed and all you're seeing is nitrates, your nitrogen cycle is complete in that tank.
If I re-dose with ammonia, it will go straight to nitrates which will compound my problem, no? I think I need to know the source of and how to lower the nitrates. How high is too high for nitrates?
Plants and water changes are the best way forward. Before I moved house my tank was 5ppm all the time and was only that high because of dosing ferts. If you don't want plants in the tank put a few floating plants in there to cover the top.
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Ammonia going straight to nitrates is ultimately what you want. This means your tank is cycled. Some articles say to do a water change when your nitrates hit 40ppm. Lots of fishkeepers do a WC @ 20ppm nitrates. Nitrates aren't toxic to fish like ammonia or nitrites. Nitrates are going to be in the tank all the time you have live critters in there.
Thanks for all the replies. I just want to start off right. I don't want to start off behind the 8 ball with 20-40ppm before I even put fish in the tank. I'm at a loss. My water is 3-4ppm when it goes in, I'd at least like to start there. Is that even possible in a freshly cycled tank (starting over) with my water?
See my last post, plants or lots of w/c. The nitrate won't just disappear.
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But if I already did 2 total or at least 99.9% water changes in a row in a fishless tank, how would more water changes help? It doesn't make sense to keep changing the water, it's already all new and fresh...twice over, then somehow my tank is making it go from 3-4ppm to 20-40ppm. I just don't get it. Also, I know plants help lower nitrate, and I'll head down that road later, but for now, I need to understand just what is going on in my tank. Thanks
jasonfishaddict
AC Members
I read through the earlier posts to fully understand your problem. The point of cycling is to establish a colony of beneficial bacteria. There are 2 types; one converts ammonia to nitrite and the other converts nitrite to nitrate. They live in the water naturally but we need to give them a place to populate. Filter media is designed for that purpose, the substrate is often overlooked as another place where these bacteria can thrive. My advice is to increase your biological filtration by either adding another filter or substrate. Set up the tank the way you want it, without fish of course, and get into a routine of weekly water changes. Once the tank is pleasing to you, test the water and over the next few weeks, slowly stock your tank. Your current nitrate levels shouldn't be a problem because you're already doing regular water changes.
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