High Nitrates

[rodinia]

Greetings.

I have a 37 gallon column aquarium and it is 24 inches tall. It's modestly planted. Couple amazon swords, couple crypts, large chunk of java fern, jungle val and pygmy chain sword. I have 50 lbs of eco complete gravel.
I've got a few pairs of gouramis and a couple schools of barbs and rasboras.
I used some old gravel and filter pads to cycle the new tank and it worked...too well I think. I've had a nitrate problem and it's killed off my 3 otto cats and a kuhlii loach.
My water out of the tap is perfect with the exception of chlorine of course. I mean ph, hardness etc is exactly what I want so I just condition and add.
I've been performing a 10 percent water change once a week.
After the death of my kuhlii loach, I performed a 40 percent change and the nitrate levels are lowered. I changed my filter pad (it was quite dirty) and am hoping that all will be well.
The tank has only been running for 3 months so I didn't consider the possibility that I'd be experiencing "old tank syndrome" so quickly.

My hardness actually increased as a result of the increase in nitrates. The level wasn't off the chart but it was in dangerous territory. It is now within safe levels and I'll be monitoring closely.

My questions are....are there any products that will keep nitrate levels down that won't convert the nitrate to ammonia? Some sort of sludge eliminator or maybe Cycle? Or could cycle cause higher nitrates in an already cycled aquarium?
Can high nitrate levels cause white specks on the glass?
Could the eco complete gravel be an accomplice to my high nitrates?
Can the height of the aquarium be a cause for nitrate buildup in that I'm not aerating properly? Would a stronger air pump and an air stone designed for perhaps protein disbursement be better?

Thank so much in advance.

 

[Ms.Bubbles]

I've always thought that the best solution for high nitrates is water changes. 10% w/c weekly is not enough IMO. Weekly 25% (up to 50% for a highly stocked tank) usually keeps them below 20ppm.

 

[joylynn]

Exactly how many gouramis, barbs adn rasboras are in the tank? Also are there any other fish besides those? I would guess you are oversotcked, especially since it sounds like you have a tall tank wich reduces the number of fish you can have in the tank. The tall tanks reduce the amount of surface area available for oxegen exchange, thereby limiting the number of life forms the tank can support. The fact you have a planted tank helps this slightly, but you still probably have too many fish. I have a 35 G that is 15" tall that at optimal stocking will have 9-11 tiger barbs, 1 queen arabesque pleco, 1 peacock eel. I am currently very overstocked in that tank and have to 50% water changes 2x a week to keep the nitrates at a good level (I probably overkill the waterchanges, but I err on the side of caution). My current stocking is similar to yours - 3 opaline gouramis, 9 tiger barbs, 3 pictus cats, 1 albino rainbow shark and 1 spotted pleco. That is way too much but I have only avoided problems by constant, high volume water changes.

You probably don't have full blown OTS yet, just high nitrates from all the waste. Also, you generally don't want to change your filter media unless it is falling apart, if it is dirty, rinse it in the old tank water when you change the water out (old tank water in a bucket, rinse the filter in the bucket). A significant part of your biological filter colonizes in the filter media and replacing it can cause your tank to mini-cycle. Please post all your exact water parameters - ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

 

[rodinia]

Alright, I'm overstocked according to the calculations of length/width divided by 12 but not too bad. I'm overstocked by 5 fish.
All my fish with the exception of the blue gouramis are an inch in length or less. (sparkling gouramis about 3/4 inch)

So then, do I donate them to my fish store or simply engage in a more rigerous maintance schedule? I'd be more than happy to change out more water, more frequently.

My parameters are 0 ammonia 0 nitrite 30ppm nitrates.
ph 6.5 and soft water.

So, I made my bed. Now, heres my the tough question.
I think it's a bit mean to give the fish up. Overstock issue aside, would anyone care to suggest if it's meaner to keep them in a slightly overstocked tank or donate them back to a fish store where the water and stocking conditions will probably be worse than mine?

 

[Ms.Bubbles]

30 ppm nitrates aren't too bad. 20 ppm is the safe level--so increase your water changes and you'll be at or below the target level.

Regarding overstocking, you can:
Donate your fish to a reputable store for store credit.
Sell or give them to a friend with an empty tank.
Increase water changes and live with the fact that your fish don't have enough swimming space.

 

[joylynn]

There's my favorite solution to overstocking - Buy another Tank!!!! That's what I wound up doing and about half my stock is moving tonight

All kidding aside, you shoudl be able to manage with frequent water changes. You do want to keep an eye out for aggression or other changes in behavior. Your fish may stillb e growing and will get bigger than they currently are which could cause more space issues. Just keep your eye on them and have a plan if the behaviors start to change.

 

[rodinia]

I think it's far crueler to donate my fish to any local pet store, regardless of how "reputable" they are. They are perpetually overstocked and harassed by children, ignorant adults and constantly in state of net stress in even the most reputable pet shop.

I'm 5 fish overstocked, not 50. As far swimming space, they all have plenty of swimming space. 7 of my fish are either cory cats or loaches, occupying the bottom.

They all have their space and territories. They are all vibrant and very healthy and space to swim wasn't a concern. I had a very specific series of questions all pertaining to high nitrates which seem to have gone unanswered. Instead, an over concern for the crampedness of my fishes quarters seems to be the new focus of my post.

If "someone" would like to answer the questions I asked, I'd be highly appreciative. I didn't post here to be morally chastised with whether or not I could live with the fact my fish are cramped.

My questions are....are there any products that will keep nitrate levels down that won't convert the nitrate to ammonia? Some sort of sludge eliminator or maybe Cycle? Or could cycle cause higher nitrates in an already cycled aquarium?

Can high nitrate levels cause white specks on the glass?

Could the eco complete gravel be an accomplice to my high nitrates?

Can the height of the aquarium be a cause for nitrate buildup in that I'm not aerating properly? Would a stronger air pump and an air stone designed for perhaps protein disbursement be better?

 

[roliva]

I hope you meant to say ammonia to nitrite and not nitrate to ammonia. To cut down on nitrates, either cut down on feeding, get more plants, or do more water changes.or do more water changes. I do at least 50% per week on my tanks. There is a denitrifyer but I wouldn't recommend because it takes a certain drip rate (that may vary) to be efficient or the effects can be deadly.

The basic nitrogen cycle:
NH4+(ammonia)+ 2 H2O(water)>>> NO2-(nitrite)+ 8 H+(hydrogen ions)

NO2-(nitrite)+ H2O(water)>>> NO3-(nitrate)+ 2 H+(hydrogen ions)

 

[rodinia]

Something I read online today said that that ammonia can rise from use of a nitrate remover. I was hoping someone here might either be aware of this or know if it's a crock or not.

It seems I'm overstocked and have been under changing my water. I'll start increasing the amount of my water changes to 50% per week until I can purchase a new tank.

I'll get more plants in the interim.

 

[myfishandi]

I didn't post here to be morally chastised with whether or not I could live with the fact my fish are cramped.

lol, I know what you mean but everybody is just trying to help.

My questions are....are there any products that will keep nitrate levels down that won't convert the nitrate to ammonia? Some sort of sludge eliminator or maybe Cycle? Or could cycle cause higher nitrates in an already cycled aquarium?

Uh, Cycle is a waste of money, does not help Nitrates, may even increase the Nitrite levels, and Nitrates cannot be converted to Ammonia.
Why you would want to do this I dont know, seems like you have a basic mis understanding of the Nitrogen cycle.
The conversion is: Ammonia to Nitrite, Nitrite to Nitrate.

From all of my research over the last few months the only sure way I've found is water changes.
I've read certain plants "eat" Nitrate but I'm not going to go there because I cant offer definate options with which to use.

With your present stock, I would take the recommendations of more water changes, you should be fine.
After all, Nitrates are "relatively" harmless so your doing fine.

Can high nitrate levels cause white specks on the glass?

Quote:
Could the eco complete gravel be an accomplice to my high nitrates?

Quote:
Can the height of the aquarium be a cause for nitrate buildup in that I'm not aerating properly? Would a stronger air pump and an air stone designed for perhaps protein disbursement be better?

I'll not try to answer these since I dont know.