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?
Nitrates extremely high help needed!!!!!
- Thread starter yellow tang
- Start date
what are you other parameters? ammonia, nitrite, exactly how high is the nitrates. What are your inhabitants in the 10 gal?
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 said:
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).yellow tang said:
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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?
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.
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.