unless its overstocked water changes should help. again test strips are inaccurate so it might be lower or higher its hard to know. how big of tank and whats in it?
PH low/Hardness Mod/Alk very low/Nitrate Borderline
- Thread starter Anns914
- Start date
130 gal with about 20 sm to med fish (smallest 1in to largest 3 1/2) they have not grown up yet.
Have not put any fish in for about 2 months now. I will keep trying. You have been great.
I might try a filter off of the tap before I take the plung into a RO system. I might eventually do a RO, I would like to someday turn it to saltwater but with my water problems this would be a nightmare.
Have not put any fish in for about 2 months now. I will keep trying. You have been great.
I might try a filter off of the tap before I take the plung into a RO system. I might eventually do a RO, I would like to someday turn it to saltwater but with my water problems this would be a nightmare.
I add water weekly due to evap, I drain 25-30% every 2-4 weeks depending on my work schedule and water tests. When I drain I suction the rocks sometimes not at all depending on water test and if it looks like it needs it. I also change my media once a month. I am using 2 Magnum 350's one with carbon and one with Ammo Chips. I have 1 heater for now and 2 therm to makes sure the temp is staying equal. I clean my plants and decor as needed when they start to get yucky. I am using the whisper 100 with two 4 inch bubble disks.
I have been doing alot of research and reading this weekend. Matter of fact my family is getting really mad because I have been glued to the computer. I am getting conflicting info depending on which article or post you read. No one seems to have any answers. Or one does and it gives you hope until you read another and then they say the opposite. Who do you believe and what direction do you go?
I know everyone has their own opinion and what worked for them, so I guess I will just keep trying different things. I just don't like it when if fails or I loose fish or plants ect.
I just want honest answers to make my tank the best it can be and expand on what I have. I may not be a pro at this at this point but I have a feeling in the next few months I may be.
Our well water quality is not very good. I am thinking that this problem number 1. Now do I filter it first OR get the tank set up to consume and purify the water on its own using biological and mechanical filtration if possible. If RO can purify the water going in why is their nothing to purify or help maintain during operation. You can buy a million different conditioners, additives, and media they all claim to do something different but which ones do you use. You would completely pollute the tank if you added all of them. You would need 6 filters to run all the media.
Should I try live plants? Most of the articles I have come across say they "eat up the Nirtrates". But they need a PH of 6.5 to 7. If that is so mine is too low. Then how do I do it so it doesn't fail. Step by Step all the way from a completely empty tank.
Do I remove all the gravel and put down a layer of the substrate like Flourite, Laterite, Volcanit, Flora Root, or Eco Complete? What are each of them used for are they all basicly the same, why so many selections and how do you determine which one you need? Do you have to keep adding the substrate to the tank as maintance. Almost all of the articles say once established planted tanks are beautiful. I believe they are but how do you get the the established part. No one tells you or helps you get to that point in detail.
I need to find a way to get my water in a good place and keep it their. If it is just water changes, that so be it but I can change my water daily and it won't help I have been doing this for 6 months. There must be another solution. When we lived it town this was never a problem. Once the tank cycled with normal maintance it stayed balanced on it's own. Is my tank just not completely cycled yet?? Again I keep going back to the well water. If I did not have a 130 gal tank, hauling water from town wouldn't be such a big deal.
I am more confused than ever. I am going to ponder on all this until I figure it out. It is bugging me to the point that it is just driving me crazy it really can not be this difficult.
I am thinking of starting over and trying a planted tank. I will post a new posting for this.
I have been doing alot of research and reading this weekend. Matter of fact my family is getting really mad because I have been glued to the computer. I am getting conflicting info depending on which article or post you read. No one seems to have any answers. Or one does and it gives you hope until you read another and then they say the opposite. Who do you believe and what direction do you go?
I know everyone has their own opinion and what worked for them, so I guess I will just keep trying different things. I just don't like it when if fails or I loose fish or plants ect.
I just want honest answers to make my tank the best it can be and expand on what I have. I may not be a pro at this at this point but I have a feeling in the next few months I may be.
Our well water quality is not very good. I am thinking that this problem number 1. Now do I filter it first OR get the tank set up to consume and purify the water on its own using biological and mechanical filtration if possible. If RO can purify the water going in why is their nothing to purify or help maintain during operation. You can buy a million different conditioners, additives, and media they all claim to do something different but which ones do you use. You would completely pollute the tank if you added all of them. You would need 6 filters to run all the media.
Should I try live plants? Most of the articles I have come across say they "eat up the Nirtrates". But they need a PH of 6.5 to 7. If that is so mine is too low. Then how do I do it so it doesn't fail. Step by Step all the way from a completely empty tank.
Do I remove all the gravel and put down a layer of the substrate like Flourite, Laterite, Volcanit, Flora Root, or Eco Complete? What are each of them used for are they all basicly the same, why so many selections and how do you determine which one you need? Do you have to keep adding the substrate to the tank as maintance. Almost all of the articles say once established planted tanks are beautiful. I believe they are but how do you get the the established part. No one tells you or helps you get to that point in detail.
I need to find a way to get my water in a good place and keep it their. If it is just water changes, that so be it but I can change my water daily and it won't help I have been doing this for 6 months. There must be another solution. When we lived it town this was never a problem. Once the tank cycled with normal maintance it stayed balanced on it's own. Is my tank just not completely cycled yet?? Again I keep going back to the well water. If I did not have a 130 gal tank, hauling water from town wouldn't be such a big deal.
I am more confused than ever. I am going to ponder on all this until I figure it out. It is bugging me to the point that it is just driving me crazy it really can not be this difficult.
I am thinking of starting over and trying a planted tank. I will post a new posting for this.
Do a 25-30% WEEKLY water change. Every two to four weeks is not enough.
Keep in mind that considering your tapwater Nitrate, your tank nitrate is not that high. It looks like your tank is adding 20 or so PPM of Nitrate per two to four weeks or so. That is not bad.
Increase your water changes but keep in mind that you probably wont ever get below 25PPM or so. You will never get below 15-20 since that is what your tapwater reads.
Leave your PH alone.
Keep in mind that considering your tapwater Nitrate, your tank nitrate is not that high. It looks like your tank is adding 20 or so PPM of Nitrate per two to four weeks or so. That is not bad.
Increase your water changes but keep in mind that you probably wont ever get below 25PPM or so. You will never get below 15-20 since that is what your tapwater reads.
Leave your PH alone.
i agree. water changes is the best way to get rid of nitrates. i do 50% water changes weekly. i would at lest do what eyeman said and do a 25% each week. as for replacing your media in your filters that could be causing some of your problems also. i never replace the sponges in my filters. thats where all the good bacteria lives. your just tossing it away each month and your tank goes though a mini cycle each time. wash the sponges with tank water as your doing water changes. until they are falling apart dont change them. i dont have any carbon in my tanks. its only active for a 1 or 2. unless i am trying to help remove something from my tank there is little reason for carbon. the only thing i add to my tank is prime for a dechlorinator.
a small bag of crushed coral will raise the GH and the PH. again i dont think you should do it. your water ph is fine.
a small bag of crushed coral will raise the GH and the PH. again i dont think you should do it. your water ph is fine.
I don't replace the sponges. I do the same as you unless they are completely clogged and then I try to do one at a time.
What should I put in the containers instead of carbon? What is the best.
I did a 40% change last night, suctioned the rocks really good, put the polishing filter in till this morning. Tested it tonight and my Nitrates are even higher. Ammonia and Nitrites are 0.
Is there a media that I can put in to absorb the nitrates. What about De Nitrate or Nitrate Sponge or Nitrex?
If I can get them under control (well at least in my book) I will be doing good. I will try not to worry about the PH and the hardness. I am going to try the crushed coral just to see what it does.
What should I put in the containers instead of carbon? What is the best.
I did a 40% change last night, suctioned the rocks really good, put the polishing filter in till this morning. Tested it tonight and my Nitrates are even higher. Ammonia and Nitrites are 0.
Is there a media that I can put in to absorb the nitrates. What about De Nitrate or Nitrate Sponge or Nitrex?
If I can get them under control (well at least in my book) I will be doing good. I will try not to worry about the PH and the hardness. I am going to try the crushed coral just to see what it does.
