# Help with Nitrates!!!



## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

Hey, I am new to all of this but, I am curious as to how people keep their nitrates in check. Mine stay at 60 PPM constantly. I am not sure what to do. I do regular water changes, 15-20% weekly, and routine maintenance, cleaning filter and vacuuming substrate. I also just purchased an API Filstar XP-M canister filter for my aquarium. The media is layered as follows (from bottom to top)
First Basket: Course sponge with fine sponge on top
Second Basket: Ceramic Rings, BioBalls and BioStars (divider) Bio Chem Zorb with polishing pad on top.
Ammonia 0 PPM
Nitrites 0 PPM
Nitrates 60 PPM
Kh 9
Gh 11
PH 8.0
Temp 80 Degrees

Set up:
55 Gallon African Cichlid tank
Aqueon 50 HOB filter with regular filter pad and Ceramic Rings
8 Cichlids, 1 Common Pleco, 1 Cory Catfish (no worries, he's doing fine)!
Intake tube on right side of tank in back, Outflow on left side on back pointing towards center front of glass.
Sand substrate with tiny sea shells
I use Prime for my water changes

Thanks in advance!


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## dalto (Aug 20, 2006)

You need to do bigger water changes. If you tank is well stocked than 15-20% is not enough.

Look at it this way. When you do a 15% water change you remove 15% of the nitrates. Because of that you are never getting ahead.

You probably need to do more like 50% weekly water changes if you are generating ~10ppm of nitrate per week.


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

The first thing you will probably have to do is _much _larger water changes. 
For example; 60ppm w/ a 50% water change will drop it to 30ppm. Still too high. 
If you did 2 daily back to back water changes of 50%, you would be at 15ppm. (60->30->15) Still too high a starting point for your case, most likely.
If you did 3 daily back to back water changes of 50%, you could get as low as 7.5ppm. (60->30->15->7.5ppm) See where I'm going?  
You have to get ahead of it to start with. If that means doing 50% or larger water changes per day until you get it under 10ppm, you need to do it.
So...
1.) WC, WC, WC...
2.) Seachem Purigen - it really helps. It's chemical filtration which would typically be located between your mechanical (coarse sponge) and biological (rings/bio-balls, etc.) layers. It's tiny little grains you put in a special mesh bag. It's good until it turns brown. Then you recharge it (which I've had no luck doing) or you replace it with fresh.
3.) Seachem Stability *claims* (because there are doubters out there) that in addition to the aerobic bacteria that will eat ammonia and nitrate, it also contains anaerobic bacteria that will eat nitrate. This will take awhile to build up.

All I know is this; with my bioload, I used to get over 40ppm in just a few days. Now, with the same bioload, I go a week and stay under 20, usually under 10ppm. I change about 50-60% once a week.

Also, when you "clean your filter", don't use tap water (chlorine kills the bacteria) but use a bucket of dirty aquarium water or dechlorinated water, and don't throw your icky filter floss material away until it literally disintegrates... good stuff lives there.


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

I understand what you are saying hisplace but, doing that much of a water change even once a day takes out the "good stuff" as well, doesn't it? I do appreciate the response just want to be clear. I have heard of Purigen and planned on buying some soon. Thanks!


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

No, the good stuff does not live in the water column. The good bacteria lives in your filter, in your gravel, on the rocks, etc. Be sure to use your Prime (great stuff) and you should be fine. You've got to get those nitrates down...


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

Will do, I did not know that. Thank you for your help


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

Do you rhink my setup is good enough? Change anything on top of buying Purigen?


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

there are things you should worry about with big water changes, as I have learned the hard way... with a big change, maintaining the temperature is very important. It is one of the ways you can cause gas bubble disease, as I fear I did in a quarantine tank recently... and if your kH and gH, or pH is much different coming from your water source, (which I'm guessing in your case it is not) that can be a problem, too. But, most people on this forum will agree that getting your nitrates down is more important.


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

just to be sure, have you tested your nitrates from the tap?


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

Ok, I will keep that in mind and try my best not to change the parameters too much. I have not tested for nitrates out of the tap, only tested that for ammonia.


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

well, it does eliminate variables; such as expired/faulty test kit. you're not using the (notoriously inaccurate) test strips, are you?


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

Very true! I am using an API Master Test Kit.


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

Sounds good. I would get the nitrates down under 10ppm, pref 5ppm, then add the purigen. Why? the stuff is expensive, and it exhausts fairly quickly. PM me and I'll tell you where I buy it in bulk (because I don't think I'm allowed to mention a vendor in a post). And I am a believer in Seachem Stability, too. Takes awhile, but I believe it does work. Good Luck with it!


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

I appreciate it! Not sure how to send a PM but, I will do that tomorrow. Have to get started on my water change, it is Friday! Thanks again! Have a good one, I'll keep you posted.


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

to send me a PM, click on my name over to the left of any of my replies, and then under contact will show a link for send a private message.


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## Austinite (Jul 27, 2013)

I change out 50-60% of the water every week, without fail. Never had troubles with nitrates, or sick fish/health issues for that matter. I think it is vital to the success of my tank. I do agree that water temperature can be a factor when refilling so much of the tank water, but I just give it a good guess and turn on the hot water slightly with the cold water full blast (using an Acqueon from the faucet to empty/refill). The temperature on my guage seems to stay around 80 degrees, so it seems to be working this way. I'd rather have slight temperature fluctuation than high nitrates long term as that will more adversely affect your fish eventually.


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

+1 on Austinite's comments...to be specific, 1-2 degrees is probably no issue; notice he is watching a gauge. 4-5 degrees probably is an issue... that's where I may have gone wrong. so much more careful now...


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

Ok. I am usually very good at keeping the temp the same. I am just worried about keeping the PH at 8.0 like it is now. I reaf somewhere that baking soda or powder is good to use for that. Any comments about that, good? Bad?


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

I am fortunate to have tap water that is 8.2. I guess the first question I would have is what is your tap water's pH? Even still... it's kind of like getting someone out of a smoke-filled house... but you don't want to take them out too fast, because it is fall allergy season after all... so better do it slowly, maybe just open a window for now... a dramatic example, I admit... but you get the point.


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

Thanks for all your help...my Nitrates are down to 15PPM


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

Hey, I know this an old post, but I have been doing 50% water changes weekly. My nitrates are still at 60ppm amd I am at a loss! My Cichlids are fine amd acting normal, I attribute this to Seachem Prime I use in my tank. Any other ideas??


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## Vociferus (Aug 10, 2016)

Don't test right after you add Prime. Does your water have nitrates before you put it in? Test some water out of the tap. Someone else has already mentioned to check your water out of the tap but I can't see a response on that question.

If you still have 60ppm, you need to do more water changes to get it under control. Like 50% every other day for a few days, and then test it. But start with your tap water. Some people have nitrates right out of the tap. If you're building up to 60 ppm every week, then you need to do more water changes than once per week.


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

Yeah, that was the first thing I tested. Out of the tap, it's zero ppm. I plan on doing another 50% change tomorrow. I was also looking into getting Algo. People say it works and at this point, I'll try anything!


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## Vociferus (Aug 10, 2016)

No chemicals are needed then if your water is zero, since every time you do a 50% WC you'll lower your nitrates by 50%. Just do a few in a week, and then keep testing to see how many days it takes to get up to 20 ppm, and then do a 50% WC every time that happens.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Or do a larger water change weekly and/or reduce your stock level so the nitrates double in a week, but do not increase more than that.


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

I'll try that and see what happens. I'll do one today and then every other day. I appreciate it guys!


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## CichlidGuy85 (Sep 12, 2014)

Nitrates down to 10ppm!!! Thank you guys for all your help! I'm going to test every day until they go back up to 30-40ppm, then that'll be my water change day. Thanks again!


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