# High Nitrate Emergency



## istuelke (Sep 19, 2017)

Hello. I have a 90 gallon aquarium with various types of African cichlids. It has been running for 9 months, and I've had issues with high nitrate for most of that time. the past two weeks it has been even higher than usual, right around 80ppm. I did a deep clean on my tank, removing all the rocks and carefully vacuuming the gravel. After this I did a 60% water change, and added aquarium salt and prime as directed to condition the water. Even after this, my nitrates are still in the 80s. Other levels are fine (Ph=8.3, ammonia=0, nitrite=0) I am at a loss, I have been doing 50% changes with very little change in nitrates. My fish seem to be doing well considering, no aggression or deaths. All have been eating well, I feed them NLS cichlid formula twice a day, as much as they can eat in 2 min. I have noticed them scratching themselves against rocks really often, and I've read that can be due to high nitrates. I am really concerned about them, and would appreciate any advice. Is there anything I can do to fix this? An additive maybe?

I have two 75 sponge filters, and an under gravel filtration system. Both are functioning properly.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Cut back the feedings to once a day and what they can eat in a few seconds. You really don't want pellets hitting the substrate excessively. High nitrates are usually caused by one of three factors and it can be easily narrowed down, #1 cause is overfeeding, #2 inadequate maintenance, #3 highly overstocked. Judging by your post, it's narrowed down to overfeeding. Also overfeeding can cause fungus and harmful bacteria to proliferate.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Check to see if your tap water also has nitrate if you haven't already.

Which brand and type test kit are you using?


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## BlueSunshine (Jul 13, 2014)

caldwelldaniel26 said:


> Cut back the feedings to once a day and what they can eat in a few seconds. You really don't want pellets hitting the substrate excessively. High nitrates are usually caused by one of three factors and it can be easily narrowed down, #1 cause is overfeeding, #2 inadequate maintenance, #3 highly overstocked. Judging by your post, it's narrowed down to overfeeding. Also overfeeding can cause fungus and harmful bacteria to proliferate.


Good call, I can see where food would get caught up in the substrate. Especially with an under gravel filter.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Second the above but with some caution? I've been fighting what I thought was terribly high nitrates. All my tanks had totally mind blowing nitrates, even while the African cichlids were breeding like crazy. I kept testing, finding nitrate to be almost unreadable. Way beyond 80PPM. But that doesn't fit with what we read about the fish so I went for a long time just ignoring the issues with off and on drives to change enough water and clean enough filters to get it down. 
Finally when i got more into planted tanks and wanted to improve, I really began to drive myself to get better test results. As a final, I tried a Salifert test kit as I had used all the API on the wild goose chase tests.
Bingo, I got high readings but something I could work with at about 60PPM and colors that told me something when I changed things like water. With readings I can see and believe, I am now getting results. 
Not all test kits work the same and not all results will be the same in all water and for all users so it might be worth a shot to go to a different test if what you are getting now doesn't fit what the rest of logic tells you.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

BlueSunshine said:


> caldwelldaniel26 said:
> 
> 
> > Cut back the feedings to once a day and what they can eat in a few seconds. You really don't want pellets hitting the substrate excessively. High nitrates are usually caused by one of three factors and it can be easily narrowed down, #1 cause is overfeeding, #2 inadequate maintenance, #3 highly overstocked. Judging by your post, it's narrowed down to overfeeding. Also overfeeding can cause fungus and harmful bacteria to proliferate.
> ...


I don't like undergravel filters for that reason, they trap so much junk at the bottom. I mean seriously, have you ever taken one out after it's been up and running for a while, seriously disgusting lol!


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

It is difficult to say that an UG filter is working properly. 
1) Water flow will take the path of least resistance==Area less clogged by dirt, or lower pits in your tank (where the cichlids dig most).
2) UG filters are Nitrate generators. This is just they way they work. 
3) We still do not know if there is Nitrates in your incoming water.
4) As fishes grow they eat more, produce more water, and create more Nitrates. So what worked last year (% WC, ect), may not work this year.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Another piece of advice that would better serve your cichlids and keep your tank a lot cleaner would be to get rid of the gravel all together and just get sand. They like to dig, it's part of their natural behavior plus most of the waste stays on top instead of creating a layer of nasty, nitrate churning muck on the bottom of the aquarium. Pool filter sand is pretty cheap and usually clean straight out of the bag.


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## istuelke (Sep 19, 2017)

Thank you all for the replies. I have tested my nitrates in the tap water, and it shows ~40 ppm, which seems rather high to me. I currently use an API freshwater master kit. I am very meticulous about how i do it, so it may juwst be that the kit isnt accurate.

I know ug filters are not preferable. When I first set up my tank, it was cheaper and all I could afford. I have thought about changing it up, but unsure of the best way to go. I would like to get pool sand, but what is the best way to go for a filter? I don't have a huge budget, but I'm willing to put about 200 into making my fish healthier. I would appreciate any suggestions on filters!


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

You could get a couple of aquaclear 110's or the sunsun filters are decent for the price. Something doesn't seem right if your tap is reading that high... Are you on city water? I'd buy another nitrate test kit to be sure and call the water municipality if it is that high again.


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## thornsja19 (Feb 4, 2017)

Eheim Classics are simple and work great for me. Think I spent around $200 for 2 of the 2217s.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

Your UG filter is "Currantly" not your biggest issue. It is the 40ppm of Nitrate in your incoming water that is the problem. We need to fix that first.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

tanker3 said:


> Your UG filter is "Currantly" not your biggest issue. It is the 40ppm of Nitrate in your incoming water that is the problem. We need to fix that first.


 I agree that the tap having that high of nitrates "Currently" would be the most presssing issue, sorry tanker3 lol.


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## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

Looks like you need to use some kind of substance to put in the filter that absorbs nitrates like Seachem De-Nitrate. I know there are other products that do this, but can't think of them right now.


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

caldwelldaniel26 said:


> You could get a couple of aquaclear 110's or the sunsun filters are decent for the price. Something doesn't seem right if your tap is reading that high... Are you on city water? I'd buy another nitrate test kit to be sure and call the water municipality if it is that high again.


Both of these are good choices, and option would be the Rena/api canisters. I've had an xp3 running for close to 12 years with no replacement parts.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

judyok said:


> Looks like you need to use some kind of substance to put in the filter that absorbs nitrates like Seachem De-Nitrate. I know there are other products that do this, but can't think of them right now.


De*nitrate is a waste in a canister filter to be honest and really it wouldn't do much for high nitrates. In order for de*nitrate to work properly it has to be used in a separate "reactor" with less than 50 GPH flowrate, also it can only process nitrate as it's being produced not pre-existing high nitrates as much.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

istuelke said:


> Thank you all for the replies. I have tested my nitrates in the tap water, and it shows ~40 ppm, which seems rather high to me. I currently use an API freshwater master kit. I am very meticulous about how i do it, so it may juwst be that the kit isnt accurate.


A quick check to see if the nitrate test is working correctly is to use a sample of bottled water if you have some. It is possible the test kit is 'old' or the solution is not mixed enough in the reagent bottle.

Are you on city water or private well water?


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## istuelke (Sep 19, 2017)

Hey guys. My tap water is reading that high, but I am feeling like the test kit is likely not accurate. I have never seen it read less than 20 ppm, regardless of what water I test. I am going to order a new test kit online, and possinbly some of the seachem de-nitrate to lower the levels temporarily. I will likely upgrade my filtration over the next 6 weeks and replace the gravel with pool sand. Does anyone have experience with the small tanks that go under the main tank that are partitioned to filter? I like the idea of that, and I have read some good things online. It would be nice to get all of the hardware out of the tank, and only use an overflow box and a input flow. If anybody has bad experiences/advice on that it would be appreciated. Thank you all for the help so far! It's hard to find anyone I know in person who cares for their fish as much as I do lol. Everyone thinks I am an insane person.


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## istuelke (Sep 19, 2017)

I was referring to an aquarium sump filter. thinking of making my own and using an old 20 gal tank.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Sumps can be noisy. But I would not look to a filter to help with nitrates.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

My sump is really quiet, but it took a while to figure out a combination that works. DIY sumps can be pretty tricky to work out all the issues. It can be done, I've done it myself and can give you some pointers but be prepared to have to refill the sump reservoir when water evaporates, adjust the flow rate when your media starts to get dirty so it doesn't overflow the tank and run the return pump dry and realize that you're probably not going to get the mechanical filtration out of it that you would like. I have to use a secondary filter that's just full of floss to get all the particles.


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## CeeJay (Aug 16, 2016)

It seems to me you may have to many fish in your tank. A 60% water change should have drop your nitrate by 50%. I to have my tank overstock but change water every 3 days. Most of the time it's a 90% change and that usually keeps it under 40ppm.

Do you have nitrates in your tap water? If so I would not be drinking that water.
How long has the under gravel filter been running? There not very efficient. 
Have you thought about use the continence drip for water changes? You change water all the time a little all the time. You run just enough to keep the nitrates in check.

One thing someone else wrote is the cichlids can take pretty high nitrates but long term, it will shorten there life.


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