# Will extra filter help solve nitrate issue?



## km58 (Jul 26, 2009)

My tank seems to keep running high in nitrate tests. I have been doing frequent water changes to help keep them to a reasonable level. However - I have been performing 50% changes almost every few days.

I have a 45 gallon tank using a 50 gal filter. I've been wondering if I should purchase another 50 gal filter to help keep up with the nitrate load.

I have a sand substrate, a hole rock and some fake plants.

Thanks,
Too much Poo


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## S&amp;T (Jul 27, 2009)

How many fish are in there? Having nitrates means the bacteria in your media is doing it's job. The only way to decrease them is to do water changes. Also, if you over feed, have too much of a load for the bacteria ( having too many fish ) or dirty water from not changing it and not keeping up with regular maintenance such as tank cleaning and substrate cleaning will cause it as well


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## reflexhunter (Jul 25, 2009)

do you have gravel or sand substrate?

gravel collects more poo so if you don't clean it often when you finaly do it can mix with your water causing a spike, atleast that is what I suspect happens since I was haveing the same problem until I started vaccuming bi-weekly.gl


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Nitrates are the end result of the nitrifying process... Typical filtration does not in any way remove or reduce nitrates...

There are forms of filtration that can remove or reduce nitrates, but they are very complex, very touchy systems that very few hobbyists ever mess with... and very few of those who do actually use them long term...

High nitrates means your ammonia input is to high. This is generally caused by A) too many fish in the tank, B) overfeeding or C) not cleaning filters/tank enough...

I suggest you promptly reduce your feeding...

I suggest you thoroughly clean your tank/filters... one section/area per week. Such as, thoroughly clean your filter this week... thoroughly clean the decor next week... thoroughly clean the substrate the following week...

During that process consider if you may have to many fish and get advice on that topic...


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## reflexhunter (Jul 25, 2009)

reflexhunter said:


> do you have gravel or sand substrate?
> 
> gravel collects more poo so if you don't clean it often when you finaly do it can mix with your water causing a spike, atleast that is what I suspect happens since I was haveing the same problem until I started vaccuming bi-weekly.gl


never mind need to learn how to read lol you already said it had sand sorry


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Toby_H said:


> I suggest you thoroughly clean your tank/filters... one section/area per week. Such as, thoroughly clean your filter this week... thoroughly clean the decor next week... thoroughly clean the substrate the following week...


When cleaning filter, decorations, and/or substrate should you use tap water, treated tap water, or tank water from a water change.

Specifically, I would not know how to clean the substrate without using a hose. In addition, I was under the assumption that gravel vacuuming will remove most of the waste and will disturb the bacteria on/in the gravel less than taking it out and cleaning. Would using a gravel vacuum during water changes be enough to "clean" your substrate or should it be taken out and put in a bucket and cleaned the same way you would clean it prior to putting in new gravel/sand in your tank?

Thanks for the info,

Matt


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## km58 (Jul 26, 2009)

I have 8 fish in a 45 gallon tank. I have been cleaning the decorations as well as the filter with each (frequent) water change. I have sand substrate that I vacuum with each water change. I try to stir up the dirtiest areas so I can reach them (they like to poo behind a very heavy rock I have that is too big to get my vacuum behind so I have to stir it)

I have sucked up most of the sand and am leaving minimal in there so i can get as much of the poo as possible.

Sounds like I am doing everything I can - I guess I'll just have to settle for changing my water frequently since I don't want to give up any fish.

Thanks to all who replied


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

mslancaster said:


> When cleaning filter, decorations, and/or substrate should you use tap water, treated tap water, or tank water from a water change.


I use tap, and would recommend that for decor, rocks, etc. As for filters, it depends. I've done fine using tap, but have an apparently weak level of chlorine in my tap. You can try tap, but go cautiously and only clean part of the media in one filter at a time and test tank water for ammonia and/or nitrite after 12-24 hours. It's worth taking the time to test this out because if you can get away with using tap, makes it a lot easier. If not, then go with dechlorinated water. Doesn't have to be tank water.



mslancaster said:


> I was under the assumption that gravel vacuuming will remove most of the waste and will disturb the bacteria on/in the gravel less than taking it out and cleaning. Would using a gravel vacuum during water changes be enough to "clean" your substrate or should it be taken out and put in a bucket and cleaned the same way you would clean it prior to putting in new gravel/sand in your tank?


Gravel vac for gravel is fine. No need to remove the gravel.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

You might also want to check your tap water nitrate levels. Some areas of the country have rather high nitrates in their tap water. Then, unless you bring in water from somewhere else, there is not alot you can do.


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Thanks Tim & Malawilover,

Sounds good to me, I had been using tap to clean my filter sponges as well. I never really clean my decorations, but since I have a high waste load in my tanks, it might be time to put that in the routine with water changes.

I was concerned the tap water would kill the bacteria that are living on the decorations, would that happen? But then I was also thinking if I leave the gravel in and only rinse me filter sponges, not my bio media, then washing the tank decor every once and a wile should not be a big deal.

Thanks again,

Matt


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> I was concerned the tap water would kill the bacteria that are living on the decorations, would that happen?


As long as you've got adequate filtration, then I wouldn't worry about safeguarding bacteria anywhere else. I never have, and that's been many tanks over many years. I've never heard of anyone else being particularly careful with anything other than fitler media. Just go easy with what you've set up to handle biofiltration and you shouldn't have to worry about aggresively cleaning anything else.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

mslancaster said:


> only rinse me filter sponges, not my bio media, then washing the tank decor every once and a wile should not be a big deal.


Never rinse the bio-media, just the sponges


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

MalawiLover said:


> Never rinse the bio-media, just the sponges


I see no harm in rinsing off Bio Media in tank water occasionally and removing any waste from the Bio Media's chamber when doing so... and I do see benefits...

If the water that goes into the Bio Media is extremely well filtered (mechanically), then you can get away with not cleaning it...

But in most cases bits of waste get into the Bio Media which can then turn into a "sludge' which can clog the pores of the Bio Media rednering it useless.

So be it it would take a lot of sludge to reder it all useless, but the whole reason Bio Media is often used is because it's so porous, so anything that makes it not so porous should be avoided.


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## rarefaction (Aug 6, 2009)

MalawiLover said:


> You might also want to check your tap water nitrate levels. Some areas of the country have rather high nitrates in their tap water. Then, unless you bring in water from somewhere else, there is not alot you can do.


I must be the only guy on this forum that uses R/O water... 0 nitrate, 0 chlorine, 0 everything, (except h20).


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## serp (Sep 3, 2009)

New to FW so correct me if my information is bad, but in saltwater tanks, liverock is extremely porous and can trap detritus and prevent it from being filtered and allows it to decompose creating more nitrates. Same thing can happen with bioballs etc.

To combat this, people (including myself) use turkey basters to blast the **** out of the rocks and sand and general areas of low flow where detritus can accumulate. blasting your holey rock before a water change could help suck up a lot of detritus you would otherwise miss. after the water change, you can rinse out the filter floss so the detritus trapped in their does not decompose and further fuel the nitrate spikes.


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## moneygetter1 (Jan 8, 2006)

opcorn: Solution --- Increase water amount or decrease number of inhabitants. JMPO "T"


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## wheatbackdigger (May 11, 2008)

km58 said:


> My tank seems to keep running high in nitrate tests. I have been doing frequent water changes to help keep them to a reasonable level. However - I have been performing 50% changes almost every few days.
> 
> I have a 45 gallon tank using a 50 gal filter. I've been wondering if I should purchase another 50 gal filter to help keep up with the nitrate load.
> 
> ...


What is your nitrate level prior to water changes? What do you consider a reasonable level? I ask, because on another forum, a hobbyist was concerned with 5ppm on his nitrates. To me, this is nearly unattainable. I shoot for 10-15ppm post water changes and adjust how much and the frequency of my water changes from there


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

wheatbackdigger said:


> km58 said:
> 
> 
> > My tank seems to keep running high in nitrate tests. I have been doing frequent water changes to help keep them to a reasonable level. However - I have been performing 50% changes almost every few days.
> ...


 That is what i was thinking. That is the first question that needs answered. Just what is the reading on the nitrates?


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