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My Ammonia=0.0ppm,Nitrite=0.0ppm but Nitrate=is in the 60-70ppm range(cant quite tell because color is hard to match up.)So should i add plants and if so they have to be easy and require little care(like dont really need fertilizer but a few times a month or so i would prefer if they didnt need it.)i just need to lower the nitrates.
Stocking list is and approximates sizes of the fish are listed below, it is a 30 gallon long.
1 goldfish (3"
2 corydoras (1.5"
11 tetras (.5-1"
1 otto (.75"

Cichlid,
It doesn't sound like you really want plants. The simplist way to get lower nitrate is to do water changes. How much and how often do you change the water.

My Scapes

Yep it sounds like plants may be more trouble then you want to deal with. The goldfish will probably use them as a salad anyway.

Hate to say it but the only way you'll get the nitrates down in that tank is to move the goldfish

If you want some help with the nitrates you can try some real easy stuff like floating duckweed, it sucks a lot of nitratres or try flosting some hornwort. But I still think it won't be able to keep up with the output from the goldfish.

Otherwise lots of water changes.

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

oh dont get me wrong i would love real plants but i dont really wanna get into the ferts thing,and i have a tight budget.is duckweed pretty easy to maintain?Any details are greatly appreaciated.

oh dont get me wrong i would love real plants

It's ok no offence taken

Duckweed just floats on top of the water so doesn't need much light etc. Doesn't need more then that. It can become a nuisance it grows do fast but the goldie will probably snack on it and keep it in check. Sucks a lot of Nitrate though it's roots that dangle in the water.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

thanks alot.i check into it@the lfs.may have to order it though as i have never seen duckweed in the plant tank only hornwart but in the past when i had hornwart it was finicky and the leaf things fell off.

I was also wondering about a banana plant.would this be good,better,or worse?ive heard it is sold for goldfish aquariums.

Hi,
Personally, I think you have a couple of things "wrong"
with your tank. The primary "problem" is that you are
mixing a "cold water fish" with "tropical fish."

The goldfish does not belong in that tank, it would do
better with a water temp down around 68-72 degrees.
While the Tetras and Catfish would do better in the
74-80 degree area.

Also, it is a member of the carp family, and the amount
of waste products it puts out is monstrous compared to
that of the tetras and catfish.

The high nitrates are the end result of the high waste
products produced by the fish and heavy feeding that
goes with supporting a large goldfish which is only going
to get larger.

While live plants will reduce nitrates (some) you may not
be able to get enough plants in that tank to make any real
dent in the nitrate reading. Any floating plant will make
some difference, more so than a rooted plant.
As was mentioned a floating plant draws its nutrients
directly from the water column through the dangling roots.

Regular water changes, feeding less, and regular vacuuming
of the gravel will probably make more of a dent in
the nitrate readings than the plants.

Frank


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