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SubscribeHigh Nitrate
martinh
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Fingerling
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Registered: 08-Apr-2006
male uk
i used tetratest 5 in 1 test strips and all but nitrate are ok(its about 150) is this dangerous and how can i get it lower.
Post InfoPosted 30-Apr-2006 14:35Profile PM Edit Report 
Lindy
 
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female australia au-victoria
You can lower it with water changes, and lots of them. I would start doing 30% water changes ever 2-3 days to get that nitrate under control. Nitrate that high is no doubt causing stress to your fish and if they arent already they will start getting sickly soon.

You also need to work out how it got so high.
How often do you feed your fish?
How many fish are in what size tank?
How often and how much water have you been changing?



Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
Post InfoPosted 30-Apr-2006 14:49Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
martinh
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Fingerling
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male uk
did quarter water change 4 days ago,one mistake i made was rinsing the filter under tap water.i feed twice a day some flakes sink to the bottom but my catfish an loaches get that.

1 silver shark
1 glass something
3 mollys(1 pregnant)
3 guppys
3 neon tetras
1 bronze cory
2 clown loaches
48 litre tank (think thats 11 gallons)
Post InfoPosted 30-Apr-2006 14:55Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
zman
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Hobbyist
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male usa
EditedEdited by zman
We have visited this issue on several prior occaisions.
In addition to following Lindy's sound advice...you may want to look into the nitrate of your tap water,,,several others have run into upswings in the nitrate that is in their tap water.
Post InfoPosted 30-Apr-2006 14:56Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
martinh
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Fingerling
Posts: 39
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Votes: 3
Registered: 08-Apr-2006
male uk
will i add some stress coat
Post InfoPosted 30-Apr-2006 15:00Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
bcwcat22
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Big Fish
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Registered: 16-Jul-2005
male usa
Get new test 5 in 1 are innacurate it may be a false reading.

"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man" Simpsons
Post InfoPosted 30-Apr-2006 15:59Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
jmara
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Big Fish
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male usa
I agree with bcwcat22. I don't believe that those test strips are very accurate at all. I would invest in a liquid test kit. Ideally, Salifert are the best kits out there, but they are expensive. Also check the nitrate concentration in your tap water!

-Josh
Post InfoPosted 30-Apr-2006 18:06Profile AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
Natalie
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female usa us-california

"1 silver shark
1 glass something
3 mollys(1 pregnant)
3 guppys
3 neon tetras
1 bronze cory
2 clown loaches
48 litre tank (think thats 11 gallons)"


You're never going to get your nitrates down with that stock in an 11 gallon tank.

Silver Sharks grow to about 14" long, Glass Cats (which is probably what the "glass something" is) grow to about 5" and are schooling fish, Clown loaches grow to 12", and Mollies up to 4".

Really the only fish you have that can live their lives in an eleven gallon tank are the Guppies, the Neon Tetras, and possibly the corys (Corydoras aeneus is one of the largest species in the genus). In fact, I would trade the Bronze Corys in for a smaller species (pretty much any other species available except for the Peppers).

An ideal stock list for that sized tank would be like five or six Neon Tetras, a couple male Guppies, and maybe a few corys if the tank is planted with live plants.

There is little doubt in my mind that the high nitrates in this case are due to overstocking.




I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.
Post InfoPosted 30-Apr-2006 19:58Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
Lindy
 
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female australia au-victoria
Rinsing your filter under the tap isnt going to affect the nitrate readings. How do the fish look?
I agree with Natalie that your tank is overstocked and probably part of the reason for the high nitrate reading. You need to reconsider your stocking level.


Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
Post InfoPosted 30-Apr-2006 23:49Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
martinh
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Fingerling
Posts: 39
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Registered: 08-Apr-2006
male uk
sorry i got mixed up with the size its a 58 litre(17 gallon) tank my glass fish is'nt a catfish its very thin with a green streak accross the top ,been told from a few people i've been overfeeding but if i have to change i've got a 30 litre tank, what fish do you reccomend i put in that(was keeping that for baby mollies).also my 30lt tank also has high nitrate say those strips.
fish look fine(touch wood).one more silly question,i usually my filter spout under the water should i have it above creating bubbles.
Post InfoPosted 02-May-2006 01:14Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Natalie
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female usa us-california

Someone tricked you into buying a Painted Glassfish. You might want to take a look at this site. I thought Practical Fishkeeping pretty much stopped the sale of those things in the UK.

Glassfish are actually brackish water fish that prefer to be kept in groups. The addition of salt to your tank would help the Glassfish but be harmful to many of your other fish.

Anyway, I would put the Neon Tetras and the cory into the 30 liter tank for now. That's only a temporary solution, however. For the long term health of your fish, you will either need to get rid of a lot of your fish or buy another tank (or two; you could set up a brackish tank for the Glassfish and Mollies).



I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.
Post InfoPosted 02-May-2006 02:54Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
Oddfish
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Small Fry
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Registered: 12-Feb-2006
female usa
With the stock you have you should be doing deep cleaning, not just 25% or so. I would be gravel vacuuming and taking out 50% weekly. To get the levels down to start I would do a 50% then a couple days later 1/3, then a couple days later do another 1/3. Once your nitrates are down.....via a GOOD test kit...keep them down with regular 25%-50% changes each week involving thorough gravel vacuuming.
Post InfoPosted 02-May-2006 02:58Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
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