Sabi

Hi

I am having a problem with my nitrates. I am doing between 10- 20% water changes weekly and not even halfway stocked but yet my nitrates are at 20. I don't feed my fish one day a week and feed them once daily, slowly so that it gets eaten.
My tap water has 0 nitrates. I do gravel vacuuming along with water changes, tho not thoroughly. I try to clean out half one week, half the next week and just the surface the next week. This because i read a post by, umm, Susitna flower? saying that vacuuming the whole substrate one time could kill beneficial bacteria...
Apart from that, i have a couple of sword plants, eel grass and a species of cryptocoryne. What with plants and few fish and nitrates at 20 i am at loss!
Any ideas?
Thanks!

Shawnie

hi sabi...are you using the api test kit? cause I read susitna saying with the nitrate test, she has to kinda bang the bottle a bit and deffinately shake it hard to mix up the crystals in the bottles ...as lil as that is, it did make a difference on the test...

Sabi

Hi Shawnie, thanks for the fast reply.

Umm, i'm using a "Interpet" test kit brand....?

Shawnie

Sorry sabi I dont know that brand..maybe someone will be here to help with some knowledge of it...everything sound correct at what you are doing...so im thinking it mite be the kit...goodluck

Peterpiper

Hi Sabi,
Test the water before you do 50% water change, then test it again once you have done the 50% water change. the 2nd test should show 1/2 the nitrites that the first showed.
You may need to do 25% weekly water changes

needabiggertank

Take a sample to your LFS they should be more than happy to test the water. If they are not then tell them fish you bought died they will then!

Sabi

Yeah Dave said to do bigger water changes too. Thanks, I did a 25% today, going to do another on wednesday or thursday.