heartsongsinger

I have three tanks which have all had nirtates at 20 for the past two weeks dispite frequent water changes. One of the tanks is my nursery. Another is going to be getting two more fish but I don't want to add them until I get the nitrates down. Does anyone know what could be causing this?

Shawnie

have you tested your tap water? and also, really bang that #2 bottle on a counter or something to mix up those crystals...20 and under is good but you should see some of it lowering with water changes unless you have some in your water..also, live plants help keep it lower...most causes are overfeeding, overstocked, or its already in your tap water.goodluck!

heartsongsinger

I checked my tap water everything was fine. The baby tank has Javen moss in it. That got added about a week ago. The baby tank was getting water changes every day which is why I don't get why the nitrates are high. The one tank was over stocked but I removed 7 fish. I do have to added 2 fish though because I have an agressive male swordtail and a molly who shadows the only female molly in the tank nonstop

Shawnie

so you probably answered your own question overstocked..how much do u feed them?

heartsongsinger

no i took the fish out 2 weeks ago. they get fed a medium pinch full. don't ask me for any more than that. I have small hands. 2 shrimp pellets go in for my hoplo cat and 1 algae wafer about every other day (all for the tank that I need to add fish to)

Shawnie

you do know 20 is ok right?? its when it goes over you want to start freaking

heartsongsinger

I'm talking about the 47 gallon and my two 10 gallons (one is the nursery)

Shawnie

um im talking about 20 for nitrates not the tank size...20 and under is good

heartsongsinger

oh ok. they 47 gal was at 5 nitrates and after I removed the fish and changed the filter the nitrate levels went right up to 20. They same with the nursery.

Butterfly

Sorry if I missed this in reading your posts. Are you doing gravel vacuums? and rinsing your filters about once a month.
When did you have measurable Nitrites last. As I remember the tank is/or has just finished cycling. The last of your nitrites may have converted to Nitrates. 20 or less is fine.
Carol

heartsongsinger

Yesterday they were 20. I do vacum the gravel. In the nursery there isn't any gravel to vacum. I change my filter every 4 weeks. I have had absolutly no nitrites since 8/30. The Nirtates were at 5 at that time

Shawnie

you shouldnt change your filter unless its totally falling apart and that could take months ...just rinsing it in a bucket of used tank water is plenty good enough..replacing can give you constant mini cycles
I still think your nitrates are fine

heartsongsinger

oh I've been told and I have read to change it every month.

Shawnie

no because you will kill your cycle..thats where most of your beneficial bacteria is...dont change it monthly..just rinse it in a bucket with some tankwater you have removed

Lucy

Most of your bacteria lives on the filter media, so every time you throw is out, you throw out the bacteria that establishes the tank.

Just rinse it out in used tank water or dechlorinated water when it gets really gunky and replace it when it's falling apart. Keep extra media in your tank so if you do have to replace it, you have 1 already seeded and ready.

Let me guess, you read on the box that you need to replace it? Of course they would say that, then you have to buy more of their product.

The one thing that I'd add is the carbon inside the filter media needs to be replaced every couple of weeks because it will expire and release all the toxins it's collected back into the tank.
Or, just don't use the carbon at all. Depending on your cartridge, you can make a slit in it and dump out the carbon or open the pouch and dump it out.

heartsongsinger

my filter is a bag and activated carbon (or charcol) so. I can dump out the carbon. I have top fin filters. The 5 gal I have to replace though. It's an eclipse and I have no clue how to do what you're suggesting with out having to replace it at least every two months.

How do you rinse out the filter? Do I take a cup of used water and pour it onto the filter? How often should I replace the carbon?

Lucy

I don't know what the filter cartridge from the eclipse looks like, but you should be able to make a slit in it and dump the carbon out.
Like Shawnie said, if you keep throwing it out, you'll have constant mini cycles.
Another suggestion is, next time it needs replacing, you can buy a bag of filter floss and just cut what you need and replace the cartridge with that, then you wouldn't have to worry about carbon.

You don't rinse the filter itself, you rinse the filter media in used tank water that's taken out during a water change or you can use warm dechlorinated water.

heartsongsinger

i'll get a pic.