Battling Nitrate Elevations

I have been cycling for about 3 weeks now and things have been going well, however, I am now battling high nitrates. With all the conflicting advice out there, I am at a loss of what to do to keep things moving. I have used a seeded filter to Kickstart things.

Originally I was told to dose liquid ammonia (Dr. Tims) to 4ppm daily. I had done that. My nitrites started quickly and I have been >5ppm for two weeks now consistently.

Nitrates also started early with 20-40ppm quickly. For the past 4 days they have been consistently >160ppm within 24hrs of water changes.

Day 1: Water change of 50%. Brought nitrates down to 80-160. Dosed ammonia back to 4ppm. Nitrites >5ppm.
Day 2: Nitrates are back over 160ppm within 24 hours. Did two 50% water changes. It lowered to 80ppm, nitrates 2/5ppm. Dosed ammonia back to 4ppm.
Day 3: Back over 160ppm. Did three 50% water changes within 3 hours. Ammonia was depleted, Nitrites 2/5ppm, Nitrates 20ppm. Only dosed ammonia to 2ppm after reviewing advice here.
Day 4 (today) 10hrs later: Nitrate 80-160, nitrites >5ppm, ammonia 0.50.

pH steady at 7.0-7.6. Tap water with seachem prime. This is a FISHLESS cycle on a 60gal tank. Plain sand substrate, artificial plants, and natural driftwood. Hang-on back double filter, sponge filter with air stone. I have added two pinchs of fish flakes as well as Dr. Tims. Room temperature (69-70 F), had a mishap on heater. New one is coming today. I have tested tap water, 0-0-0.

What do I do? Nothing? Continue with 30-60-90 gallon water changes daily to try to get levels readable? Take an ammonia break to let those nitrites get knocked down? Please help. I would appreciate all the assistance I can get. I understand the cycle process and that the nitrates are so high because the nitrites are so high and (originally) so was the ammonia. However, I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my progress. Thank you in advance!

 

I have been cycling for about 3 weeks now and things have been going well, however, I am now battling high nitrates. With all the conflicting advice out there, I am at a loss of what to do to keep things moving. I have used a seeded filter to Kickstart things.

Originally I was told to dose liquid ammonia (Dr. Tims) to 4ppm daily. I had done that. My nitrites started quickly and I have been >5ppm for two weeks now consistently.

Nitrates also started early with 20-40ppm quickly. For the past 4 days they have been consistently >160ppm within 24hrs of water changes.

Day 1: Water change of 50%. Brought nitrates down to 80-160. Dosed ammonia back to 4ppm. Nitrites >5ppm.
Day 2: Nitrates are back over 160ppm within 24 hours. Did two 50% water changes. It lowered to 80ppm, nitrates 2/5ppm. Dosed ammonia back to 4ppm.
Day 3: Back over 160ppm. Did three 50% water changes within 3 hours. Ammonia was depleted, Nitrites 2/5ppm, Nitrates 20ppm. Only dosed ammonia to 2ppm after reviewing advice here.
Day 4 (today) 10hrs later: Nitrate 80-160, nitrites >5ppm, ammonia 0.50.

pH steady at 7.0-7.6. Tap water with seachem prime. This is a FISHLESS cycle on a 60gal tank. Plain sand substrate, artificial plants, and natural driftwood. Hang-on back double filter, sponge filter with air stone. I have added two pinchs of fish flakes as well as Dr. Tims. Room temperature (69-70 F), had a mishap on heater. New one is coming today. I have tested tap water, 0-0-0.

What do I do? Nothing? Continue with 30-60-90 gallon water changes daily to try to get levels readable? Take an ammonia break to let those nitrites get knocked down? Please help. I would appreciate all the assistance I can get. I understand the cycle process and that the nitrates are so high because the nitrites are so high and (originally) so was the ammonia. However, I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my progress. Thank you in advance!

Welcome to Fishlore

As far as I can tell you have the perfect setup and are doing all the right things to accomplish a successful cycle.

Since this is a fishless cycle and no lives are at stake I would hold off on the water changes unless the ammonia stops going down to zero within 24 hours. As long as it is doing that the cycle is moving forward. Keep a close eye on the pH level. You want to make sure it doesn't drop any lower than what you are seeing. If it does we need to address it.

For now I would continue to feed the tank. 2ppm ammonia is enough to add each time it goes back down to or close to zero but in no case any more often than every 24 hours.

I have to think this cycle is close to complete. The nitrites are strange little creatures. We can water change to no avail and begin to think they are never going to go down and then one day we test and almost like magic they will be gone never to be seen again.

Right now it is when that boat load of patience comes into play.

 

Thank you! It's helpful just to hear it from someone who probably has 20x more experience than me. I appreciate it!

 

Thank you! It's helpful just to hear it from someone who probably has 20x more experience than me. I appreciate it!

You had to have done a lot of research on how to successfully cycle a tank and I applaud you for that. You've even realized the importance of adding a bit of fish food along with the liquid ammonia. That is something I do recommend doing. I have to think you are well ahead of the game.

I suspect this tank will soon be cycled and ready for fish. Since you have used liquid for your primary ammonia source and have also added fish food for its benefits you will have no glitches once this cycle is done and fish are added.

 

Thank you so much, I'm sure trying! I am very much looking forward to the end so I can restart the process on the next tank lol. The addiction has begun.

 

It's me again.... I've been patient and resilient but unfortunately I still do not have a cycled tank. I need some more advice before I lose my mind.

-pH fluctuations have come and gone, steady 7.4 (right where I need it)
-Ammonia is depleted <24hrs, replenishing every 24hrs to 2ppm as well as fish food a couple times a week.
-Nitrites hit 0 after 24hrs twice in a row, then came back. I'm stuck at 1ppm for 2 days now "post-cycle".
-Nitrates >160 consistently. I was planning on doing water changes after my 3rd 24hr "test" brought nitrites to 0...almost made it.

Still a fishless cycle, only thing in it is plain sand, driftwood, artificial plants, and sponge filter with airstone. The heater was removed during nitrite drop to begin the cool down for my aquatic friends coming home. Current temp 74F. My filter junked out 1 week ago, I was able to save my media and have them in a new one, no fluctuations in readings with this. But I did find I had some snails in there when this happened (seeded media I'm guessing), maybe 5. I removed them and haven't found any more. Light has been off for 4 weeks.

Ideas on why its now stalled at 1ppm nitrites? Did it just tease me with two exciting days and I still have time to wait?

 

So not what you are asking about, but your super high nitrate readings are likely due to the presence of nitrite. The way nitrate test kits work is that it converts a fraction to nitrite, then read that as a proxy. So if you have nitrite present, nitrate can read super, duper high. Surprising, I know. I was pretty shocked when I found this out too, but a bit of investigation turned out that yeah, it's the truth.

Makes sense too. 1ppm of ammonia converts to 3.64ppm nitrate, so even if you are dosing 2ppm ammonia EVERY day for a week, you'd see a 50ppm rise in nitrate for the week, not well, the apparent crazy increases you've seen.

Anyways, to answer your question - with a question. So to clarify, are you dosing ammonia every single day regardless of what happens, and nitrite read zero after 24 hours for a while, increased to 1ppm and stayed there for two days, then dropped down to 0 again now?

 

Thanks for the reply!
I am dosing ammonia 2ppm every 24hrs since the beginning of the cycle. Its been dropping to 0 within 24 hours for a few weeks now. Has never failed me...yet

Nitrite dropped to 0 for two consecutive days, then went up to 1ppm and has stayed there since for two consecutive days now.

So not what you are asking about, but your super high nitrate readings are likely due to the presence of nitrite. The way nitrate test kits work is that it converts a fraction to nitrite, then read that as a proxy. So if you have nitrite present, nitrate can read super, duper high. Surprising, I know. I was pretty shocked when I found this out too, but a bit of investigation turned out that yeah, it's the truth.

Makes sense too. 1ppm of ammonia converts to 3.64ppm nitrate, so even if you are dosing 2ppm ammonia EVERY day for a week, you'd see a 50ppm rise in nitrate for the week, not well, the apparent crazy increases you've seen.

Anyways, to answer your question - with a question. So to clarify, are you dosing ammonia every single day regardless of what happens, and nitrite read zero after 24 hours for a while, increased to 1ppm and stayed there for two days, then dropped down to 0 again now?

And what you said makes perfect sense! I did notice when my nitrites sat at 0 for those 2 days, my nitrates were registering closer to 40-80ppm

 

Hey stacker2012,
The second tank can be seeded from the first when the time comes. Simply running a new filter in a cycled tank will seed the new filter in 4 weeks.

 

It is time to do a water change to get the nitrates down. I don't understand what is being said about nitrates affecting nitrites or what ever all that is about. Personally I think it is going deeper than we need to go and it is just leading to more confusion.

Get the nitrates down to around 20 if possible and I have to think things will be back closer to balanced and the cycle will finally finish up. Once you do just add 2ppm ammonia every other day. Doing so should slow down the production of nitrates. If I am reading things right this tank has been cycling for about a month now. I do have to think this cycle will be done in a couple more weeks.

 

I agree with mattgirl . Sorry if I added to any confusion stacker2012 but wanted to get a word in your ear in case it was the last time you posted.

 

It is time to do a water change to get the nitrates down. I don't understand what is being said about nitrates affecting nitrites or what ever all that is about.

Here we go. The video was using saltwater instead of freshwater, but it's the same thing. I was surprised to learn about it too, but yeah it makes a lot of sense as to why nitrate results can be all over the place sometimes.

 

Thank you everyone for your help. I appreciate it!