High Nitrates? Should I Remove Seed Material?

I have a 40 gallon breeder. Started the tank early-mid Feb (fishless cycle). It was taking a long time to cycle (was adding pure ammonia) but then I added some seed material from someone's filter and that really jump started the cycle. By early April the tank was cycled. I did a big water change and got the nitrates to around 10 (hard to tell exactly with the API master kit chart).

I slowly added fish and kept an eye on all the levels. I also added several live plants. Tank has tetras, danios, and corydoras in it. Ammonia and Nitrites seem to always be at 0. Nitrates seem to always be around 20. Again, the chart makes it hard to distinguish between 10 and 20 (for my eyes anyways). Ph is around 7.6.

It seems like no matter how many water changes (usually around 25%) the nitrates remain around 20. I am using a python for the water changes and vacuuming the gravel. I tested my tap water (well) and nitrates are 0. I am doing water changes every 2-3 days.

Long story to get to my questions but just wanted to provide enough background.

1) Should I be concerned about the nitrates? I'll probably take the water to a LFS to have them test to see for sure what the nitrate reading is.

2) Should I remove the seeded filter material since the tank is cycled? I wasn't sure if that would do anything for the nitrate levels?

 

How often are you feeding the tank?

 

How often are you feeding the tank?

2 times per day.

 

2 times per day.

Cut it back to once every other day and see how that helps.

 

It could be that you were changing water at about the same rate that nitrates are being produced. If you cut back on feeding but maintain the same pace of water changes, you'll probably see it come down.

 

Check your tap water ?

 

It seems like no matter how many water changes (usually around 25%) the nitrates remain around 20.

25% of 20ppm nitrates = 5ppm nitrates. not going to make much of a difference. try 50% or 75% water changes.

this video is a bit extreme, too much food coloring. but it gets the point across.

benefits of large water changes. https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/large-or-small-water-changes-discussion.393921/

 

Thanks everyone. I'll cut back on the feeding and do a larger 50% water change and see how it goes from there. The tap water isn't showing any nitrates so the tank is probably producing them at the same rate as my water changes because the levels seem to go no where. Hopefully I can get it down enough so I only have to do weekly changes.

 

You need to do bigger water changes. If you have 20ppm and you change 25%, you're still at 15ppm after. If you're tank produces 10ppm a week, then next week you're back at 25ppm. Change out 25% and you're at 19ppm. Do 50% at least to make a dent, and even then you're going to plateau and be right back where you are at some point. About every 4-6 months I do an 80% change. Also, water changes aren't just to lower levels, theyre to replace key trace minerals fish need to be healthy.