Nitrates are high due to plants

Over the last week/week and a half, I've been adding a number of different plants to my cycled tank.

Ammonia and Nitrites have been consistently at 0ppm.
My nitrates have increased due to the addition of plants. I'm now at either 40 or 80ppm (the colors for these two levels look so similar on the API chart so I can't tell which level the nitrates are at right now).

I probably won't be getting fish until at least some time next week. Is it safe for the water to have a high level of nitrates right now or will the cycle get messed up? I plan to do a large water change a day or two before the fish come.

 

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change? Plants will not increase the amount of nitrates in your tank. They will do quite the opposite, In fact, because the plants use nitrates as fertilizer.
Do you shake both your nitrate bottles before testing?

 

Thanks for your reply.

I haven't done any water changes since my 50% change on July 30th.
Should I do my next water change a few days before the fish arrive?

I definitely shake the bottles before testing.

 

Yes, I definitely do a couple 50% water changes before the fish arrive.
Only shake the second nitrate bottle. Nitrate testing can be very finicky and if you don't get it just right, you could end up with very inaccurate results.

 

Thanks! So I'll probably do a 50% water change on Sunday.

I will then receive my fish a day or two later.

At what level should the nitrates be when the fish arrive?

 

Aim for under 10ppm nitrate. You may need to do multiple water changes to get there before the fish arrive. Have you been adding anything to the tank besides the plants (ammonia source)? Do you have a lot of decaying plant matter? That could increase the nitrates I guess. If you have enough plants and they are healthy and growing, they should definitely be consuming the nitrogen, not producing it. Floating plants or emersed plants will help even more.

 

Nitrates will always gradually be rising. Which is why we need to do water changes weekly as that's the only thing that keeps Nitrates in check. 40 ppm is fine however.

 

Your nitrates aren't rising because of the plants. If anything it would be higher if the plants weren't there. With that being said, I don't worry unless mine gets over 40 ppm, and I've heard of fish doing fine with it considerably higher.

 

You should do a 50% water change now and right before you get your fish.

 

You should do a 50% water change now and right before you get your fish.

Thanks! I actually did a 50% change last night and got my nitrates down to 20ppm. Fish are supposed to arrive Thursday. Should I do another change tomorrow?

Your nitrates aren't rising because of the plants. If anything it would be higher if the plants weren't there. With that being said, I don't worry unless mine gets over 40 ppm, and I've heard of fish doing fine with it considerably higher.

Thanks! My panda corys are coming Thursday. Got my nitrates down to 20ppm.

Nitrates will always gradually be rising. Which is why we need to do water changes weekly as that's the only thing that keeps Nitrates in check. 40 ppm is fine however.

Thanks!

Aim for under 10ppm nitrate. You may need to do multiple water changes to get there before the fish arrive. Have you been adding anything to the tank besides the plants (ammonia source)? Do you have a lot of decaying plant matter? That could increase the nitrates I guess. If you have enough plants and they are healthy and growing, they should definitely be consuming the nitrogen, not producing it. Floating plants or emersed plants will help even more.

Thanks! No, I don't have decaying plant matter. I did add a coconut shell hut and moss bridge.
So I got my nitrates down to 20ppm last night. I'm thinking I might do a 25% water change today and then a 25% change tomorrow. Would that work? Fish are supposed to come Thursday.

 

Thanks! I actually did a 50% change last night and got my nitrates down to 20ppm. Fish are supposed to arrive Thursday. Should I do another change tomorrow?

It wouldn't hurt anything (I can't imagine any situation where a partial water change is a bad idea), but it's probably not necessary.

 

It wouldn't hurt anything (I can't imagine any situation where a partial water change is a bad idea), but it's probably not necessary.

Thanks!

 

Thanks!

Please post pics of the fish when they arrive!

 

Please post pics of the fish when they arrive!

Sure thing!