Nitrates Gone!

HI all

Finished a fishless cycle with fish food. Planted tank, 8 gallons. Heated

0 ammonia 0 nitrites and 5ppm nitrates PH 8.2 but steady

Tank had been cycled for a week, did a water change (Prime) and went to the pet shop and bought 3 little fish.

Tested the water again the day after adding the fish...0 ammonia 0 nitrites and 5 ppm nitrate.

Now 4 days later one of the fish is hanging around at the top of the water. no visible signs of illness. She is an Endler Livebearer and seems to be pregnant (early stages). Not looking all that well.

Just tested the water and everything is reading O. Where have my nitrates gone? I have not done a water change since adding the fish.

What can I do? Do I need to get the nitrates back somehow? Is this causing the fish to be unwell? The other 2 Endler fish are fine.

Whats going on? Please help. Thanks

 

It's possible that your plants are eating a little bit of it, especially if it was only at 5 when the fish were added. I would still do like a 25% water change to replace some of the minerals, etc. in the water.

 

It's possible that your plants are eating a little bit of it, especially if it was only at 5 when the fish were added. I would still do like a 25% water change to replace some of the minerals, etc. in the water.

Could this lack of nitrates be causing the little fish to be at the surface?

Should I remove some plants?

 

No, that would be lack of oxygen in the tank more than likely, lower the water level a little bit or add an air stone.

 

Could this lack of nitrates be causing the little fish to be at the surface?

Should I remove some plants?

I don't think that's it. A level of 5 ppm of Nitrate should be fine for fish.

Did you recently add her to the tank?

 

I don't think that's it. A level of 5 ppm of Nitrate should be fine for fish.

Did you recently add her to the tank?

Yes all 3 fish were new to the tank. There were no other fish as I had just finished cycling it.

Why would the nitrate suddenly disappear?

 

Yes all 3 fish were new to the tank. There were no other fish as I had just finished cycling it.

Why would the nitrate suddenly disappear?

Plants usually are the cause of this.
How many plants are in the tank?

 

Plants export nitrates. Low <5 can easily be devoured by 2 or 3 healthy plants.

 

Plants usually are the cause of this.
How many plants are in the tank?

There is a foxtail plant and some liriopsis, but not heavily planted. The plants have been there throughout the cycling period.

 

There is a foxtail plant and some liriopsis, but not heavily planted. The plants have been there throughout the cycling period.

By foxtail; hornwort?

If so that's all you need. I purposely keep tons of the stuff and use it in every new or heavily stocked aquarium because it exports so many nutrients.

 

By foxtail; hornwort?

If so that's all you need. I purposely keep tons of the stuff and use it in every new or heavily stocked aquarium because it exports so many nutrients.

Yes Hornwort is the plant.

Is there issues with not having nitrate at this stage? I also have Marine Pure block sitting on the substrate.

Worried about the little Endler. Is there anything else we can do apart from a 25% water change?

 

My guppies will sometimes just kinda, hang at surface. No real reason, just, chilling out.

Does she look unwell? Red gills? Gasping?

If not, and since your parameters are fine, I'd just keep an eye on her.

 

You probably didn't have any nitrate to begin with. 5ppm is very hard to measure.
Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle

 

My guppies will sometimes just kinda, hang at surface. No real reason, just, chilling out.

Does she look unwell? Red gills? Gasping?

If not, and since your parameters are fine, I'd just keep an eye on her.

She is not very active. Sometimes she just sits at the bottom and sometimes she sits at the top. She doesn't seem to be gasping for air.

 

You probably didn't have any nitrate to begin with. 5ppm is very hard to measure.
Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle

Are low - no nitrates an issue? The tank has definitely cycled.

 

My nitrates also seemed to disappear although I am still halfway through cycling.

It was suggested that my nitrates were actually too high to be read by the test kit so I was getting a strange reading.

When you add the drops from bottle 1 does it stay yellow or go slightly brown (mine went brown). Do you shake the second bottle really hard?

I ended up doing a water change and it seemed to sort out my strange readings. Might be worth trying to dilute a sample with distilled water and see what readings you get and do a water change if necessary.

This was my thread from the last couple of days:
Nitrates Still Going Down. What Is Going On?

 

My nitrates also seemed to disappear although I am still halfway through cycling.

It was suggested that my nitrates were actually too high to be read by the test kit so I was getting a strange reading.

When you add the drops from bottle 1 does it stay yellow or go slightly brown (mine went brown). Do you shake the second bottle really hard?

I ended up doing a water change and it seemed to sort out my strange readings. Might be worth trying to dilute a sample with distilled water and see what readings you get and do a water change if necessary.

This was my thread from the last couple of days:
Nitrates Still Going Down. What Is Going On?

The first bottle sample goes yellow and I shake the second bottle really hard.

I will definitely do a water change again and see what happens.

 

Yes all 3 fish were new to the tank. There were no other fish as I had just finished cycling it.

Why would the nitrate suddenly disappear?

Did you shake Bottle #2 really H A R D ?

 

Did you shake Bottle #2 really H A R D ?

Yes, I really bash it!

 

no nitrates is fine but highly not probable and highly suspect.

 

A few things here....

0 nitrates is great for fish, nitrate is bad for fish but they can handle it ok up to the 40ish range. 0 nitrates can be a sign of a non-cycled tank, but it seems you think your tank is fully cycled. This leads to the plants, they will consume all 3 forms of waste, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Especially hornwort, it's one of the best around at consuming those since it's fast growing.

As for endlers , it's quite often to get new fish and 1 or a few die/ not do well. This is usually due to poor care from breeders, transport to fish shop, stress in fish shop, etc. keep an eye out for symptoms. If they continue and worsen try starting a thread for the topic of sick fish.

 

By any chance, do you have Seachem Matrix in your filter?

 

By any chance, do you have Seachem Matrix in your filter?

No, just foam. I do have a Marine Pure cube in the substrate though??

 

From Marine Pure's website:=p

8x8x4" Block
Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate Removal

Primarily designed to provide deep anaerobic zones for de-nitrification in passive systems.

Live rock substitute-popular among reef hobbyists as a substitute for live rock because it reduces nitrates more efficiently without harming the environment.

Use in sumps, stacked in extra-large filters.

Somehow that posted without me trying -
I was going to say I am investigating something similar in a small tank that the nitrates have gone down. I am using Matrix and it is the only explanation I have so far. Asked question to community here and to Seachem. Seachem touts it reduces nitrates by allowing for anaerobic bacteria. I know nothing about this so I am just speculating. Be curious to what you find out too.

Just a thought

 

all of those mentioned, the marine cube and the matrix require months of cycling to even think about getting the correct kind of bacteria to reduce nitrates.
OP: How did you cycle? Please be more specific than fishless or fish in.
How are you testing? Did you use liquid kits all the way through your cycle?
During your cycle how high did the nitrates get?

 

My nitrates are always 0 and I'm sure it's because of the plants. It's not heavily planted but still. I have hornwort and 2 anubias and they do the job in my 13.5 gallon

 

I have aquariums that have been stocked for months that read 0/<5 nitrates because of hornwort and a light stock. With only a couple tiny fish and no overfeeding hornwort can export almost all the excess nutrients.

 

all of those mentioned, the marine cube and the matrix require months of cycling to even think about getting the correct kind of bacteria to reduce nitrates.
OP: How did you cycle? Please be more specific than fishless or fish in.
How are you testing? Did you use liquid kits all the way through your cycle?
During your cycle how high did the nitrates get?

The Marine Cubes that I bought were seeded ones from tanks in a LFS. As far as I know, Marine Pure will only remove Nitrates if it has flowing water through it ie: in a filter. If it is just sitting on the substrate, it only reduces ammonia and nitrites.

Fishless cycle with fish flakes. First ammonia readings of .25 then, nitrites readings on .5 then nitrate of 5ppm. I have heard that readings are not as high when using fish food flakes. Cycle took 1 month. Tank was cycled for 1 week before adding fish. 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and 5ppm nitrates tested the day of adding fish.

I use an API liquid test kit all the way through the cycle testing every 2nd or 3rd day.