Hi and Help

[Destinee]

Hello everyone.
I recently joined for more info, and learned a lot, I like this website!
I have a 45 gal freshwater tank that I started about 4 months ago, so I am still a newbie.
I just started having nitrate problems after my water has be fine for at least two months solid. I've started changing more water each week, before it was maybe 40%, and bought a better gravel vac. I feed them only once a day and they are ravenous, it is all eaten within minutes, I'm sure they'd even eat more. I do put a broken up algae tab at night for my catfish and pleco. I add water conditioners each water change and even tried Nite-Out. I might have made a foolish mistake by changing my filter pads to brand new ones thinking it would help the problem. I have a Whisper EX 70. The nitrates have gotten better but are still high...Any suggestions? I have a friend with a tank who insists I should leave it be for a while, so more good bacteria builds up. But I add Eco Start each water change, and I am worried that the nitrates will hurt my fish over time..As for their behavior they are very active and look fine, but I know there are long turn effects...

 

[pateceramics]

Whoops! Yep, should have kept that filter pad in there. Too late to worry about it now, though. Keep doing nice big water changes and vac-ing the gravel. Taking out the old filter pad will have removed a part of your biological filter (your good bacteria), but the same bacteria also colonize your decorations, your tank walls, your gravel... Keep up the water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrates from building up to dangerous levels while your bacteria grow back into the new filter pad. Since they've already colonized the rest of your tank, it shouldn't take them too long. Sounds like you have a good test kit. I'd keep changing water daily, and testing the water daily. Any idea what might have caused the initial spike in nitrates? A dead fish that you didn't find right away? Or not vac-ing thoroughly? Don't worry that your vac-ing will remove good bacteria. They hold on nice and tight. It's important to get the poop out of the gravel to get your nitrates down. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[IThinkTherefore]

What are your exact readings for ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite?

More beneficial bacteria will not remove nitrate from the tank - only water changes will do that. Beneficial bacteria removes ammonia, produces nitrite, and turns that into nitrate.

 

[lauraf]

Hi, welcome to the forum! You say that you are adding Eco Start after each water change - is this a product that is meant to instantly cycle a new aquarium? If so, you do NOT need to add it to an established aquarium - you are just adding new nitrates when doing a water change is meant to remove nitrates
Cheers,
Laura

 

[Destinee]

Thanks for all the help and info!

I'm not sure what could have caused it to spike. Honestly, It might have been from not vacuming it enough..?
I am slightly worried that the tank is over stocked. I've moved the Lepornius because he will not stop fin nipping. There is a lot of space but I have relatively big fish, even fish that will eventually need a bigger tank, that I plan on in the future.

The Eco start says it helps establish biological filtration and to add one cap per 25 gal following water changes and replacing filters.

I use 5 in 1 Test strips
Yesterday my readings were in the range of..
General Hardness- 110
Carbonate Hardness-70
PH-7.0
Nitrite-5-7
Nitrate-120-ish
I'm doing another water change today...

 

[IThinkTherefore]

Yeah, until those nitrates start to seriously drop you should be doing big, regular water changes, possibly a few times a week.

You shouldn't need any more eco-complete, it will have done it's job by now if it had one to do.

Another problem could be inaccuracy in the test strips. They're not very well-trusted by most fishkeepers. If you could possibly purchase or borrow a liquid water test kit (API Master Test Kit is commonly enthused about here) it may give better results

 

[Destinee]

Yes! I tested today with the new tester, and a only 30% water change today...
Nitrite-0-0.5
Nitarate- 40
Much better!

Thanks for all the help.
I had to argue with my fiance about water changes.