Advice needed !!!!!!!!

[paulsa67]

I’ve had my tank set up for about 2 month now. Unfortunately the Nitrate levels have shot up quite a bit in the last 2 weeks. I’ve been doing a water change 1 to 2 times a day but the Nitrate levels seem to be the same.
The fish all seem to be happy but it’s just the hassle of cleaning the gravel that’s putting me off as I said the tank has a lot of plants and bogwood which makes it harder to use the gravel cleaner.
My tank is 4 ft with a lot of plants and a gravel bottom.

What I want to ask is should I use sand rather than gravel or do u think I should have it as a bare bottom tank and use plant pots for the plants


Cheers Paul

[sammigold]

its up to you, either way you are still going to have to clean the waste...sorry i cant be more helpful. I have the same size tank with similar set up ours in under a bar so is extra hard to clean but we manage just have to re plant some plants occaissionally... what I have done is kept most of my crypts in their original little pots they came in and camoflage the pots with large rounded stones or driftwood etc. and my other plants I have planted in tiny containers so I can still have the gravel planted tank look but the plants are in actual containers and then hidden behind things.... does that make sense.. I'll attach a photo.

[Merrilyn]

Paul, have you done a nitrate test on your tap water. It might reveal some interesting results.

The other thing, is it possible there is a dead fish hidden under some wood or something. There has to be a reason for the high nitrates.

If you're doing daily water changes, the nitrates should be at almost zero, so we need to find the reason.

[Dave76]

Hi Paul

Do you put any additives (ferts, water conditioners etc) in the water ? Some of these contain nitrates also.

Dave

[paulsa67]

I’ve emptied the whole tank .No plants or bogwood just my fish. Defo no dead fish. The Nitrate levels where at 0 for a good few weeks until I came back from my holidays. Think my mum over fed them resulting in the Nitrate levels going up rapidly. I’ve done several water changes in the last week or so but nothing seems to have happened. I’ll just carry on doing the water changes. I will also check the tap water to see what readings I come up with for the Nitrate.

Cheers I will keep youse updated


Regards Paul

[nicholas76]

sounds like your tank is trying to cycle.

1. utilise a bag of carbon or ammo lock and place that in your cannister.

2. do small w/c every 2nd day and dont stir up the gravel sediment.

Keep doing these w/c and ensure you replace the ammo lock once expired. This will remove nitrates and should level things out untill your cycle kicks in properly.

[paulsa67]

My tank has been set up for over 2 month.It has fully cycled.
Think it was due to the fish being over fed.
Im going to remove the gravel and put sand in as its supposed to be easier to clean plus it also looks nicer.

Would it be possible to leave some gravel in and put sand over the top of it

Cheers Paul ................................................

[nicholas76]

Hi Paul

consistant and large w/c will effect it from cycling properly 2 months in some instances may not be long enough.

gravel is easier to clean. you will lose sand every time you siphon so be prepared to refill!!

and really clean that sand!!!!! before you put it in. get pool / spa filter sand

also!! algae !! watch out for the algae bloom - utilise a u/V filter

[paulsa67]

After visiting my local pet shop I’ve decided against the sand. I’ll stick with the gravel and use my gravel cleaner.
The boy in the pet shop seems to think it might be the sponge which is in one of my filters as it’s quite old.
I have replaced this with a new one so hopefully this sorts the Nitrate problem out over the next few days.
He also advised me to add a piece of salt rock as he says this will reduce the Nitrate level
I will continue to do water changes for the next few days then hopefully I can get back into my routine of 3 a week


Regards Paul

[endless]

What is salt rock??

[nicholas76]

i beleive its termed as rock salt.

i simply dont know hoe rock salt reduces nitrates???

the only way to reduce is to w/c and carbon filter it.

[paulsa67]

Im just going by what the guy said in the pet shop regarding the rock salt
I will give it a try anyway plus continue to do my water changes !!!!!!!

[nicholas76]

sounds like typical LFS advice

suprised he didnt suggest you buy an underground filter too

[Foz in Oz]

Mate I had high nitrate levels too, not long ago and I was getting algae problems, I bought heaps of plants like wisteria, Pogo, crypts and some baby tears and bacopa. That did the trick within 2wks!!! faster growing plants will absorb more nitrates. My nitrates where up around the 50 -60ppm and now they are down to a stable 20ppm. You could also put more than usual amounts of prime in your WCs. This nutralizes nitrate very well. Its not a long time solution, but until the plants start absorbing the nitrate it WILL certainly help.
See my before and after photos of plants added, cheers...
PS overstocked tanks also contribute to high nitrates because the waste cant breakdown quick enough. Plants will help nutralise that and regular WCs will do the job. I now do 30% WC a week.

[Foz in Oz]

Tank after new plants added

[DR.V]

Wonderful looking tank Foz !!

[G-1000]

Hi Paul

As everyone else has said - there are pretty much 2 ways to drop your nitrates...

You need to gravel vac more often - so that you remove waste which turns into nitrates eventually.

You need more plants to consume the nitrates that are being released.


Additionally, you could use prime every now and then as apparently it removes nitrate from the water (not sure how though).

G

[Foz in Oz]

thanks Dr.V