Really high Nitrates!

[Del]

I bought a Sera NitrATE test kit (after using a brand that I found hard to read the results of) and my 3ft/150ltr planted tank tested over 400mg/l :oops: :shock:

I have done a 30% water change (aged), added Discus Trace, Flourish Excel (for the plants) and 1 teaspoon of sea-salt (all I had in the cupboard).

2 small discus have been hiding for a few weeks, picking at food whilst hiding at the same time, and the 3 medium discus seem fine, although one has a small white pimple on his fin.

I have just ordered some NitraZorb which hopefully I should get on Monday...

So my question is... What should I do now...? :?
I feel so awful... I'm a bad mother...

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Parameters are... Ph: 7 Temp: 29 Ammonia: 0 NitrITE: 0
3 medium discus, 2 small discus, 20 assorted tetras, 1 whiptail, 1 otto, 5 siamese flying foxes, 2 snails.

[Trebs]

Have you retested and got the same result? Shaking the bottles, test vial as per the instructions?

[Del]

I have followed the instructions on the test to the tee - shaking both bottles, adding a level little spoon of powder, shaking the vial for 15 seconds and waiting 5 minutes at the end.

Is now been 2½hrs since I did the waterchange...

It took 2mls of tank water and 18mls of aged water to get a result of NitrATE; 100mg/l.

Does this sound right?

(still reading Ph: 7 and NitrITE: 0)

[SirClutzz]

Try testing your aged water (before it goes into the tank). You may have nitrate coming from in with your tap water??

[Del]

Good idea... thanks,

OK all done - Ph: 7 NitrITE: 0 NitrATE: 0

mmmmmmm...

[taksan]

well 30% isn't much of a water change unless you do it daily ... Seachem Prime detoxifys Nitrates

[samir]

maybe do another 20% waterchange, and maybe do a 30-40% for the next couple of days or till your nitrates go down to "legal" levels. :)

[Del]

well 30% isn't much of a water change unless you do it daily
I only had 30 litres in my ageing bucket and I am getting another 50 litres ready for tomorrow. Doesn't it have to sit for 24-48 hours before adding the water to the tank?

What is a safe amount of water to do a waterchange?

I am also running an Eheim 2213 canister filter on my tank and a 9 watt UV light.


Seachem Prime detoxifys Nitrates
I have ordered some as I have read so many good reports about Seachem Prime - will hopefully get it on Monday.

I have also started adding Seachem Discus Trace and Seachem Flourish Excel in the last few weeks.


maybe do a 30-40% for the next couple of days or till your nitrates go down to "legal" levels
What is a legal level of NitrATE for my tank.

[samir]

not more than 20 :)

[Del]

Thanks Samir.

NitrATE tested 200mg/l this morning.
Just about to do a 40% waterchange...

[samir]

are you sure your tests are accurate. it seems strange for the value to go from 100 to 200 overnight even after a water change. i recommend doing a thorough cleanup of your tank. vacuum the gravel, clean any decaying plant matter, clean you filters, theres probably some fish or plant waste somewhere thats sending the nitrates back up.over 50 is considered really unhealthy for nearly all fish. for discus try to keep it at a minimum of 25, preferably 20.

[taksan]

If you treat your water with prime and correctly buffer it with discus buffer and/or trace you do not have to age the water at all. I do 50% WC's every 2nd day.
200 Nitrate is death ..... I think its almost impossible to get it that high.

[Proteus]

Del, if you can, take a water sample into the shop, just to make sure you arent getting a false reading (take the test kit as well).

Other than that, check your PM's

[Del]

Its been 2½hrs since I completed a 40% water change.

The NitrATE reading is now 50mg/l. Ph: 7 NitrITE: 0 Ammonia: 0

I tested the water (that I am using to mix with the tank water for the test) on its own and the NitrATE is 0, so I am not sure what it is I'm doing wrong...

I did a thorough gravel clean yesterday and another this morning. I haven't cleaned out my canister filter, as I didn't want to do too much in one go. Plus I only cleaned out the canister filter and all tubing on the 5th (3 weeks ago).

Thanks Taksan and Samir for helping me out with this.

Proteus - thanks. I'll take both my tank water sample and my test kit into SLS tomorrow and double check with the experts ... my car is in the repairer so am not mobile today.

[samir]

let us know how it went. the readings seem a bit too high. as far as i know a 200 reading should become around 120 with a 40% water change. maybe youre not a bad mother after all. :) just a bad nitrate tester lol :D

[Del]

The outcome of all this was that the test kit might have been flawed.

SLS did a test of my water using their test kit, and it was within normal parameters whereas the same done in-store with my test kit came out high - who'd have guessed that one!

[samir]

me hehehe :lol: :lol: :lol: sometimes kits like in shops for months on end. very common to get kits past their use by date

[Del]

Boy - was I happy that there was nothing really wrong with my tank! Talk about scared!

Thanks for all your help!