# URGENT HELP!!! NITRATE LEVEL OF 160ppm



## jokerrk (Mar 14, 2013)

Hi guys,

I have a 55 gallon and a 10 gallon tank.

The 55 gallon tank only has 10 guppy, about 40 guppy fry, 2 loaches, 4 cat fish, and 3 pleco's. I have 3 plants and lots of ornaments.

I had this tank for about 5 months now and I have never had a problem until I just came from school. I have 8 guppy fry dead and 4 guppy's dead. I checked the levels and they are the following:

Ammonia : 0.25ppm 
Nitrate: 160 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25ppm

This is using API Freshwater liquid master test kit.

I moved almost all my fish over to the 10 gallon and it is crowded right now. I have taken out 75% of the water from my 55 gallon and currently filling up 10 buckets of water hopefully ready to put in tomorrow. Is there any that I can do? 
Any help would be appreciated.


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## ZivaD (Jan 26, 2013)

Do you not have/use a dechorlinating water conditioner? You mention having the water in buckets for use tomorrow so it sounds like you are trying to de-chlor it that way? 
Your best bet is to obtain/use a dechorinating conditioner so that you can finish the water change to the 55 sooner than tomorrow so that you can then get the fish out of the 10 gallon before you suffer further losses brought on by that overcrowding.


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## jokerrk (Mar 14, 2013)

[

QUOTE=ZivaD;1468260]Do you not have/use a dechorlinating water conditioner? You mention having the water in buckets for use tomorrow so it sounds like you are trying to de-chlor it that way? 
Your best bet is to obtain/use a dechorinating conditioner so that you can finish the water change to the 55 sooner than tomorrow so that you can then get the fish out of the 10 gallon before you suffer further losses brought on by that overcrowding.[/QUOTE]

Yes i am using prime to remove the chlroine. Also using pH 7.0 to drop it from 8.6-7
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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Nitrates will obviously increase in the 10g with all those fish, so I would suggest doing a major clean of the 55g. I hope you have a Python-type water changer which will be easier than buckets.

Drain the tank of water, vacuuming the entire substrate deep, right down to the bottom, as you siphon out the water. Fill with dechlorinated tap water. Clean the filter well. Get the tank running again, filter, heater, etc. If the parameters (GH, pH, temperature) are close to those in the 10g, net the fish over. You can do a partial water change in the 10g, using water from the 55g, as a precaution but I wouldn't if the parameters are basically the same. The 55g can be a just a tad warmer, but not cooler, than the 10g.

Now to the causes. 

Have you tested the tap water on its own for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

Are you doing weekly partial water changes, and if yes, how much volume?

Are any additives/supplements going in the tank aside from the water conditioner?

Are you overfeeding?

Stop using the pH adjusting chemical. But when you were using it, what effect did it have on the pH? What is the tap water pH? Do you know the GH and KH of the tap water?

Byron.


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## jokerrk (Mar 14, 2013)

Yea i test the tap water. I dechlrotinate it and i test the water before i put it in and make sure everything is at 0.
I do bi weekly changes of about 30% for 55gallon tank. 

The only thing i add on is aquarium salt when i change the water. 

I only feed twice a day and every 2nd day i add 1 algae wafer for the plecos
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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

jokerrk said:


> Yea i test the tap water. I dechlrotinate it and i test the water before i put it in and make sure everything is at 0.
> I do bi weekly changes of about 30% for 55gallon tank.
> 
> The only thing i add on is aquarium salt when i change the water.
> ...


Just want to be clear, that I am understanindg correctly: the tap water tests at 0 for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, correct?

To the tank. You need to do weekly water changes, every week, and I would increase the volume to half the tank. Ammonia and nitrite must be zero always. Nitrates must be kept below 20 ppm, and preferably below 10 ppm. A weekly partial water change of half the tank should achieve this, as there is no nitrate in the tap water. But a couple more things are needed too.

Forget using salt, this is only going to stress the fish. Read more on salt here:
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-articles/salt-freshwater-aquarium-97842/

Feed once a day maximum, no more. And skip one day a week, the day you do the water change is best and easiest to remember.

What are the pleco species, and how large are they? Pleco are notorious for producing lots of waste, and this becomes organics which cause nitrates.

Byron.


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## jokerrk (Mar 14, 2013)

Well the tap water is all at 0 after i use prime to neutralize it all.

The plecos a bushynose plecos and are only about 2 inches long each.
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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

jokerrk said:


> Well the tap water is all at 0 after i use prime to neutralize it all.
> 
> The plecos a bushynose plecos and are only about 2 inches long each.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


When testing tap water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, or pH, always test it straight from the tap, never with conditioner added.

This should not make a difference here, as Prime detoxifies ammonia, nitrite and nitrate but they shuld still show in tests, according to Seachem. But in future, test the tap water on its own.

OK on the pleco, I was afraid they might have been the common pleco which can get very large.

Previous suggestion for resolving this remains. Good luck.

Byron.


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## jokerrk (Mar 14, 2013)

I just tested my water source. The following results:

Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrate : 0 ppm
/
Nitrite: 0ppm
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

jokerrk said:


> I just tested my water source. The following results:
> 
> Ammonia: 0.25ppm
> Nitrate : 0 ppm
> ...


The ammonia is worth knowing. This can be dealt with easily; at each water change, use a conditioner that detoxifies ammonia (Prime does, obviously), and these are effective for 24-48 hours by which time the bacteria and plants will easily handle it.


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## jokerrk (Mar 14, 2013)

Byron said:


> The ammonia is worth knowing. This can be dealt with easily; at each water change, use a conditioner that detoxifies ammonia (Prime does, obviously), and these are effective for 24-48 hours by which time the bacteria and plants will easily handle it.


Do you have any suggestions on which plants to buy? I only bought plants that look fancy not sure if certain plants are better for this


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## AndrewM21 (Mar 4, 2012)

jokerrk said:


> Do you have any suggestions on which plants to buy? I only bought plants that look fancy not sure if certain plants are better for this


Floating plants such as duckweed, anacharis, and others alike should be what you aim for in terms of ammonia consumption, as they do so at an abnormally fast rate.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Agree with floating plants; being at the surface they are all fast growers. I would suggest Water Sprite if you can get it; this is absolutely the best floating plant I have ever seen. Some stem plants do well floating, like the Hornwort mentioned, and Brazilian Pennywort. Some others need higher light, but these should do well. Click the shaded names for the respective profile with photos.

Nutrient fertilization may be necessary. A complete liquid fertilizer is sufficient. Seachem's *Flourish Comprehensive Supplement* is what I use; it takes very little so a small bottle will last a long time.

Byron.


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## jokerrk (Mar 14, 2013)

Byron said:


> Agree with floating plants; being at the surface they are all fast growers. I would suggest Water Sprite if you can get it; this is absolutely the best floating plant I have ever seen. Some stem plants do well floating, like the Hornwort mentioned, and Brazilian Pennywort. Some others need higher light, but these should do well. Click the shaded names for the respective profile with photos.
> 
> Nutrient fertilization may be necessary. A complete liquid fertilizer is sufficient. Seachem's *Flourish Comprehensive Supplement* is what I use; it takes very little so a small bottle will last a long time.
> 
> Byron.


Thank you for giving me all your guy's help. I really appreciate it and it is helping me alot


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