Nitrate level up

**Fariez** · 14th Aug 2016, 00:20

Hi all. I need help in solving my nitrate level. I hv a 200 litre cichlid tank and my nitrate level is very high. The question is, ammonia, nitrite are near zero except nitrate. Did a 20 - 50% water change every 5 days but it didn't solve my nitrate problems. Will it kill my fishes it it gets between mid to high level? I tried using hydra (not the submersible type) but it doesn't works. Please help.

**Jren** · 14th Aug 2016, 09:27

how much exactly are your nitrate readings?

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**Fariez** · 14th Aug 2016, 12:42

Closed to 160

**Urban Aquaria** · 14th Aug 2016, 17:42

If your nitrate levels are 160ppm and above, you have to do way more and larger water changes to bring it down. The bio-load is already generating so much waste that 20%-50% WC every 5 days is not enough.

You have to remember that the nitrate level will only decrease based on percentage of WC, so if you do 20% WC, the 160ppm nitrates only drop to 128ppm. Even at 50% WC, it only drops to 80ppm... but if everyday it goes back up 10-20ppm, it will return back to 160ppm within a short time.

If your test kit only measure up to 160ppm levels, it might even be way higher than that... like 200-300ppm, so you can do 50% WC and it will still be showing high nitrate levels.

In such case, you will have to do larger and more frequent WC to bring nitrates down to manageable levels (ie. 20-40ppm). Do the WC in stages over a period of time, like 50% WC daily for a few days to gradually reduce the nitrates by half each day... so 160ppm > 80ppm > 40ppm > 20ppm etc (assuming the nitrates are also not rising after each day).

You will also have to look at what is generating those high nitrate levels, since its usually due to bio-load, either reduce the number of livestock in the tank, or feed them alot less to control the waste production.

**Fariez** · 16th Aug 2016, 11:13

Already did a 80% WC. Nitrate nw down to 40ppm. The problem wif nitrate only occurs after i use d external hydra thingy. Does it means that d hydra could be d main causes my nitrate rises? As i read frm other lfs forum states dat it actually also kill d good bacteria in d tank . Hw true is it?

**marco** · 16th Aug 2016, 11:24

Add plants to your aquarium to reduce no3

**Urban Aquaria** · 16th Aug 2016, 13:51

Originally Posted by Fariez

Already did a 80% WC. Nitrate nw down to 40ppm. The problem wif nitrate only occurs after i use d external hydra thingy. Does it means that d hydra could be d main causes my nitrate rises? As i read frm other lfs forum states dat it actually also kill d good bacteria in d tank . Hw true is it?

I haven't used the external hydra stream inline filters before, so can't really comment on its effects. Though it seems abit odd that a filter like that would also kill good bacteria, which is kinda opposite of what filters are supposed to do.

Anyways, i guess you can try removing it and changing to another type of filter and see if it helps.

**Fariez** · 16th Aug 2016, 21:29

Im currently using another external canister filter. D hydra is just an add on since it says it cn lower d nitrate. All in all, it seems dat not only my nitrate increases but i suspect it also kill all d good bacteria. Now since my nitrate is down to 40ppm eversince i off my hydra for d last 4 days, i try switch on d hydra back on for 1 week to see if my nitrate increase again.