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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)
Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
High Nitrates - Advice from Fish Store - Sick fish
- dazzler (darren tierney)
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27 Mar 2008 18:13 #1
by dazzler (darren tierney)
Hi All, recently noticed a spike in my nitrates coupled with 1 or 2 sick looking fish. One of my platies seems to have internal bleeding and one of my swordtails is not eating.
Nitrate Level is between 40-50, Ammonia, Nitrites,and PH all fine.
Tank is setup about 4 months and up until now I hadn't changed any of the filter media. Local fish store advised me to change the black (carbon) straight away but take it out after about a week or so after checking the Nitrate levels have come down.
Couple of questions I have:
- Is the fish store right? Do I not really need the black filter media?
- Is there hope for my 2 sick fish?
Thanks for reading.
Darren
Nitrate Level is between 40-50, Ammonia, Nitrites,and PH all fine.
Tank is setup about 4 months and up until now I hadn't changed any of the filter media. Local fish store advised me to change the black (carbon) straight away but take it out after about a week or so after checking the Nitrate levels have come down.
Couple of questions I have:
- Is the fish store right? Do I not really need the black filter media?
- Is there hope for my 2 sick fish?
Thanks for reading.
Darren
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- Daragh_Owens (Daragh Owens)
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27 Mar 2008 18:20 #2
by Daragh_Owens (Daragh Owens)
Replied by Daragh_Owens (Daragh Owens) on topic Re:High Nitrates - Advice from Fish Store - Sick fish
The black filter pad is carbon, carbon removes lots of imputities from the water, however it can only hold so much and will actually release back into the water what it has taken out after it becomes exhausted. Usually you would oly need carbon to remove medications, when they were finished or to clear water of tanins (yellow) colour etc. So you don't need carbon all the time. If you do use it, remove it or replace it after a week or two. So yes the fish store were correct.
When you say Ammonia, Nitrites and pH were fine, what were the readings?
Finally, is there any hope for you fish? It depends on what is wrong with them, improved water conditions will help, but may not be enough. Have they improved at all since you replaced tha carbon - if you have done that yet. Have you done an extra water change(s) to reduce your nitrate levels? Are you treating the tank with any medications?
When you say Ammonia, Nitrites and pH were fine, what were the readings?
Finally, is there any hope for you fish? It depends on what is wrong with them, improved water conditions will help, but may not be enough. Have they improved at all since you replaced tha carbon - if you have done that yet. Have you done an extra water change(s) to reduce your nitrate levels? Are you treating the tank with any medications?
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- oog1111 (Orlagh O Grady)
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27 Mar 2008 20:21 #3
by oog1111 (Orlagh O Grady)
Replied by oog1111 (Orlagh O Grady) on topic Re:High Nitrates - Advice from Fish Store - Sick fish
Hi,don't know what filter you have, but I've a jewel, they have a green sponge that is for removing nitrate (don't know if it works brilliantly). it also needs to be changed every month or so.
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- Peter OB (Peter O'Brien)
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27 Mar 2008 21:39 #4
by Peter OB (Peter O'Brien)
Smoke me a Kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast.
Replied by Peter OB (Peter O'Brien) on topic Re:High Nitrates - Advice from Fish Store - Sick fish
That juwel filter pad is just a gimmick to make you buy more sponge, I wouldn't replace it at all.
Smoke me a Kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast.
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- Trimax (Trimax)
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30 Mar 2008 02:13 - 30 Mar 2008 02:15 #5
by Trimax (Trimax)
Replied by Trimax (Trimax) on topic Re:High Nitrates - Advice from Fish Store - Sick f
I totally agree, Im an old fashioned Fishkeeper in that I believe in Biological filtration and frequent water changes, Carbon has its uses as does the floss but I think the cost far outways the benifits, esp when regular partial water changes do a better job then any chemical pad.
I remember Buying my first (And last!) Juwel aquarium, when I read the manual dictating that I needed to change this and that every few weeks I threw the whole filter media kit out and inserted a big old sponge and some Ceramic media, never been replaced and never had a problem since.
I remember Buying my first (And last!) Juwel aquarium, when I read the manual dictating that I needed to change this and that every few weeks I threw the whole filter media kit out and inserted a big old sponge and some Ceramic media, never been replaced and never had a problem since.
Last edit: 30 Mar 2008 02:15 by Trimax (Trimax).
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- dazzler (darren tierney)
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09 Apr 2008 12:10 #6
by dazzler (darren tierney)
Replied by dazzler (darren tierney) on topic Help please!
Well almost 2 weeks later and the nitrates are as high as ever. 1 or 2 fish have died and no matter what I do I can't seem to reduce it.
I'm doing daily water changes (10%) and have put in a piece of bog-wood (with plant) and another sword leaf type plant. I clean the gravel every 2nd day as well.
Both ammonia and nitrites are showing zero readings.
What I would say is I live in Ratoath and the water from the tap is showing about 10-15 levels of Nitrate so that's not a good start.
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
I'm doing daily water changes (10%) and have put in a piece of bog-wood (with plant) and another sword leaf type plant. I clean the gravel every 2nd day as well.
Both ammonia and nitrites are showing zero readings.
What I would say is I live in Ratoath and the water from the tap is showing about 10-15 levels of Nitrate so that's not a good start.
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
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- oog1111 (Orlagh O Grady)
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09 Apr 2008 13:39 - 09 Apr 2008 13:45 #7
by oog1111 (Orlagh O Grady)
Replied by oog1111 (Orlagh O Grady) on topic Re:Help please!
hi,
Mightn't be a great idea to be cleaning the gravel every second day, as apparently bacteria like the good ones that live in your filter also live in the substrate and turning over the gravel regurally with a gravel cleaner can kill them off. are you over feeding? or is tank over stocked?
Had the problem with nitrate already in the water as well. was getting water from my parents well as theirs was older and i though it has less lime etc. but it had more nitrate, so now use water from my well(thinking of getting RO unit to cut down on disolved minerals like lime). maybe there is somewhere else you could get water from until the problem goes? think there is usually a small bit of nitrate in water anyway, but the less the better for you at the mo.
Oh and the juwel nitrate sponge...would tend to agree with ye, if you read the manual and know how things work (Bacteria wise), it all seem bit odd that you need to be changing it to get bacteria into the filter, but if your filter is working right the bacteria should already be there...strange... at least we're all wise to that gimmic!my tank running about 4 months and I've never change it, all is well with my fishies!
Mightn't be a great idea to be cleaning the gravel every second day, as apparently bacteria like the good ones that live in your filter also live in the substrate and turning over the gravel regurally with a gravel cleaner can kill them off. are you over feeding? or is tank over stocked?
Had the problem with nitrate already in the water as well. was getting water from my parents well as theirs was older and i though it has less lime etc. but it had more nitrate, so now use water from my well(thinking of getting RO unit to cut down on disolved minerals like lime). maybe there is somewhere else you could get water from until the problem goes? think there is usually a small bit of nitrate in water anyway, but the less the better for you at the mo.
Oh and the juwel nitrate sponge...would tend to agree with ye, if you read the manual and know how things work (Bacteria wise), it all seem bit odd that you need to be changing it to get bacteria into the filter, but if your filter is working right the bacteria should already be there...strange... at least we're all wise to that gimmic!my tank running about 4 months and I've never change it, all is well with my fishies!
Last edit: 09 Apr 2008 13:45 by oog1111 (Orlagh O Grady).
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- nonie (leonie troy)
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09 Apr 2008 17:55 #8
by nonie (leonie troy)
Replied by nonie (leonie troy) on topic Re:Help please!
Hi Dazzler - there needs to be Nitrate in the tank and a reading between 10 - 20 is fine. Mine has been reading this for the last few months and the fish are triving. I would conly use a polyfilter if you put meds into the water, the white pads (Polyester filter pads) are much better for removing tiny particles.
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- platty252 (Darren Dalton)
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10 Apr 2008 22:42 #9
by platty252 (Darren Dalton)
Replied by platty252 (Darren Dalton) on topic Re:Help please!
10-15ppm of Nitrate from the tap can be a bit of a headache. This means you will always be chasing your tail trying to reduce it.
Your levels of 40-50ppm are not the worst and this should not be causing the illness with the fish. Unless you have some realy delicate fish or they came from water with practically 0ppm Nitrate.
To reduce the Nitrate from the tap you can get a in-line filter that goes onto the tap called a NITRAGON. The problem with this is it is another expense. They also effect the kh and ph of the water. So if you decide to go for one of these research them first. I have never used one so i cant help you there.
Your levels of 40-50ppm are not the worst and this should not be causing the illness with the fish. Unless you have some realy delicate fish or they came from water with practically 0ppm Nitrate.
To reduce the Nitrate from the tap you can get a in-line filter that goes onto the tap called a NITRAGON. The problem with this is it is another expense. They also effect the kh and ph of the water. So if you decide to go for one of these research them first. I have never used one so i cant help you there.
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- JohnH (John)
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11 Apr 2008 01:42 #10
by JohnH (John)
Location:
N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
ITFS member.
It's a long way to Tipperary.
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Re:Help please!
Just a (supplementary) thought here.
Is your test kit an up-to-date one? I wonder if you have a friend local to you who might be able to independently test both your tank and tap water for you - failing that could you get your local fish shop to help you out? I just wonder if your results are slightly 'off' - especially in view of the results you post being so seemingly consistent over the space of a few weeks' water changing etc.
I'm not condemning them out of hand but I bought the 'strip' testing kits and results were inaccurate, to put it mildly...I went back to the old-fashioned reagent tests and was much happier with both the results and the consistency of them too.
You really didn't ought to be having to clean your gravel every couple of days - if nothing else you might find that all this activity is having an adverse effect upon the growth of your plants, new and existing, and healthy growing plants can be a real asset in bringing down high nitrates too.
And, are you the sole person in control of feeding your fish? Uneaten food, or even food which has been eaten but not digested fully by the fish before 'coming out of the other end' can also play havoc, so try to curtail 'unofficial' feeding and perhaps consider reducing the amount given too.
Hope you get it sorted and stop losing your fish.
John
Is your test kit an up-to-date one? I wonder if you have a friend local to you who might be able to independently test both your tank and tap water for you - failing that could you get your local fish shop to help you out? I just wonder if your results are slightly 'off' - especially in view of the results you post being so seemingly consistent over the space of a few weeks' water changing etc.
I'm not condemning them out of hand but I bought the 'strip' testing kits and results were inaccurate, to put it mildly...I went back to the old-fashioned reagent tests and was much happier with both the results and the consistency of them too.
You really didn't ought to be having to clean your gravel every couple of days - if nothing else you might find that all this activity is having an adverse effect upon the growth of your plants, new and existing, and healthy growing plants can be a real asset in bringing down high nitrates too.
And, are you the sole person in control of feeding your fish? Uneaten food, or even food which has been eaten but not digested fully by the fish before 'coming out of the other end' can also play havoc, so try to curtail 'unofficial' feeding and perhaps consider reducing the amount given too.
Hope you get it sorted and stop losing your fish.
John
Location:
N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
ITFS member.
It's a long way to Tipperary.
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