Loaches Online Forum

I have had nitrate issues in my tank for years. I don't think I'm overstocked in my 55 gallon--five palm sized silver dollars, 3 small clown loaches, 7 cherry barbs and one betta ( in its separate custom enclosure).

I do weekly water changes--about 15 gallons

I siphon gravel each time

I haven't been overfeeding

I've had a bag of ceramic bio beads in this tank for several years. A few things I've been reading on the internet are indicating that the bio beads can actually be contributing to the raised nitrate levels. Anyone ever heard this or can concur??? I have no nitrate in the tap. I rinse filter media each time I do a water change.

This has been an ongoing issue and I'm revisiting it again since it continues to baffle and stress me. Thanks.

Fran

The purpose of the ceramics is to provide surface area for the nitrifying bacteria to live. Elevated nitrates are an indication that the bacteria are actually doing their job. The initial source of the nitrates is excess food and waste. Larger pwc's will help bring those down. I also use floating plants (salvinia, anything in the wort family) as they thrive on nitrate. Rinsing the filter media weekly shouldn't be necessary but as long as your using tank/treated water it shouldn't hurt either.

That's why I chose to use the bio beads years ago, more space for good bacteria to grow. I don't feel the tank is over stocked, I haven't been over feeding, I just threw in some floating plants a week ago but I don't think I have nearly enough. How much to make a difference? I've only read in a few places that removal of bio beads had a positive impact on nitrate production. Hard to believe, I know. I do siphon the gravel each time to reiterate. I just don't know how to solve this, and a planted tank is out of the question. Thanks

Don't stress, just do more water changes. If there's no nitrates in your tapwater, then your fish are producing more waste than you think they should and you'll have to remove it one way or another.

Do two 1/3 water changes per week only to keep the nitrates under 40? Still doesn't seem right. It's a lot of work, especially in this new home I'm in for various reasons.

I suggest that you Feed Less and/or Reduce Your Stock.

You are the source of the nitrate by the choice of your stock and feeding regime.

Redshark, do you believe that five palm sized silver dollars, three small clowns, 7 cherry barbs and a betta is overstocking for a 55 gallon?? If you all think I'm overstocked well then that's the answer to my woes. I'm feeding two, just TWO frozen cubes of either bloodworms or brine shrimp, either once or twice a day. I feel I'm UNDER feeding if anything.

I'm wondering if the nitrates built up at some point in the past and the 1/3 pwc's aren't enough to get them back down. I would do a 50% change and see how that works for a week or two. If your nitrates fall and stay consistent then your 1/3 changes are perfect for maintenance. Another consideration is the flow/filtration. Is the food finding it's way into the filter before it can be consumed? Or getting blown around the tank?

Thank you. I was reluctant to do a 50% but I will try that in a few days, then again a few days later, than see what the results are.

As far as food goes the cubes get devoured before they're fully defrosted!

do you watch the food being eaten? is it all eaten or as atm asked is it getting blown around the tank and ending uneaten either in the tank or trapped in the filter? personally i would reduce my feeding to once a day, give my filtration a good cleaning on water change day, and test the water after a week and see if the nitrates are still at the high levels. if they are still high then i would start looking else where.

also i have to ask, what is the nitrate level? you never said what it is.

since you don't have a planted tank and are not using nitrate reducing media, you have nothing to suck the nitrates out, so in order to keep them down you will have reduce the things cause nitrates.

Hi Skinny Chef.

I rinse filter media at EVERY water change. I don't feed the fish enough I feel and all the food is consumed within a few minutes. I still find it difficult to read the test kit, but nitrates after a 30% water change are at approx 20 ppm. Within a few days they are what appears to be 40 ppm. I use the Nutrafin Test Kit.

Here is something that I just thought of that COULD potentially have an effect on nitrates. I thought of this in the middle of the night. I keep a thick piece of foam over the intake tube so 1) food won't get into the filter, and 2), I'm afraid the little fish will get stuck to it. Do you think I'm not allowing the filter to do a better job because I don't let big particles into the filter???

I just purchased Seachem Matrix to put in my Aqua Clear, and I also just bought the Fluval C 4. I may run two filters or if the Fluval can eventually take over I will just run that. I plan on putting Matrix in both filters when the items are shipped to me next week.

Thanks,
Fran

I don't think the foam over the intake would impact nitrates either way except as another site for the beneficial bacteria, which is a good thing. I use sponge prefilters on all my HOBs and rinse them in tank water when they need it. As the waste breaks down it ultimately converts into nitrates regardless of whether it's in the filter or the main tank.

Be careful not to wipe out your bb by swapping the beads for the matrix all at once. I don't have high hopes that the new media will eliminate your nitrate issue but I'm curious to hear how it goes. Please keep us updated. In the meantime, I think larger pwc's are your best short-term fix.

I have a 75 gal tank, feed 2.2 grams (dry mass) of food daily, and have to do 50% water changes weekly to keep under 25 ppm.

The last time I had issues, it was because a substantial amount of gunk had built up on the insides of the overflow as well as in the wet/dry. Sometimes you just need to clean every square inch of the tank (bio media excepted but should be examined carefully).

Lastly, hobbyist test kits often just don't work. Nitrate testing is one of the more problematic ones. The most common method, cadmium reduction, is very technique sensitive. Maybe you can find someone nearby who can do a nitrate test using the chromotropic acid method. The veterinary hospital near me offers water testing.

Hi Atmichaels.

Originally I posted to see if anyone had heard of the possibility of the bio beads causing raised nitrates as a few have indicated on the internet. The beads could be coming "nitrate factories".
I do plan to leave all media in place, but was thinking about removing the bio beads. I have two foam inserts that have been been in place, one for a week, one for a year. Maybe I will keep the bio beads in place for at least another couple weeks while the newest foam continues to grow bacteria.

I will be more than happy to post my results. I understand I should give it at least a couple weeks. Hope to have the media in place by Wed. or Thus. of next week.

Do five silver dollars, three small clowns, seven cherry barbs and one Betta really seem like an over stocked tank? Thanks to those who've replied.

An aquarium is basically a closed system as far as the nitrogen cycle is concerned (not much being absorbed from or by the atmosphere). All the nitrogen in the tank was put in there by you. There's really no other way it can get in there. Bio media can't produce nitrate out of thin air. It has to come from oxidation of nitrite which in turn was produced by the oxidation of ammonia. Nitrate is far less toxic than either nitrite or ammonia so a "nitrate factory" is a good thing. If a certain type of media causes "elevated nitrates" then, all things being equal, it is causing depressed ammonia/nitrite levels.