? about water chemistry...

[HawkEye_Pierce]

In the last 3 days I have completed three 40% water changes and my water chemistry is as follows:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 2
Nitrates: 20

I cannot figure this out...in 3 days I have changed 120% of the water yet the trates & trites are still high? I want to add new fish this weekend but don't want to endanger them...or are my stats normal for a 40 gal?

thx

 

[rocketshrimp]

The first week after i did a fishless cycle my nitrites were bouncing around a little bit but they came down the water chages help.

 

[fishysmell]

Do you have plants? If you don't, you could get some and they will eliminate the problem. If you don't have plants and you don't want any, siphon the gravel like crazy, that should help. Also, try to cut back on feeding for a few days. That should help too. If you really want to overkill (always the best way of doing things in my opinion), do 3 more 50% changes in a few days. The best way of eliminating this problem is do regular 40-50% water changes every week, keep your feeding under control, and do your regular matenance (siphoning and rinsing filter media (not all at once!)). How long has the tank been setup? By the way, the danios might have something to do with it, they produce a lot of waste.

 

[HawkEye_Pierce]

The tank has been set up for about 10-12 weeks...I have been thinking about getting plants but don't have the time for a CO2 infuser (I think that'swhat they are called?) plus I am not sure if my lighting is adequate...but I heard java moss and java ferns would work...

As for water changes...I though you were only supposed to change 15-20% not 50% weekly? I feed the fish twice daily (small amount of flake in the morning and 1/3 cube frozen blood worms in the evening) the fish eat EVERYTHING and rarely does any hit the gravel...and if it does my 2 horse-faced loaches pick that up...I toss in an algae wafer every 2-3 days but those aren't supposed to cause any water problems...

thx for your replies...more opinions are certainly welcomed

 

[FroggyFox]

Danios are actually one of the cleanest little fish...I doubt 9 of them in a 40 Gallon tank would make much of a difference one way or the other.

Is it possible that your tank hadn't finished cycling yet or did you change a filter completely to cause a small cycle again?

My Nitrites get up above 0 from time to time if I dont clean the gravel thoroughly enough...do you gravel vac every time you do a water change?

Plants would definitely help too if you were willing to get them.

 

[HawkEye_Pierce]

I do admit I haven't done much gravel vac...my python was broke and I am waiting for the part to come in...I figured my cleaning crew (ie. loaches) would do a thorough job....

It is possible my tank hadn't finished cycling...as for the filter its still thesame...I haven't even cleaned it yet because my tank took so long to cycle....which could also be the problem...the tank is crystal clear and the fish seem great and actice...even the horse-faced loaches...I'll do a w/c tomorrow and check my lfs for plants...low maintainance plants of course..LOL

thx

 

[fishysmell]

You seem to be doing pretty much everything right. The only things I would say to do are to vacuum, rinse SOME, not all, very important, of the filter media. The feeding sounds right and the water changes are ok. They may be a little small (30-40% per week is ideal IMO) so that could be the problem but if you did 120% in the last 3 days I doubt it. My guess is that the filter media is clogged w/ fish waste and that is what is causing it. Your loaches will help with the excess food on the gravel but not the fish crap. That stuff will build up and cause the excess nitrates.

As for plants, CO2 is only necissary for the high light plants. Anubias, java fern, java moss, crypts, hygrophilia, bolbitis, and vals (to name a few) will be fine with 2-3 watts per gallon of light. Use full spectrum bulbs (5000k-6700k is best. That is more in the green to blue spectrum. Yellow light isn't nearly as effective at growing plants as the others) if possible and CO2 and ferts won't be necissary. Rule of thumb with plants, if its red, it won't grow in low light. There are a few exceptions but that should start you out. Good luck and have fun w/ it. You might check out the aquatic plants forum for some more info if you feel like it.

 

[Davy]

The only thing I can say to help you is that you did not do a 120% water change. After the first change you had 24g old water and 16g new water(thank you calculator! ). After the second change you had...calculating....roughly 15g old water and 25g new. The third change made it....tick tock....9g old water and the rest new. You really only ended up at about a 75% change. Well there is my incredibly boring and annoying math lesson to my self for the day. I think I'll go lie down now.