Ohh nitrates...

Well, I just changed another 45 gallons. I have some no3 test strips and I decided to try one. No3 reading 80ppm on the strip. Ill try my api kit later.

Progress?

 

So I have changed over 100 gallons of water in the past week to 10 days and still my nitrates are reading over 160 ppm. Is that even possible? I cahnge over 50% of my total volume and no change at all?

I decided to check the expiration dates of my kits and my test strip (which I used today and yesterday as a control test) were made in 2008. My API kit was made in August of last year. I suppose it's possible that both kits are expired. They are both showing the same results.

I'm going to get a different kit tomorrow, preferrably something better than API and keep my fingers crossed. I have to admit, now I'm totally flummoxed.

 

WAIT! What are your nitrites and ammonia testing at? *rubs hands together menacingly*

 

I find it hard to believe you have anything alive if you are testing that high.

 

Something that comes to mind is that you may not have sufficient flow in your tank and this is allowing a lot of dead and decaying matter just sit in your tank. When you do your water changes are you siphoning from the bottom and vacuuming your sand? Have you checked your sump for any build up of yuky stuff? you very well could have an area in your sump that could be collecting stuff you are not aware of.

 

Are you thinking with nitrates that high there has to be some traceable level of nitrites and unconverted ammonia?

 

Yah... maybe not..idk this is just maddening.

Jason, if you're missing fish you need to go digging for bodies. That would contribute significantly to nitrate build up.

 

Ammonia and nitrites are zero. Nitrates are closer to 80 than 160ppm today, but it's so hard to tell.

I don't know about digging for bodies. We're talking 2 really small fish.

I'm dialing back the vinegar and will do another 30 gallon change tomorrow.

 

Also thinking about running carbon. Would that help?

 

I am not sure carbon would help in this case. One thing you want to avoid is doing to many things at one time.

 

Organic carbon dosing will take weeks to begin making an impact

 

Well I just moved all the rock out of the center of the tank and created 2 Islands. I redirected the power heads to hopefully stir up anything that's settled back there to get filtered out by the filter floss I'm running.

 

I would guess if there was a couple of small dead fish on the bottom, the CUC would have taken care of that within a day or so.

 

Yeah, this is it for now. I'd been wanting to get a little different rockscape going anyway.

 

I agree with David and others. Don't do too much at once, because you will not like the outcome if something else go wild. Be careful and if you use Carbon on your tank it will filter out just about anything you add to the water.

Did you use the Chemi pure yet?

 

Chemi-Pure is in there. No tdoing too much yet.

 

So I've been dealing with this nitrate issue for nearly three weeks, have gone through all the steps listed in this thread, including another 30 gallon water change yesterday, and still no change in my nitrate levels. None.

I am stumped. And bummed.