# nitrates



## scott (Mar 23, 2008)

my uncle has a 125 gal tank his nitrates are readin 50 he has done 4 40 gal water changes his tank is 125 gal what should he do to lower them?


----------



## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

well what is the nitrate reading now after the water changes?


----------



## scott (Mar 23, 2008)

salfert test ket read 50 still


----------



## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Get a better filter. Or possibly, you might want to get a newer test kit. Some times, expired test kit gives you funny reading.
Also, test the water from the tap before you put it in the tank. It's possible that the source of the nitrate is from the tap, although that should be very unlikely. But it's the only way to see if it's the tap water that's the problem or the test kit.

Some times, a tank can build up some much bad stuff that it will take a few months of constant water change to clear it up.

Also, do you gravel vac? What is exactly in your tank?

*Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!*


----------



## blossom112 (Mar 19, 2008)

Agree with zeb............
skimmer working properly?
try water changes daily see if it will go down ...
maybe rinse tubes with tank water sometimes tap water can affect the test .
if you use a dropper to get the water ,and then use the same dropper for food ,it could affect the test .
if your livestock is thriving well .........just continue what your doing or maybe your feeding your tank too much ?
could be many things..........
Good luck

i have a friend who has his tank for years his rate reading is 20 and he is never concerned ....never had a loss and everything is thriving ,in the 90gl


----------



## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Can you give more details such as age of set-up, equipment list, livestock and feeding regimin. Filtrationwise, it sounds like it's doing it's job on a nitrifiaction level but something is lacking for denitrification. This could be either not enough LR, too dense of LR (ie Florida), feeding often w/frozen food w/o rincing, etc.

Get back to us and we'll go from there .


----------

