winyfrog
Yep!
Did you say your sand is 5 inches deep? :shock: Thats probably what is causing your high nitrates, I would be willing to bet on it!
Nitrates nitrates nitrates
- Thread starter Gdbyrd
- Start date
Did you say your sand is 5 inches deep? :shock: Thats probably what is causing your high nitrates, I would be willing to bet on it!
Gdbyrd
life's a beach
Seriously? Why would more sand cause problems? It's sloped, 5" in the highest and 3" in the lowest. Give or take. I'll break out the tape measure tonight if I get a chance but that's about where it's at.
winyfrog
Yep!
If there is to much sand your nitrification can't work properly, the little bubbles that you see in your sand need to be able to get out. You will end up having area's that will go anarobic and could be very detrimental to your tank in the future. I use to run my tanks with a deep sand bed 5-6inchs. I came home from work one day and my tank was black from my sand releasing all of the nitrates into my tank at the same time. From that point forward I have always keep my sand beds at 2-3 in with no issues.
If you do keep a deep sand bed you should keep some good sifters such as sleeper gobies and nassarius snails to help keep the sand from compacting.
If you do keep a deep sand bed you should keep some good sifters such as sleeper gobies and nassarius snails to help keep the sand from compacting.
Gdbyrd
life's a beach
I have about 10 of the snails. But the tank is only 2 months old. Would that really be causing high nitrates?
I can't add anymore fish for a little while, but did plan on adding a goby but its going to be awhile. Anything else I can do?
I can't add anymore fish for a little while, but did plan on adding a goby but its going to be awhile. Anything else I can do?
winyfrog
Yep!
Its probably a combination of a few things. But with your tank being so new it does seem weird that the sand would have built up that high of nitrates. Just stick to your weekly water changes and keep an eye on that sand. As your tank matures it should start to come down. Be careful how much you feed your fish as well.
If it was me I would remove some of that sand. But thats just how I have been successful with my systems.
If it was me I would remove some of that sand. But thats just how I have been successful with my systems.
Gdbyrd
life's a beach
So far I've done two of the 20% changes(just started with that this week). Last time I checked my nitrates were 10-20ish..right about in between so I'd say 15. Today(1 day after last change), looks very close to 20+. Not sure what else I could be doing. I get paid the 21st. Guess I'm going to pick up a better skimmer then and see if that's what's messing me up.
Every week I'm having to take the Bakpak off the tank and completely clean it. There's always a layer of gunk on the bottom of it and the cheato is completely covered in this nasty brown stuff. I have to shake the cheato off 2-3 times before it stops turning the water brown.
Every week I'm having to take the Bakpak off the tank and completely clean it. There's always a layer of gunk on the bottom of it and the cheato is completely covered in this nasty brown stuff. I have to shake the cheato off 2-3 times before it stops turning the water brown.
yote
In Memoriam
It took nearly 6 months for the nitrates to really start dropping off in my old 75.
I figure that it just takes time for a tank to settle in to where it can process the nitrates into nitrogen.
Just gotta keep up on the maintance untill then.
But a better skimmer would help.
I figure that it just takes time for a tank to settle in to where it can process the nitrates into nitrogen.
Just gotta keep up on the maintance untill then.
But a better skimmer would help.
