No way to get Nitrates down

[Maggie.D]

I’ve been trying to cycle my tank for months. I’ve cycled it several times (ammonia goes away after 24 hours, nitrites spiked and fell) but every single time the nitrates were through the roof high. Like 160+. So I do water changes, 50% every day for a few days, and it does nothing. There’s low nitrate in the water I use, so that’s not the cause. I’d like to get my tank cycled so I can get my tubbed axolotl back into his home. There’s brown algae producing that I scrub off when I do water changes that I’ve read is produced/feeds on nitrates. I’ve taken apart the entire tank and cleaned it (boiled the sponge filters, scrubbed the six-ish big rocks I have, scrubbed his hide, and rinsed the sand substrate AFTER buying new sand the first time through) but nothing seems to work. Literally ANY help would be appreciated at this point as I’m very confused and at the end of my rope.

 

[JM29]

Hello,

I’ve been trying to cycle my tank for months. I’ve cycled it several times (ammonia goes away after 24 hours, nitrites spiked and fell)

You don't give many details on your tank, but we can suppose there is a filter.
Since ammonia and nitrite have been converted to nitrates, we can suppose the tank (the filter in fact) is cycled.

but every single time the nitrates were through the roof high. Like 160+. So I do water changes, 50% every day for a few days, and it does nothing. There’s low nitrite in the water I use, so that’s not the cause.

Ok for the low nitrite in the water, but what about nitrate ?
What water do you use ?
In USA, some tap waters contain monochloramine. A water conditioner decays chloramine in chlorure and ammonia, and then, in a cycled tank, this ammonia should be converted in nitrates.

I’d like to get my tank cycled so I can get my tubbed axolotl back into his home. There’s brown algae producing that I scrub off when I do water changes that I’ve read is produced/feeds on nitrates.

Have you got live aquatic plants ? light ?
Live plants, especially fast-growing species, could be a serious concurrence against algae.

I’ve taken apart the entire tank and cleaned it (boiled the sponge filters, scrubbed the six-ish big rocks I have, scrubbed his hide, and rinsed the sand substrate AFTER buying new sand the first time through) but nothing seems to work. Literally ANY help would be appreciated at this point as I’m very confused and at the end of my rope

No other substrate except the sand ?

Well, I don't know if I really help you, but answers to these questions may help people more experienced to bring you some help.

 

[Maggie.D]

Hello,


You don't give many details on your tank, but we can suppose there is a filter.
Since ammonia and nitrite have been converted to nitrates, we can suppose the tank (the filter in fact) is cycled.

Ok for the low nitrite in the water, but what about nitrate ?
What water do you use ?
In USA, some tap waters contain monochloramine. A water conditioner decays chloramine in chlorure and ammonia, and then, in a cycled tank, this ammonia should be converted in nitrates.

Have you got live aquatic plants ? light ?
Live plants, especially fast-growing species, could be a serious concurrence against algae.

No other substrate except the sand ?

Well, I don't know if I really help you, but answers to these questions may help people more experienced to bring you some help.

In my tank, I have six(ish) big stones, some sand, a hide, a double sponge filter, and a single sponge filter. I use regular tap water from my bathtub faucet, and I am very sure to dechlorinate it every time I do a water change, but I don’t use Prime so that it doesn’t neutralize the ammonia. I have no live plants, as the last one I brought in gave me snails that I’m still not entirely sure I’m rid of.
My issue is that, when I cycle the tank, the nitrates spike to unhealthy levels. And, as I’m sure you know, the only real way to get rid of nitrates in water is to get rid of the water, as there’s no bacteria or anything that eats it. And through taking out the water in the tank, I set back my cycle every single time, so it’s just a never ending loop of cycling>cycled>high nitrates>water change>restarting the cycle. I’m just not sure what I’m doing wrong, as I cycle the tank exactly like every single source I’ve found tells me to do, but to no avail. Am I adding too much ammonia and it’s making it spike?? I add half of the normal dose of Dr. Tim’s ammonia because when I tried adding the full dose, it was way too high for a properly cycling tank. I just really want to cycle my tank so I can get my axolotl off of my bedroom floor and back into a big tank that he can swim around in. Thank you so much for your help, I appreciate it, and I hope this clears some more things up!

 

[wolfen]

if the water already contains nitrites it is unsuitable to use in an aquarium (not really suitable for human consumption either) it's not uncommon to contain nitrates though, if you are planning to continue using it it will need to be treated before hand, this can be done using special water filters that contain a nitrate/nitrite removing resin (can also be used to remove/reduce nitrates in a tank as well)
what level is your tap waters ammonia nitrites and nitrates at? (the water will need to be dechlorinated first to reduce chlorine into ammonia to find out ammonia level).
try cycling the tank without sand then add the sand afterwards (the sand can build up aerobic and anaerobic bacteria).
how long does it take before the nitrates become 110ppm, because 1ppm ammonia = 2.7ppm nitrites = 3.6ppm nitrates = 30 days, 2ppm ammonia = 15 days etc.., what level are you reducing the nitrates to before restarting?.

 

[Maggie.D]

if the water already contains nitrites it is unsuitable to use in an aquarium (not really suitable for human consumption either) it's not uncommon to contain nitrates though, if you are planning to continue using it it will need to be treated before hand, this can be done using special water filters that contain a nitrate/nitrite removing resin (can also be used to remove/reduce nitrates in a tank as well)
what level is your tap waters ammonia nitrites and nitrates at? (the water will need to be dechlorinated first to reduce chlorine into ammonia to find out ammonia level).
try cycling the tank without sand then add the sand afterwards (the sand can build up aerobic and anaerobic bacteria).
how long does it take before the nitrates become 110ppm, because 1ppm ammonia = 2.7ppm nitrites = 3.6ppm nitrates = 30 days, 2ppm ammonia = 15 days etc.., what level are you reducing the nitrates to before restarting?.

I 100% meant low nitrates in the tap water, that is my fault for the typo. There’s 0 nitrites in the water, .25 ammonia, and 0 nitrates. I dechlorinate my water when I do water changes, I’m very sure of that. I take water out of the tank 50% for about three days, so about 20 ppm of nitrates when I restart. I also move the sand around a lot when I pour the water back into the tank, even though I try not to, and I scrape it so it’s even if I accidentally make a hole in the sand because I poured the water directly onto it. I usually pour the water onto his hide/house so that I don’t disperse the sand too much. Is that releasing the bacteria into the water or something? I’m just very confused as to why, when I cycle it properly, like everything I’ve ever read tells me to, it does this.

 

[JM29]

And through taking out the water in the tank, I set back my cycle every single time,

Please, could you detail what happens (what do you do and what do you mesure ) ?

 

[wolfen]

has the tank at any point been zero ammonia/nitrites after 24hrs from dosing?
did you stop/reduce ammonia dosing when the nitrites spiked?
what type of filter are you using?

 

[Maggie.D]

has the tank at any point been zero ammonia/nitrites after 24hrs from dosing?
did you stop/reduce ammonia dosing when the nitrites spiked?
what type of filter are you using?

The ammonia and nitrites have been zero after 24 hours before, but the nitrates were too high to reintroduce my axolotl back into his tank. I did not stop nor reduce ammonia when the nitrites spiked. I’m using a double sponge filter and a single sponge filter.

 

[Maggie.D]

Please, could you detail what happens (what do you do and what do you mesure ) ?

I’m sorry, could you be more specific?

 

[JM29]

I’m sorry, could you be more specific?

Well, what I understood is :
- There is a moment when you have no ammonia, no nitrite, and 160 ppm nitrate. Your filters then logically are cycled.
- you change 50% of the water with new water without nitrates and almost without ammonia. Then you should obtain a new measure of 80 ppm or so ?
(unless you continue to add ammonia...)

In my opinion, you should stop adding ammonia, reduce the nitrates (say... under 40 ppm) and get back your axolotl in your tank.

 

[wolfen]

what level was the ammonia dosed at 24hrs before the ammonia/nitrites were zero.