Nitrate levels.

Question
QUESTION: Hi!  I emailed you the other day about my one Fancy Goldfish staying on the bottom a lot. Yesterday, he was fine, again.  But, to-day, he is back on the bottom.  He can swim and eats O.K.  My Nitrates are still 40, after doing a 50% water change, then 25% water changes for past four days.  I am vacuuming gravel at the same time.  Yet, the Nitrates are still 40.  Why aren't they going down?  I am also rinsing off the filter parts.   Out of the filter parts - charcoal; ammonia; and foam block - which one could help lower the Nitrates, if I changed it?  Or, don't any of them help?

ANSWER: Hi Marian,

Let's go over his tank's size again.  I'm so sorry, I get so many questions I forget who's got what size tank.  Can you refresh my memory as to your specifications?  Remember, one goldfish per 25 gallons.  :)  Let me know and we can figure out why nitrates are high.  Most likely, they're coming from the gravel, and it will just take many, many water changes to cycle it out, but without knowing your specifications, I can't really try to figure out what's going on.  I do suspect it's the tank's size in comparison to his poo, but maybe not. It could just be a lot of stuff in the gravel, still in there causing issues.  Sometimes, nitrates don't come out for weeks of siphoning every 2 to 3 days.

It takes time.

Looking forward to your response. :)

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My tank is 50 gallons, but over-stocked I know.  My 6 Goldfish are all under 4 inches in length, plus 9 cory catfish; a pleco; 2 algae eaters and one Betta.  I have syphoned the gravel every day for the past four days now, and the Nitrates are still at 40.  I believe it started by my possibly over-feeding them.  But, I have cut down now.

ANSWER: Hi Marian,

It can't do anything but improve over time, the more you clean and learn to feed less.  Sounds like you are making monumental strides to get things in order.  Kudos to you for that. :)  Good job.

Keep it up.  The water will take quite some time to clean up.  Perhaps weeks of siphoning and cleaning.  It's tedious, but well worth it once done.

The goldfish will be a continual issue.  Keep siphoning every weekend if you have that many fish, once you get the nitrates under control.

:)


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi, again!  I keep vacuuming the gravel daily, and removing 25% of the water, also.  Yet, the Nitrate level is still 40.  It never changes.  On the instructions in the 5 in 1 Test Strips box, it says API Nitra Zorb will lower the Nitrates, and that water changes won't do much for Nitrates.  Only Nitrites.  I have been vacuuming the gravel and water changes for about a week now.  What do you think about trying the Nitra Zorb?

Answer
I don't like it.  I don't recommend it, but if you must use it to lower nitrates in this situation, go ahead and do so.  Have you considered giving half the fish away to a new home?  I hate to ask, but perhaps it's a good idea and will really help get the tank in order.

Craigslist has been a great place for me to help find unwanted fish great homes.