Nitrate levels wont drop

tiny

So my tank just finished its cycle and i stocked it. All the levels are good but nitrate it is at 10 ppm. So I did a 20% water change yesterday and tested the water again today and it is still at 10 ppm for nitrate. Should I keep doing water changes or is that bad? Just need some quick advice. Thanks.

molliefan09

what kind of tank do you have fresh or salt water?? and what kind of test kit are you using?? liquid? strips? also, can you share some more info on your tank?? size? inhabitants? planted or not? filter? substrate?

molliefan09

if it is the tankl in your aquariums log then as long as your nitrItes and ammonia are at 0ppm and stay there then your cycle is complete. nitrAtes at 10ppm are good....someone else correct me if i am wrong. Just make sure it is nitrAte and not nitrIte....also just as a side note your Common Pleco will outgrow this tank

tiny

Yeh its the tank under my profile. Alright if 10 ppm is ok what is a level that i should worry about?

molliefan09

i thought it was 80ppm but someone else told me 400ppm. check out this thead...i just posted it last week
nitrAte on the rise

Twistersmom

Most people recommend keeping nitrates under 40 ppm. IMO, 400 ppm is way to high. I have a Goldfish that suffers from swim bladder problems, the lower the nitrates, the less problems he seems to have.

1077

10ppm NitrAtes is good just keep doin what your doin.

Jack Middleton

400ppm is safe,science confirms this!

ive not tested my nitrate for over 6 months.

1. I hate crappy hobby test kits which are not even accurate, they're as good as a chocolate fire place.
2. Most have a scale that is too big ie increments of 40 instead of 20.

Twistersmom

I could not agree more about nitrate test kits for aquariums being terrible!
I also have the problem of nitrates in my tap water. If I can fit in extra water changes through the week to lower the nitrates, there is a notable difference in a few of my fish.
The Goldfish appears more healthy. My bloivian rams only engage in mating behavior when nitrates are on the low end.

1077

I havent tested my tanks for nearly two years for I keep up on water changes. While studies indicate that nitrates may not be harmful in and of themselves, It is indicitive of an accumulation of organic waste. In planted tanks, much of this waste can be used by plants.
Most expierienced fish keeper's as well as plant folks may question the effects of nitrates but nearly all can agree that lower levels are better. Only an idiot in my view,, would recommend otherwise.
The same studies that suggest that nitrates aren't harmful in and of themselves,or at least those studies I have read,,also suggest that some species of fish may be more sensitive than others and that elevated levels may cause non specific osmoregulatory failure over a period of time. These studies also suggest that high nitrate levels have shown to have adverse effects on egg incubation and embyo development in some species of fish. This would leave me,as well as others to belive perhaps the testing or studies need to continue to observe longterm effects.
I need no such studies to determine that my fish are healthier and water parameters remain STABLE with lower levels of organics. I am not inclined to expound on the obvious any further.