High nitrates

Error in your test? And new sand, old, none?

 

Really bad error. My nitrates are at 5 or 10 when a store did it for me. Sorry for the false alarm and thanks everyone for suggestions and responses. I mine as well ask this in this thread but does anyone think my tank is over stocked? Keep in mind my filter is rated for 200 gallons. I was thinking because I did a 12 gallon change after a week when my nitrates were at 20 ish and now its half or a quarter so is my tank over stocked? I already understand my tank isn't mature enough but other wise what do you guys think.

 

Great to hear!

 

Yep! One thing I've learned in this hobby over the years, if something seems fishy, it probably is (pardon the pun ).

As for your stock level, I think you're at your limit. Not really overstocked, but I wouldn't add any more fish.

 

Am I missing the stocking list besides 6?

 

Very High Nitrates, help

Hi just did a water test. My ph is 8, my ammonia is .25, close to the color of .25, nitrites are 0 and nitrates well that is my problem. I had just shook the tube and it went right to the highest color on the color chart. I never had this before. I have a trickle filter, protein skimmer. Have rocks and sand. Have a clown, damsel, niger trigger (yes I know they will grow big) and added a puffer. All getting along fine, all looking great. The clown has grown almost twice it size in a year. Oh my tank is about a year old. Doing a 33% change. Gonna put in strezz (whatever that is called) and also prime. Not certain what caused the spike. My son sure loves to feed the fish, that might be a problem. I had a cleaner crab in the tank, but the trigger ate it. I supplied him with a crab dinner. I have lost the smaller fish I has in there to start the tank off. Oh my tank is a 90 gallon or 95 can't remember. Guess I should check the size out. Spoke to the pet store guy he did say do a 33% change, which I am doing.
1. My fish look great, no stress
2. Sorry to say, I haven't done water changes for awhile. My husband passed, I got the flu and sorry to say it was neglected. So gonna get on track with the water changes. I assume once a week is ok?
3. Trickle filter on the back
4. Protein skimmer
5. My RO died on me so just using the under the sink canister water cleaner.
6. PH 8 Is that ok??
7. Ammonia .25 just under I know should be zero
8. Nitrites 0
9. Nitrates ski hi.

So guess what water changes 33 % anything else should I do?? Should I remove some of the sand, and rocks and clean them off. Also I had cleaned out my filters last night, made the tank water so messy looking. Could that have caused my problem?? :-/ Thanks Lynda