# Nitrates lowering naturally ???



## bigcountry10 (Sep 24, 2011)

It is Finished!!!

Just checked the water perameters a few minutes ago and my nitrites finaly dropped to zero today. I did another dose of ammonia so I can check it tommarrow to make sure, but i think im set. My question is about a week and a half ago or two weeks ago I did a full water perameter check and the nitrates were up to about 40 - 60ppm. Today when I checked them they dropped down to about 10-5 ppm. I thought one of the only sure fire ways to get rid of them was from water changes,which i havent done, I do have two plants, dwarf pennywart, and a Echinodorus tennelus with 4 runners, but they aren't enough to drop the nitrates that much are they ???


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

bigcountry10 said:


> It is Finished!!!
> 
> Just checked the water perameters a few minutes ago and my nitrites finaly dropped to zero today. I did another dose of ammonia so I can check it tommarrow to make sure, but i think im set. My question is about a week and a half ago or two weeks ago I did a full water perameter check and the nitrates were up to about 40 - 60ppm. Today when I checked them they dropped down to about 10-5 ppm. I thought *one of the only sure fire ways to get rid of them was from water change*s,which i havent done, I do have two plants, dwarf pennywart, and a Echinodorus tennelus with 4 runners, but they aren't enough to drop the nitrates that much are they ???


Guess they were enough to drop nitrates.

so now you know.*old dude

my .02


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Plants will lower them, but I don't think at that rate. They will use them up faster in higher light levels and will only consume when your light is on. I have sat at 2ppm ammonia for over 10days in a pretty heavily planted tank during a fishless cycle with a low medium light and 10hr lighting period. I stopped dosing ammonia to see how fast the plants would use it up. Plants use ammonia in a similar manner. 

I think you may have just had a bad test. A Nitrate test will get darker and darker the longer you let it sit. If you wait 10min vs 5min like the directions say, you'll have a different result. Not saying that is what you did, but just saying you may have had a bad test.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Sure do a second test.

but with your existing three tests all showing decreases, I suspect you nitrates dropped to unmeasureable levels.

Just has happened in my tanks over a week or so. the final light yellow result seems to happen with a 15ppm or so drop from the day before.

Now aren't you really really glad you didn't do water changes during this time. Had you then you wouldn't be sure if it was the water changes or the tank. This way at least you know it was the tank.


congrates.


and my .02


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Uh yeah, water changes during a "fishless" cycle is counter productive. One of the main reasons for doing it.

15ppm in one day in a lowlight tank.....sounds like you needed to do another test also, lol.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Just bear in mind that as soon as fish go in, you should start with the water changes.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

bigcountry10 said:


> about a week and a half ago or two weeks ago I did a full water perameter check and the nitrates were up to about 40 - 60ppm. Today when I checked them they dropped down to about 10-5 ppm
> ...I do have two plants, dwarf pennywart, and a Echinodorus tennelus with 4 runners, but they aren't enough to drop the nitrates that much are they ???


If you retest and it is still saying the same seems like it must be the plants. If the nitrates were 40 two weeks ago and now they are 10 guess it's not such a huge jump. Are the plants showing plenty of sign of growth?

I cycled a tank a while back that was semi planted with Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (Brazilian Micro Sword ) during the cycle. I was doing some water changes but nitrates were steadily rising during the second half of the cycle until nitrites reached close to 0 and the nitrates started dropping quite fast. I assume plants were using ammonia and nitrites but once there were less available they resorted to using more nitrates.


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## bigcountry10 (Sep 24, 2011)

Yeah the sword has grown 5 news runners


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

navigator black said:


> Just bear in mind that as soon as fish go in, you should start with the water changes.


what would the water changes be for if nitrates remain a 0 or drop to 0 after say 3 weeks?

my .02


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

beaslbob said:


> what would the ater changes be for if nitrates remain a 0 or drop to 0 after say 3 weeks?
> 
> my .02


Uh...fresh water? Not that hard to figure out.


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