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NEED SOME HELP

Check your nitrate levels at the end f a week before the next water change to, it is very easy to overdose complete liquid ferts...
I did have a water test kit but guys on here were saying they are rubbish and to get rid. So what else could I use to test my nitrate levels. I do a 50% water change once a week to reset all nutrients ready for the week ahead.

Cheers lee
 
Hi
the 50% WC should be enough to sort your ferts excess .High nitrates are dangerous only when they are the smoking gun of previous Ammonia spike that went unnoticed.The once added from ferts are harmless.Its a large tank and your bioload seems not much for it.As overdosing ferts is concerned I was dosing my low tech tanks for long time with full EI and had no shrimps deaths from that.Infertility(struggling to keep the eggs and trowing them constantly) maybe but deaths definitely not..Many on here do high ferts and shrimps with no problems too. I did have few deaths from (dirt)soil substrate going bad and few due to doing large WC(70-80%) with large TDS fluctuations.U need to take the TDS before and after WC.If there is big gap between the 2 figures may be good to do 2 small 25% instead.Cherry shrimps while hardy they still prefer stability .I feed mine spirulina tabs,Hikari shrimp and crab cuisine, almond leaves,mulberry leaves,Blanched (nettle ,kale,spinach...)I tried cuttle bone,mineral stones,calcuim bentonite clay and ...in past to get the colony strong and breeding but seems Im getting slowly there only by being more carefull about the %of water Im changing at a time as current shrimp tank is only tiny (22l )and is easy for things to fluctuate dramatically due to low volume.I dont currently add ferts to the tank as trying alternative metod of growing plants on sand and Californian black worm poop only:D
In all my other tanks cherries unfortunately got eaten:eek:
If U are in my area and your TDS from tap is similar to mine (~160) I imagine your tank should be arround 250-330 (depending on your fert addition)that is in the good range for cherries anyway.U need to get that reading.lol
Regards Konsa
 
Hi
the 50% WC should be enough to sort your ferts excess .High nitrates are dangerous only when they are the smoking gun of previous Ammonia spike that went unnoticed.The once added from ferts are harmless.Its a large tank and your bioload seems not much for it.As overdosing ferts is concerned I was dosing my low tech tanks for long time with full EI and had no shrimps deaths from that.Infertility(struggling to keep the eggs and trowing them constantly) maybe but deaths definitely not..Many on here do high ferts and shrimps with no problems too. I did have few deaths from (dirt)soil substrate going bad and few due to doing large WC(70-80%) with large TDS fluctuations.U need to take the TDS before and after WC.If there is big gap between the 2 figures may be good to do 2 small 25% instead.Cherry shrimps while hardy they still prefer stability .I feed mine spirulina tabs,Hikari shrimp and crab cuisine, almond leaves,mulberry leaves,Blanched (nettle ,kale,spinach...)I tried cuttle bone,mineral stones,calcuim bentonite clay and ...in past to get the colony strong and breeding but seems Im getting slowly there only by being more carefull about the %of water Im changing at a time as current shrimp tank is only tiny (22l )and is easy for things to fluctuate dramatically due to low volume.I dont currently add ferts to the tank as trying alternative metod of growing plants on sand and Californian black worm poop only:D
In all my other tanks cherries unfortunately got eaten:eek:
If U are in my area and your TDS from tap is similar to mine (~160) I imagine your tank should be arround 250-330 (depending on your fert addition)that is in the good range for cherries anyway.U need to get that reading. I should be similar to you then as I live in preston. I feed my shrimp algae tablets, flake, granules. Then they eat all the biofilm in the tank also. Oh and cuttle bone that's in the tank aswel. My bioload isn't big for my tank size. 100/150 cherrys 10 armano shrimp. 3 orange corys 15 neon tetras 20 black tetras and 20 ember tetras. My tank is 400 litres. I will test my water tomorrow before and after the water change and will see the difference.

Thanks lee
 
Test the nitrate as well just to see for me... I've struggled with it in the past and believe it killed my Amano shrimp so let me know the values... would be good even if only to rule this out. I'm personally not convinced that nitrates in ferts are ok compared to natural nitrates... I'm talking about them being in high concentrations over 150 or 200ppm...
 
Hi
If it needs be and U dont have tests.Get a sample to a LFS they can test it for U.Although I took mine Macro solution to one of mine to get tested for PO4 and they found it was no PO4 in it .Wich I suspected .Then thinking it was my tank water they adviced me promptly that my NO3 were high and if I have algae I should bala bla... I was not listening at that point.Its a good fish store with marine section and as long as fish is concerned they are very good but with plants they are pretty rubbish.
Regards Konsa
 
The thing is .. do you think your LFS has suitable testing equipment and a technician to operate it?
It would be a huge investment for them!
I would think (like my LFS) they use the same grade test kits that you can buy in their shop?
 
Hi

In my case it was more to get a reading of any sort just to confirm any PO4 present not to get any acurate figures.For that I do trust the test kits.I dont test anything in my tanks.My water parameters are what they are. Iam not one to fiddle about with them.
I very much prefer fiddling with my plants and keeping it simple.;)
Regards Konsa
 
The thing is .. do you think your LFS has suitable testing equipment and a technician to operate it?
It would be a huge investment for them!
I would think (like my LFS) they use the same grade test kits that you can buy in their shop?
My lfs store which is maidenhead in broughton preston. Just use the dip tests which I don't think is any good. I did used to test my water every week with my own master kits but again I think they were a waste of time also.
Cheers lee
 
Test the nitrate as well just to see for me... I've struggled with it in the past and believe it killed my Amano shrimp so let me know the values... would be good even if only to rule this out. I'm personally not convinced that nitrates in ferts are ok compared to natural nitrates... I'm talking about them being in high concentrations over 150 or 200ppm...
Because I have no kit to test any more. And I don't really trust the lfs readings. What else could I do apart from the 50% water change which will reset everything? Do plants remove nitrates from the water?
Cheers lee
 

I should be similar to you then as I live in preston. I feed my shrimp algae tablets, flake, granules. Then they eat all the biofilm in the tank also. Oh and cuttle bone that's in the tank aswel. My bioload isn't big for my tank size. 100/150 cherrys 10 armano shrimp. 3 orange corys 15 neon tetras 20 black tetras and 20 ember tetras. My tank is 400 litres. I will test my water tomorrow before and after the water change and will see the difference. Thanks lee
 
Because I have no kit to test any more. And I don't really trust the lfs readings. What else could I do apart from the 50% water change which will reset everything? Do plants remove nitrates from the water?
Cheers lee
Plant do remove them but they may not be keeping up with the production by fish depending on if you have mostly slow growing plants or not. LFS test will be fine to rule in or out whether it's a problem currently. Just need to know if it's very high or not. Just working through process of elimination... you could do more water changes to bring the levels down but given what else has been said here, you would want to cut fertilisation down IF this is a problem...
 
Because I have no kit to test any more. And I don't really trust the lfs readings. What else could I do apart from the 50% water change which will reset everything? Do plants remove nitrates from the water?
Cheers lee
Hi
Yes plants remove Nitrate,they will use whatever N source they have including Ammonia.The floating plants in particular are very good at that as not CO2 limited.Darrel is always preaching about how usefull they are and I couldn't agree more.U need to make sure your ferts are covering the rest of the nutrients so the uptake is not limited by other nutrient but this will show first in the floters anyway.
U are very welcome to have some Frogbit and Dwarf watter lettuce if U want.I bin loads every week.
Regards Konsa
 
Hi
Yes plants remove Nitrate,they will use whatever N source they have including Ammonia.The floating plants in particular are very good at that as not CO2 limited.Darrel is always preaching about how usefull they are and I couldn't agree more.U need to make sure your ferts are covering the rest of the nutrients so the uptake is not limited by other nutrient but this will show first in the floters anyway.
U are very welcome to have some Frogbit and Dwarf watter lettuce if U want.I bin loads every week.
Regards Konsa
Yes please thank you konsa. I dose tnc complete everyday. Also plants are in tropica soil with root tabs that I put in bk in July. Would all this be enough nutrients?

Thanks lee
 
Hi
You should be ok for nutrients.The floaters dont need CO2 injection as they have access to atmospheric whopping 400ppm.
Do U drive?
Im off work till Wednesday so anytime convinient for U is ok with me.Will pm my address.
Regards Konsa
 
Hi
You should be ok for nutrients.The floaters dont need CO2 injection as they have access to atmospheric whopping 400ppm.
Do U drive?
Im off work till Wednesday so anytime convinient for U is ok with me.Will pm my address.
Regards Konsa
Hi mate yes I do drive I will pop round say Tue after work if that's ok. Not sure what time I can work till 7ish.
 
Hi
the 50% WC should be enough to sort your ferts excess .High nitrates are dangerous only when they are the smoking gun of previous Ammonia spike that went unnoticed.The once added from ferts are harmless.Its a large tank and your bioload seems not much for it.As overdosing ferts is concerned I was dosing my low tech tanks for long time with full EI and had no shrimps deaths from that.Infertility(struggling to keep the eggs and trowing them constantly) maybe but deaths definitely not..Many on here do high ferts and shrimps with no problems too. I did have few deaths from (dirt)soil substrate going bad and few due to doing large WC(70-80%) with large TDS fluctuations.U need to take the TDS before and after WC.If there is big gap between the 2 figures may be good to do 2 small 25% instead.Cherry shrimps while hardy they still prefer stability .I feed mine spirulina tabs,Hikari shrimp and crab cuisine, almond leaves,mulberry leaves,Blanched (nettle ,kale,spinach...)I tried cuttle bone,mineral stones,calcuim bentonite clay and ...in past to get the colony strong and breeding but seems Im getting slowly there only by being more carefull about the %of water Im changing at a time as current shrimp tank is only tiny (22l )and is easy for things to fluctuate dramatically due to low volume.I dont currently add ferts to the tank as trying alternative metod of growing plants on sand and Californian black worm poop only:D
In all my other tanks cherries unfortunately got eaten:eek:
If U are in my area and your TDS from tap is similar to mine (~160) I imagine your tank should be arround 250-330 (depending on your fert addition)that is in the good range for cherries anyway.U need to get that reading.lol
Regards Konsa
Just done a 50% water change and also added loads more plants at the same time. So I disturbed the soil. TDS reading before water change was 178ppm. TDS reading after water change 164ppm not a big difference. Could this be because of the soil been disturbed due to planting new plan
 
Hi
It is normal to get TDS increase in your tank before the waterchange.Fish food,ferts,fish poop ... everything add to it.
U actually dont need the actual figures.They only matter if U start with RO and add minerals yourself.
In your case U have tap water at TDS 155.Your tank water is TDS 178 before waterchanges and 164 ( this is your base line)after wich is not a big difference.That is good.That means that your water chemistry is fairly constant and sign of clear water.U know for a fact that the shrimp are in stable water and that is not why U are getting deaths.
There are other things to consider:
Disease for example.Have U noticed any black rusty spots on their bodies, green fungus where they keep their eggs,anything out of the ordinary.
May be look into DIY gh booster to add a bit more minerals to the water let say U add after WC till U hit 250 TDS in your tank and thats your dose.
Try a bit more varied diet to make sure they get everything they need.May be some blanched kale,spinach,nettle or dried leaves form time to time,spirulina tabs.(I get mine 100%spirulina tabs from Herons on eBay 25g for £3.They hold shape very well and boost shrimp colours.I find them good food. )
I am sorry that I cant be more specific but its hard for mee too as everything in your tank seems ok.
Also are the old shrimps that U find dead or juveniles too?Do they seem active like they should be (especially on feeding time)or just letargic and hiding all the time?
Regards Konsa
 
Hi
It is normal to get TDS increase in your tank before the waterchange.Fish food,ferts,fish poop ... everything add to it.
U actually dont need the actual figures.They only matter if U start with RO and add minerals yourself.
In your case U have tap water at TDS 155.Your tank water is TDS 178 before waterchanges and 164 ( this is your base line)after wich is not a big difference.That is good.That means that your water chemistry is fairly constant and sign of clear water.U know for a fact that the shrimp are in stable water and that is not why U are getting deaths.
There are other things to consider:
Disease for example.Have U noticed any black rusty spots on their bodies, green fungus where they keep their eggs,anything out of the ordinary.
May be look into DIY gh booster to add a bit more minerals to the water let say U add after WC till U hit 250 TDS in your tank and thats your dose.
Try a bit more varied diet to make sure they get everything they need.May be some blanched kale,spinach,nettle or dried leaves form time to time,spirulina tabs.(I get mine 100%spirulina tabs from Herons on eBay 25g for £3.They hold shape very well and boost shrimp colours.I find them good food. )
I am sorry that I cant be more specific but its hard for mee too as everything in your tank seems ok.
Also are the old shrimps that U find dead or juveniles too?Do they seem active like they should be (especially on feeding time)or just letargic and hiding all the time?
Regards Konsa
All the shrimp seem very active like usual and at feeding time they all come out to feed. The deaths some have been adults the odd one been smaller ones. The odd shrimp does have slight darker patches on them like browny colour I will try and get a pic tomoz after work when lights come on. No green fungus were the eggs are. I look for that all the time. Some have white chaulky lines down there back. I will try some different foods. When you say nettle leafs is that nettles I can just find in a field? What can I buy to boost my GH?
Thanks you have been a great help.

Cheers Lee
 
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