# Brand New Tank - Instantly/Permanently High Nitrates



## Czilla9000 (Apr 28, 2014)

Hi Everyone,

I have an odd situation here -

On Sunday May 4th I set up a brand new Walstad-inspired tank, my first. It's a 5-gallon (using a Fluval Spec V _sans_ charcoal filter I removed the 2nd day). *No fish in yet* - Just 2 Pygmy Chain Swords, an Anubias Nana, and a Java Fern. The plants seem in fine health.

Virtually instantaneously I had very high nitrates (but very low nitrites and very low ammonia). I've been doing 50% water changes every day, but yet nitrates stay permanently high no matter what I do. Even after _immediately_ doing a 50% water change, I get a high nitrate reading.

I tested the tap water, nitrates are there in trace amounts but not nearly as high as in the tank.

I'm wondering if the soil is to blame - I remember in the book that the soil may be unstable at first - I used the closest soil I could locally find to pure dirt, this stuff. It's free of chemical additives and is natural. The ingredients are Composted Forest Products, Top Soil, Sand, and Perlite. I removed as many Perlite bits as I could so it wouldn't float up. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gardener-s-Pride-All-Purpose-Potting-Soil-4-Qts/19341304

I've been using Tetra 6-in-1 test strips. I have an API Master Test kit on order, but for now I'm terrified to add fish while Nitrates stay perpetually high. Will the problem go away on its own?

Thanks!


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## qwe123 (Jun 15, 2011)

I'm sure it is coming from the soil, and you simply don't have enough plants to soak it up. I'd throw in some stem plants and floaters such as frogbit. With the plants you have in there, I don't know that it would go away on its own...


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## Czilla9000 (Apr 28, 2014)

What I'm wondering - and I'm showing my ignorance here - is the soil producing Nitrate directly or did the soil come with bacteria that are converting ammonia-to-nitrite-to-nitrate. I didn't cycle it at all.


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## qwe123 (Jun 15, 2011)

I'd imagine it could be either or, but I'm not positive...


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## SBS (Feb 26, 2013)

Having no fish yet I wouldn't even bother worrying or testing the tank.
Just do larger water changes every other day to prevent algae blooms and fill the tank with fast growing plants. Java fern and anubias are just decorations, they are slow growers, so they take up everything slowly and not enough to start a successful tank.
As suggested already, floating plants and some fast growing stem plants would help the tank cycle faster.

In 2-4 weeks you can maybe test and see if you can add fish. Since it's a 5g tank you can't add many fish, something along the lines of one betta or dwarf shrimp may do good but for them I'd wait longer. Most fish, even small varieties need larger space than this either because of active behaviour or because they need to be in groups of larger numbers than a 5g can support.

Fish are tolerant to nitrAtes even in higher amounts, however the problem is that nitrates are the final product of ammonia to nitrite to nitrate conversion. So high nitrates in a cycled tank indicates the presence of high organic load, high ammounts of ammonia processing, high oxygen consumption possibly stressing the fish and affecting their health if there are any, and in such conditions the fish will struggle so I'd wait patiently for the tank to mature a bit and settle down before adding any fish. Nitrates won't be a problem if the tank starts growing well.

Enjoy your tank, watch it grow for a bit, take the time to plant the plants the way you like them after seeing how tall and how they grow. Then once happy and all stats are in check, add the fish. If adding more than one fish, do larger and more frequent water changes for a while afterwards as it can still cause a spike and small tanks aren't very good at dealing well with sudden bioload.

Good luck, I am sure you'll enjoy your Walstad tank.


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## Czilla9000 (Apr 28, 2014)

"So high nitrates in a cycled tank indicates the presence of high organic load,"

That's what's so weird - it's not a cycled tank. It's brand new.


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## SBS (Feb 26, 2013)

Czilla9000 said:


> "So high nitrates in a cycled tank indicates the presence of high organic load,"
> 
> That's what's so weird - it's not a cycled tank. It's brand new.


Yes, that's correct. However you have a soil substrate which is full of organics and bacteria. I don't find that weird.



> but for now I'm terrified to add fish while Nitrates stay perpetually high. Will the problem go away on its own?


But yes, it's not a cycled tank yet. So I was just trying to say that adding fish at this point isn't advisable and it's not because of the high nitrates but all other substances in the soil and processes now happening.


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## Skizhx (Oct 12, 2010)

It's the compost they added to your soil. Best to avoid products with compost added. I would wait until the nitrates are under control before adding fish or anything.


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## Czilla9000 (Apr 28, 2014)

The situation appears to be improving. One of my Pygmy Chain Swords is growing fast. Nitrates have fallen to about 40 ppm or so. 

Any specific and easy-to-find plants you suggest adding? Or should I just go with more Pygmy Chain Swords?


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## runningantelope (Jan 27, 2013)

Czilla9000 said:


> Any specific and easy-to-find plants you suggest adding? Or should I just go with more Pygmy Chain Swords?


http://www.tropica.com/dk/planter/kategorisering-efter-anvendelse/hjaelpeplanter.aspx

Tropica has a list of supporting plants for starting a new setup which grow fast and will use up nutrients to help with any algae outbreaks. Once you get everything established you can start to swap out some of the starter supporting plants with more demanding plants if you choose.

The Hygrophila's listed on that site are excellent and you can usually find some at Petco and Petsmart in the plant tubes they sell.


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## qwe123 (Jun 15, 2011)

Hornwort is a good one. You can just let it float and soak up nitrates, then once your other plants have taken over, it's easy to remove.


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