The Puffer Forum

lol i will be pissed if it is a faulty Nitrate test.. .. nitrate remover cos £20.. doh.. plus the testing kit cost £20 .. grr. lol just my luck!..

Return the nitrate remover? If unopened

ok not good.. the bottled water is 0ppm .. the water is dangerously toxic..
guess next stage is to contact water board!!..
any other suggestions ?

is the nitrate remove really that bad ?..

no... check out:

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... rigen.html


grab some of that if you can.

Oh my god! You drink that? I would get a few 2l bottles warm it and change out some water as a temporary fix

or go with a fully planted tank. With those numbers you can grow stuff you wouldn't believe Including algae... which I am sure is on the way.

That just reminded me. Take a look at an algae scrubber. If you are a DIY type, the algae in your sump will eat up those nitrates. Just a thought.

Well.. i have been on the phone to the local water board and they have stated the daily water check on the out flow is Nitrate 21ppm. They also stated that there was a peek about 3 weeks to 29ppm. So i think it must be the testing kit. I also just bought paper testing kit that states in the 20ppm. So i guess the Nitrate is either over sensitive or i am a numpty and what ever way i do the test, i muck it up.

the good news is the paper test states that my tank is in the 20ppm zone which is ok..

A little to much chlorine but that can be solved with tap safe.

and pH alittle high..

finally i think it is all coming under control..

time to take a break and relax!

Thanks for all the forum support really appreciate..

best

Dan

good stuff! Well done

As mentioned, you'd be in it for the long haul. I am glad things are working out and from here you should know the road to take.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask!

one quick question.. now everything is starting to look ok.. how often and how much water should i change?

take readings weekly. and water change accordingly.

In an adequately stocked tank when your nitrates hit 40 do a water change 50% (or several small partials). That is within 1 week.

If your nitrates are lower or higher than that you go more frequently or less frequently. That is a basic guide. If you want under 20 then the same principal applies. Under 40 is good. Under 20 is excellent, under 10 is outstanding.
It is up to you to do the tests and keep the water quality at its best.

+1 to a planted tank suggestion.

Your test is not likely to be faulty, just that the colormetric scales are really difficult sometimes to determine the number relative to the color.

I am surprised you went out & bought a 2nd puffer when your 1st one is having issues.

i have to say i have heard that the chlorine evaporates if left for a couple of hours.

that would be 24 hours & does not get rid of chloramines. Use Prime for dechlorinating your water.

Hi sorry for not posting for a while,

The puffers are doing really well, the second encouraged the first to start on the snails and to eat the frozen bloodworms, all seems good! all the fish are doing well apart from one little miss hap with a guppy when the puffer went for a blood worm that the guppy went for... lost a chunk out of its tail.. all is good though. growing back nicely.

the nitrate in the tank is back down to 10 -20 area, which is good and all level looking good.

I keep up with 30% water change every 2 days and the aquarium is well planted.. looking good on all front.

Many Thanks

thanks for the support.

Best

Dan

Good job. Those guppys won't last long tho, soon to be puffer snacks