"Tynk" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Sep 11, 4:41�pm, "Reel McKoi" wrote:
"RichardB" wrote in message

... Check your tap water for nitrate
levels - you may be adding nearly as much
as you are taking out!

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I got a reading of zero from the faucet. But other times I got readings as
high as 30.

RM....

Being that this was an older tank, it's very possible it was going (or
is) going through "old tank" syndrome.
Even with your 90% water change before adding several new fish, it
would have taken several more changes to do the job.
If you don't want to stress the new fish any more than they already
have been, you could consider doing more frequent, smaller water
changes.

- - It's not the size of the water change, it's the removing the
fluorescent lights (2 2-bulb fixtures), shutting off the filter and then
adding water etc. I usually try to avoid stressing any new fish for at
least a week. They're doing much better this morning. I think I'll give
them until Friday, then start with 25% water changes every other day until
the nitrates are below 20. I also added hornwart, a known nitrate hog and
some elodia.... another nitrate lover. The outside 150g pools are just
about always near zero with these plants doing their job. :-)

You could daily small changes and stress them less than a large, once
a week water change.
I wouldn't do the *once every 2 weeks* on water changes with this
tank.
After you get the nitrates back down and the nitrifying bacteria have
increased their numbers to handle the bio load of all the new
arrivals, and the tank is back to being peachy, you could go back to
your normal 2 week schedule. However, you might also want to stick
with the smaller, weekly changes.

-- I might do that since I only have the two tanks in the house now.
--

RM....
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
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