I have nitrate in my fish tank and I did a 30% water change so now how long do I wait to check the nitrates .?

Answer 1

you're suppose to have nitrate in your tank

But your nitrite and ammonia are suppose to be at 0

you need to check for these 2 right away and let us know the results



Hope that helps
Good luck


EB



Will check back later

Answer 2

There is no chemical reaction going on. You just need to wait long enough for the water in your tank to mix completely (old and new that you addded) so you can get an accurate test of the new ppm. This time depends on how much current there is in your tank. I have a lot of current in my tank because of my choice in filters. My tank will mix good in an hour. Waiting until the next day and testing just before you change more water is OK though.

You should have 0 ppm for ammonia and nitrites. You are not SUPPOSSED to have nitrates, however it is OK to have them up to 20 ppm. I prefer to keep mine under 10 ppm, although they often are close to zero because of good care. Over 20 ppm begins to be stressful to the fish and also results in nitrogen sources which can cause algea blooms.

Small water changes (like the 30% you did) more often is better than large ones once in a while. If your tank is in bad condition you CAN kill your fish by changing too much water to fast. That is NOT a myth like somebody said. If your tank gets to a very bad state you should do many small water changes (15%-20% once a day) over however many days it takes to bring the water condition to a quality condition. If your water quality is already very good then large water changes will not stress out your fish except for them thinking there is a hole in the tank! But it is not necessary to do large changes if your water is good....

Answer 3

Next day. 30% water change may do very little to keep nitrates under 20 ppm. Go bigger volume, but be very careful to keep the water temp consistant. I'm sure you know to dechlorinate. Changing a lot of water won't hurt the fish, that is a myth, fish like to have clean water. Poor water quality is more stressful to fish than a huge water change.
NitrAte and nitrite are two different things. Nitrite should be zero. Nitrate should be there but in low amounts, under 20 ppm. If you have confused them and your nitrites are high you definately need to change more than 30% of the water. Try 50-75%, you have to get nitrite out.

Answer 4

At least 24 hrs, to let things settle. Your nitrate levels should be below a certain amount depending on the kind of fish you keep. Most sources say to keep it below 40ppm. I think 25ppm is a lot healthier, and 10ppm is necessary if you're keeping delicate species like rams or discus. Do a partial water change weekly!

Answer 5

You could wait around 1-2 hours give or take. Nitrates should be 0 if you have a well established tank and do weekly to bi weekly water changes.

Answer 6

24 Hr