Aged water being cycled by biofilm and is not a good thing.

[zster929]

Wondering if anybody is having this issue. Have a 44 gallon brute trashcan that I use to to age my water.
In North Dallas that water straight from the tap is pH: 7.4 Am: 1-2ppm Nitrite: 0 Nitrate:0

24 hrs later it becomes pH: 7.4 Am: 1-.5 Nitrate: .25ppm Nitrate: 0-5ppm

There is bioflim in my brute trashcan which got there from the shared pump I use to pump water in and out of fish tank.
I use API dechorlinator and ammonia remover and just started to use Prime to try to get rid of the nitrite.

I've been keeping discus for past 6 mths and boy is this hobby stressful.

If anybody have any suggestions it would be greatful. Thanx.

[Willie]

Adding Prime or other water treatments do not produce nitrate. I don't think the biofilm should do much either. Are you getting false readings because of the chemical itself?

I condition all my water in plastic drums as well with a heater and an airstone. But I don't add any dechlor. Instead, it gets added right into the fish tank as I pump in water from the drum. These chemicals work essentially instantaneously. The side benefit is that my drums stay absolutely clean after 4 - 5 years of use.

My philosophy is as follows. If your hobby isn't hard, requires a lot of work and suck up all of your discretionary spend, it's not much of a hobby.

Good luck with your water changes, Willie

[Eddie]

I condition all my water in plastic drums as well with a heater and an airstone. But I don't add any dechlor. Instead, it gets added right into the fish tank as I pump in water from the drum. These chemicals work essentially instantaneously. The side benefit is that my drums stay absolutely clean after 4 - 5 years of use.



+1

[DJW]

I have read that Prime neutralizes nitrite but that after using it tests are still showing it, or will give confusing results even though it has been converted to a non-toxic form. You should read the Seachem site:

http://www.seachem.com/support/forums/archive/index.php/t-4076.html

Also, why not clean out the water can with some vinegar and start clean, using Prime for the ammonia.

[afriend]

Wondering if anybody is having this issue. Have a 44 gallon brute trashcan that I use to to age my water.
In North Dallas that water straight from the tap is pH: 7.4 Am: 1-2ppm Nitrite: 0 Nitrate:0

24 hrs later it becomes pH: 7.4 Am: 1-.5 Nitrate: .25ppm Nitrate: 0-5ppm

There is bioflim in my brute trashcan which got there from the shared pump I use to pump water in and out of fish tank.
I use API dechorlinator and ammonia remover and just started to use Prime to try to get rid of the nitrite.

I've been keeping discus for past 6 mths and boy is this hobby stressful.

If anybody have any suggestions it would be greatful. Thanx.

Looks like you have bacteria in the trash can that is processing the ammonia in your source water thus producing nitrite and then nitrate. Same process as what results in your biofilter. Probably introduced the bacteria when you used the same pump that pumps water in and out of the fish tank.

Would recommend that you sterilize the trash can and the pump. After that, don't share the pump with your tank.

Also, Prime does not get rid of ammonia or nitrite, it justs neutralizes them so that they are not toxic. Nitrite and nitrate will both result even though they are neutralized if the bacteria are present.

Hope this helps.

Paul

[DJW]

Just in case the vinegar doesn't kill all the bacteria, a safe way to sterilize the water can would be to dry it out and leave it out in the sun for a couple hours. Nitrifying bacteria are non spore-forming and cannot survive being dried out.

[afriend]

Just in case the vinegar doesn't kill all the bacteria, a safe way to sterilize the water can would be to dry it out and leave it out in the sun for a couple hours. Nitrifying bacteria are non spore-forming and cannot survive being dried out.

Another good way to sterilize is with hydrogen peroxide, available at Walmart in the pharmacy for $0.88 per quart. Put about 4 quarts in a 20 gal container, fill with water, and let it sit overnight. It's non toxic and also works wonders on algae. (Do not place it in the fish tank).

[DJW]

Yes, peroxide is I think a more effective disinfectant than vinegar, and safe. You don't want to mix the two though, it forms an irritating and potentially dangerous substance. The only reason I use vinegar is that when I use peroxide I use it all up, and the next time somebody wants some around the house my fish get blamed for it.