Please help me figure this out

[etr63]

Hi All
Here's my story. I have just started raising discus a month ago. I have a 55 gal bb tank. 8 young discus about 4 months old, 1 hydrosponge 5 and a canister filter. I age my water 24 hours. My tap water contains chloramines. I have had 2 occurences where I have had NitrItes in the tap water. (after long periods of heavy rain). With the last occurence I added a hydrosponge 5 to the storage barrel. When the tap water cleared up (no more NitrItes) I removed the filter from the barrel and drained and cleaned the barrel. I have not had NitrItes in the tap water since ( about 2 weeks now ). Now I have NitrItes in the barrel at a hair under 1 ppm. Nitrates at 12.5 mg/l. How can I have nitrItes in the barrel when there are none in the tap water. I use prime to treat the water in the barrel with a heater and 2 air stones. I do 50% WCs daily and vacum before and after every feeding. The readings in the tank have been
NitrItes 0 ppm
ammonia 0 ppm
ph 7.0
gh 7 dh
kh 2 dh
NitrAtes 12.5
I havent been able to get my NitrAtes down which led me to test the barrel and I found the NitrIte readings NitrAtes in the barrel are 12.5 mg/l hence the reason I cant get them to lower in the tank. I would'nt have known about the NitrItes if it werent for the NitrAtes. I placed the sponge filter back in the barrel tonight. I just finnished the WC and the NitrItes are .5 ppm I have to keep testing to see how long until the bio filter get rid of them. Any help from any one would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Earl

[RyanH]

Hey Earl,

I would call the water company and ask them what the problem is because it sounds like you are doing everything right.

BTW, I wouldn't bother with a sponge in the storage barrel. Bacteria will not break down nitrAtes anyway.

[etr63]

Its Been about 3 hrs since the WC and the nitrItes in the tank droped by 3/4. Judgeing by this it should take 4 hrs or less for the nitrItes to drop from .5 to 0 ppm. ( as the last 30 min had a drop of 1/4 of the total) . I hate putting water with nitrItes in at the WC. I guess I can do 2 = 25% WCs a day as opposed to 1 = 50% WC a day. until this weekend and then drain the barrel again and refill. Should I use anything to clean the barrel out? in the past I just wiped it out really well then refilled. any thoughts?

[RyanH]

Wiping it out will probably be fine. I usually use bleach when cleaning equipment. Just rinse really well and add some water conditioner. If you have any doubts, drop in an airstone and wait 24 hours for the chlorine to evaporate.

[Carol_Roberts]

Do you know how often you have nitrItes in your tap water ? The cycled sponge in your storage tank will convert the nitrItes in your tap water to nitrAtes.

I don't understand how .5 nitrItes will turn into 12.5 nitrAtes ???

[etr63]

I have only been testing for NitrItes and Nitrates since I started setting up for discus ( 4 months now ). I have had nitrItes in the tap twice both in the month of May lasting for one or two days. I called the water co. and was told that during heavy rain that people use less water and the water doesn't move through the main as fast. After the last occurence I cleaned the barrel and tested for a few days with no nitrItes. The water in the tank was at 0 ppm for nitrItes this morn. The water in the barrel is at .5 nitrItes. I'm going to clean out the barrel this weekend and refill. I'm at a loss as to why I get nitrIttes in the barrel.

Earl

[XeBurnout]

I'm only offering this as a possibility.

If you are only getting unexpected results after upset conditions (heavy rain event) then there is a possibility that something is interfereing with your sample.

Ferric iron is one example of something which interferes with Nitrate sampling. Chloride also interferes (at high levels) but causes low results. Any Oxidizing and reducing substances will interfere at all levels. If you also see a lower than normal pH this could be a possibility.

Nitrite has a lot of things which cause interferences, most of which I'm sure you don't have and almost all causing precipitation in the sample.

I'm not suggesting you don't have higher than expected Nitrates, my point is during varing conditions careful wet chemistry is important to get accurate results. That could be the result of the trace readings you are getting after you seem to have taken the correct action.

R/

Phil