High Nitrate levels

[GtownJosh]

I just bought a new 55 gallon tank and have 3 mud cats and a good size pleco the tank has been set up a few weeks i just did a water test and all the levels are high (from what i have read) its because my tank is cycling and building the good bacteria????????????? my qeustion is should i add conditioning salt i have read that it relieves stress on the fish durin this time....And im sorry if this is a dumb qeustion i am new to the aquarium scene and have been doing lots of reading tryin to figure it all out but figured i had better ask just to make sure


thanks

josh

[MatsP]

if "all (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) the levels are high", then the tank is not fully cycled. High nitrate levels may well come from your tap-water - I don't know what the levels are in Georgetown, but generally tap-water can have some pretty high levels of nitrate. Nothing much you can do about that.

--
Mats

[racoll]

Salt will stress the fish, but it also reduces the toxicity of nitrites, reducing the stress on the fish. Its a difficult situation.

If the fish appear to be acting normally and appear okay, I would just make daily 25% water changes and feed very sparingly.

If the fish are obviously suffering from nitrite poisoning (heavy breathing, pale, not hiding like normal) I would add the salt as per recommended on the instructions.

Adding an ammonia remover is another option if the fish are visibly stressed.

Whatever you do, continue with the daily water changes and test the water regularly. If you do use salt or ammonia remover, remember to re-dose pro-rata.

Also, have a read of this article.

[GtownJosh]

Hey thanks alot for the advice and that article is pretty dang good and summed up just about everything i needed to know about everything ha ha

Thanks again

Josh