Water quality help.

[tamand5]

So i have always had a small amount of nitrates and i do weekly water changes of 10 percent. I have a 60 gallon. But i didnt do a water change in 2 weeks and now my nitrates are up to 80 per the tetra easy safe stripes. I did a 10 gallon water change sunday and 15 gallon yesterday. My water seems cloudy my purple ribbon polyps are not out like usual. Can i do a water change till i get the nitrates down?

 

[twilliard]

As long as your newly mixed water is parallel with the tank water you can change till you reach your target level

 

[tamand5]

Sorry kind of a newbie...so you mean as long as there are no amonia nitrite nitrates reading salinity and ph is the same i can do daily water changes to get nitrites down?

 

[twilliard]

No I am sorry I should have clarified
As long as salinity, alkalinity and temperature is the same.
There may be small deviations in calcium and magnesium but this won't harm anything as long as it's all the same salt you are using.

 

[tamand5]

Sorry meant nitrates.

 

[tamand5]

Well yesterday when i went to my lfs they didnt have the salt i usually use so i bought the boxes of saltwater. Is that bad? My salinity is still the same.

 

[twilliard]

It may be at different levels than your current tank water.
These changes can cause stress in tank life

 

[tamand5]

Ok so do you think it would still be ok to do daily water changes or should i give it a couple days?

 

[twilliard]

If switching "salts" it should be done slowly.
I personally would not change it every day if this is a different salt source

 

[tamand5]

No i would keep using the same salt.