Seaweed Kelp & Chelated Iron

[EH]

Hi all,

I'm still in early stages in establishing my system (5 weeks in). Plants were turning yellow last week so I added some Seaweed Kelp Extract & Chelated iron because my pH was at 8.5. I do have 4 fish (2 platy, 2 tetra)

Anyhoo, did my nitrogen test last night with the API kit:

Ammonia  - looks somewhere between 0 and .25 ppm

Nitrite - looks like 5 ppm

Nitrate - looks somewhere between 80-160ppm

pH looks like 8 (I have been lowering the pH with phosphoric acid)

Now, because of the kelp and chelated iron, the color was brownish to begin with.

At any rate, I brought the water to the local fish store to get it tested, and according to their charts, nitrite and nitrate was "off the chart" and the store clerk recommending changing out up to 3/4 of the water.

Does the seaweed kelp and chelated iron affect ammonia/nitrite/nitrate? And should I change that water out as recommended? I read that kelp & chelated iron will darken the water and wasn't too concerned about it, but now I'm starting to 2nd guess.

thanks in advance.

[sticky]

i have heard are a lot of things that can increase nitrates, like uneaten food and solid fish waste. Your nitrates are definitely high and unless you have a lot of plants to eat those nitrates and bring them down you should probably do a water change. I used a kelp based plant food when i set up my original system and it turned the water brown. When i added my fish(goldfish), they did fine and eventually(as i added more water to replace evaporation) my water cleared up and everything did well.