25 ppm nitrate from tap... what to do?

[SandNukka15]

So randomly I like to check my tap water to see exactly what's changing and I havent tested it in quite some time. It turns out my tap is coming out at 25 ppm nitrate and within 5 days or so it rises up to 40ppm with the stock I have. I age my water in a 100 gallon stock tank and do 50% water changes once a week with this stock.

180 gallon

16 columbian tetras
9 peppered cories
7 red head geophagus
4 bolivian rams
4 pictus catfish
3 angelfish
2 electric blue acaras
1 blue phantom pleco

Filtration is ehiem 2217 and ehiem 2262

Tank has java fern and pothos

Planning on switching the ehiem 2217 to an fx6 soon.

I just cleaned the ehiem 2217 today and plan to do 50% water changes every 5th day.

Any ideas on what to do????

 

[Hendre]

You could always try pothos to munch excess nitrates. Past that the other main option is a resin exchange filter, which is usually some deep bed filter. Nitrate is difficult to deal with out of the tap unfortunately

 

[Ruturaj]

More pothos. May he build a sump and more plants in it.

 

[Raka]

Duckweed.

This tank never showed nitrates until I had a couple pairs of bristlenose breed.

Stock: 14in Sailfin, 6 adult bristlenose, 20ish babies hitting the 1in+ mark, and 2 clowns in a 55 with a FX6 making it about 60gals of water total. This is my test before a water change without a change in 7 days. I have been doing 30% for the last two weeks as bike season has picked up.

Duckweed grows through multiplying similar to bacteria. You could use it in a reservoir to "treat" water before changes if you dont want to deal with the hassle from "aquarium herpes".

 

[deeda]

You mentioned you haven't tested in a while so any chance old/outdated nitrate test kit?

 

[SandNukka15]

You could always try pothos to munch excess nitrates. Past that the other main option is a resin exchange filter, which is usually some deep bed filter. Nitrate is difficult to deal with out of the tap unfortunately

The plant hanging above it pothos... it weird tho bc it barely grows at all

 

[SandNukka15]

More pothos. May he build a sump and more plants in it.

I'll try adding more pothos but the original plant barely grows... I dont want to do a sump nc I cant drill the tank which means an overflow box and from past forum posts idk if I trust the syphon

 

[SandNukka15]

Duckweed.

This tank never showed nitrates until I had a couple pairs of bristlenose breed.

Stock: 14in Sailfin, 6 adult bristlenose, 20ish babies hitting the 1in+ mark, and 2 clowns in a 55 with a FX6 making it about 60gals of water total. This is my test before a water change without a change in 7 days. I have been doing 30% for the last two weeks as bike season has picked up.

Duckweed grows through multiplying similar to bacteria. You could use it in a reservoir to "treat" water before changes if you dont want to deal with the hassle from "aquarium herpes".

View attachment 1425411

I cant add duckweed due to the stock picking at it... if I add it to my aging stock tank that requires a see through lid, a light fixture and the laguna max flo 2400 gallon pump would suck it up most likely causing a headache

 

[SandNukka15]

You mentioned you haven't tested in a while so any chance old/outdated nitrate test kit?

Funny you mentioned that.. my old one was out dated by 6months ordered a new one that expires 2025 and that's the one I used to test so I know it's not an expired api test kit

 

[Ruturaj]

I'll try adding more pothos but the original plant barely grows... I dont want to do a sump nc I cant drill the tank which means an overflow box and from past forum posts idk if I trust the syphon

Might be lacking other nutrients, do you dose any fertilizer?