Can't get nitrates below 5 ppm

[Raim Man]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to this forum, but have been in the hobby for years. I've been struggling trying to keep my nitrates below 5 ppm. I 'm currently running a 120 gallon tank with (1) Tiger Oscar 10 inches, (1) Green Terror 6 inches, (1) Red Devil 6 inches (1) Convict 3 inches ( he is to be rehomed this weekend going to my cousin)and a 8 inch Pleco. About a month ago these fish were housed in a 72 gallon bow front, but since I've upgraded to the 120. My nitrates never go above 20 ppm and usually are at 10 -15 PPM before W/C.

My feeding schedule is once daily whatever they could eat in about a minute. Sundays I don't feed .
Pellets , Flakes, Krill and very, very rarely minnows as a treat.

My water parameters are the following: I use API Master kit that is well within its expiration date.
Nitrites 0 ppm
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrates 5 ppm
PH 7.4
Water Temp 78.5
My tap water parameters are Nitrates 0 ppm, PH 7.2

Filtration is the following:
(2) Aquaclear 110's
(1) Eheim 2217 with adjustable spray bar
(1) Double sponge filter ( meant for up to a 55 gallon but I use it mostly for aeration)
These filters have been running for years and are fully established with BB
The canister filter is cleaned about every 4 to 5 months depending on the flow. Always in tanks water and basically just cleaning the detritus off the sponges. I do not use carbon (Sponges and Seachem Matrix , Fluval Bio rings and other bio media.)
The Aquaclear 110's sponges get squeezed out to remove detritus about every 3 months in tank water and never at the same time. I run the sponge with Seachem Matrix in one, the second 110 the same with one bag of Seachem Purigen.
W/C schedule is Tuesdays I do 30 % change and Saturdays I do about 40% change. Every Saturday or so I siphon the gravel depending on how it looks. I always use Seachem Prime to treat the chlorine and Stability when I feel its necessary, usually after a filter cleaning.
With all that said the best I could get my Nitrates down to is 5 ppm. I know this isn't a huge deal. Besides increasing the percentage of water during the W/C how could I get them down to 0. I would like NOT to use plants, I know they could probably eat the rest of the nitrates. My Oscar loves to shred any plants apart.

Sorry for the long rant just wanted to get as much info in the post as possible.
Does any one have any suggestions or am I striving for something that is driving me crazy and I should be happy with that level. I'm fairly confident that the answer is going to be larger percentage water during the change but just wanted to see if anyone had any little tricks up there sleeve.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Well, 5ppm is fine, nothing to worry about. You could up the water change percentages if you were worried about it. 60% both days, I bet your nitrates would go down a bit.
Could also try something like this:

Kind of like using plants to get rid of the nitrate, without actually having plants.

 

[Bigfishnut]

My nitrates are usually 80+!! I'd be real happy with 5ppm. My ray tank is 480 gallons with a drip system, only 4 fish, and a couple large water changes per week. Still high nitrates.

 

[Davidiator]

My nitrates are usually 80+!! I'd be real happy with 5ppm. My ray tank is 480 gallons with a drip system, only 4 fish, and a couple large water changes per week. Still high nitrates.

Umm,
That is horrible.
Nitrates should always be under 40 ppm.
My aquarium went up to 180 ppm once and my aro ended up getting cloudy eye.

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to this forum, but have been in the hobby for years. I've been struggling trying to keep my nitrates below 5 ppm. I 'm currently running a 120 gallon tank with (1) Tiger Oscar 10 inches, (1) Green Terror 6 inches, (1) Red Devil 6 inches (1) Convict 3 inches ( he is to be rehomed this weekend going to my cousin)and a 8 inch Pleco. About a month ago these fish were housed in a 72 gallon bow front, but since I've upgraded to the 120. My nitrates never go above 20 ppm and usually are at 10 -15 PPM before W/C.

My feeding schedule is once daily whatever they could eat in about a minute. Sundays I don't feed .
Pellets , Flakes, Krill and very, very rarely minnows as a treat.

My water parameters are the following: I use API Master kit that is well within its expiration date.
Nitrites 0 ppm
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrates 5 ppm
PH 7.4
Water Temp 78.5
My tap water parameters are Nitrates 0 ppm, PH 7.2

Filtration is the following:
(2) Aquaclear 110's
(1) Eheim 2217 with adjustable spray bar
(1) Double sponge filter ( meant for up to a 55 gallon but I use it mostly for aeration)
These filters have been running for years and are fully established with BB
The canister filter is cleaned about every 4 to 5 months depending on the flow. Always in tanks water and basically just cleaning the detritus off the sponges. I do not use carbon (Sponges and Seachem Matrix , Fluval Bio rings and other bio media.)
The Aquaclear 110's sponges get squeezed out to remove detritus about every 3 months in tank water and never at the same time. I run the sponge with Seachem Matrix in one, the second 110 the same with one bag of Seachem Purigen.
W/C schedule is Tuesdays I do 30 % change and Saturdays I do about 40% change. Every Saturday or so I siphon the gravel depending on how it looks. I always use Seachem Prime to treat the chlorine and Stability when I feel its necessary, usually after a filter cleaning.
With all that said the best I could get my Nitrates down to is 5 ppm. I know this isn't a huge deal. Besides increasing the percentage of water during the W/C how could I get them down to 0. I would like NOT to use plants, I know they could probably eat the rest of the nitrates. My Oscar loves to shred any plants apart.

Sorry for the long rant just wanted to get as much info in the post as possible.
Does any one have any suggestions or am I striving for something that is driving me crazy and I should be happy with that level. I'm fairly confident that the answer is going to be larger percentage water during the change but just wanted to see if anyone had any little tricks up there sleeve.

Your Nitrates are fine. If you really want to lower them then try bigger water changes like Gourami Swami said

 

[Bigfishnut]

Umm,
That is horrible.
Nitrates should always be under 40 ppm.
My aquarium went up to 180 ppm once and my aro ended up getting cloudy eye.



Your Nitrates are fine. If you really want to lower them then try bigger water changes like Gourami Swami said

My 26" arowana and my adult rays are doing just fine in 80+ppm. Talk to a few guys with big tanks and big fish you'll find out we all have high nitrates

 

[esoxlucius]

You are beating yourself up absolutely nothing. Considering you have an oscar, not to mention your other stock too, i'd be made up if my nitrates were hovering around 5ppm. But fair play to you trying to go that extra mile.

If it really is that important to you to run 0ppm nitrates, or as close to 0ppm as possible, then up your water changes (volume and frequency), reduce feeding, thin out your stock, do the pothos thing that some people swear by, set up an algae scrubber and you might just get there.

But in my opinion it's just needless hassle because that 5ppm you're trying to improve upon is the holy grail for most hobbyists.

 

[kno4te]

Can try setting up a drip system and then ur water will be really pristine.

 

[Bigfishnut]

You are beating yourself up absolutely nothing. Considering you have an oscar, not to mention your other stock too, i'd be made up if my nitrates were hovering around 5ppm. But fair play to you trying to go that extra mile.

If it really is that important to you to run 0ppm nitrates, or as close to 0ppm as possible, then up your water changes (volume and frequency), reduce feeding, thin out your stock, do the pothos thing that some people swear by, set up an algae scrubber and you might just get there.

But in my opinion it's just needless hassle because that 5ppm you're trying to improve upon is the holy grail for most hobbyists.

Well said!

 

[Bigfishnut]

We've had a lot of discussion in the past about nitrates. When you are dealing with very large fish in a closed system, nitrates are inevitable. We tend to associate high nitrates with poor water quality, but this isn't exactly accurate. The dissolved organics, trace mineral depletion, conductivity, and other water parameters that we don't normally test for are what effects water quality more than nitrates. We use the nitrate test to gauge where we're at loosely. In my system, I'm dripping 160 gpd and doing 30 to 40 percent water changes twice weekly. The nitrates are unavoidable due to the size of my fish. With my nitrates always in the red, my rays are healthy, active, and breeding. Don't stress too much over nitrates. I rarely test mine anymore...pointless

 

[phreeflow]

5ppm nitrates are outstanding. For a start get rid of those pooping machines...the Oscar and the common pleco. However, that’s unlikely to help as one can almost never have zero nitrates without constant water changes through a drip system or with a massive turf scrubber. But even if you did that, you’ll have to check your source water....unless you’re using RO and/or DI, your tap water already has nitrates. Your parameters look great...enjoy the tank