Then I am totally stumped. I hope someone else can figure this out, because I'm curious as well. Good luck!
High Nitrate? Dangerous?
- Thread starter ceewah
- Start date
What fish are in your 180 gallon tank with 60 gal sump & FX5?
Cleaning filters regularly and otherwise preventing waste from breaking down in the system will help keep nitrates in check.
Having zero nitrates at your old place without special nitrate removing filters seems odd. But since your not there anymore and that's not your situation anymore, no need for us to wonder too deeply on that one...
It's hard to say what level of nitrates is "acceptable" and what is "unacceptable". Most of us use something like 40~60 ppm as "time for a water change" numbers. Some have a higher number and some have a lower number. The lower the better... although as mentioned without specialty filtration or constant drip water changers, below 20 is difficult to sustain.
I compare nitrate build up to second hand cigarette smoke impact on humans. A mild odor won't have much impact on us at all long term or short term... constantly living in a moderate cloud of smoke may not have noticeable effects short term, but are likely to have long term effects... as the cloud thickens, the short term impact becomes mroe an dmore noticable, and the long term impacts become more and more severe...
Cleaning filters regularly and otherwise preventing waste from breaking down in the system will help keep nitrates in check.
Having zero nitrates at your old place without special nitrate removing filters seems odd. But since your not there anymore and that's not your situation anymore, no need for us to wonder too deeply on that one...
It's hard to say what level of nitrates is "acceptable" and what is "unacceptable". Most of us use something like 40~60 ppm as "time for a water change" numbers. Some have a higher number and some have a lower number. The lower the better... although as mentioned without specialty filtration or constant drip water changers, below 20 is difficult to sustain.
I compare nitrate build up to second hand cigarette smoke impact on humans. A mild odor won't have much impact on us at all long term or short term... constantly living in a moderate cloud of smoke may not have noticeable effects short term, but are likely to have long term effects... as the cloud thickens, the short term impact becomes mroe an dmore noticable, and the long term impacts become more and more severe...
nc_nutcase;3592752; said:
ceewah;3592749; said:
I have cut down almost half of my stock now though. I guess I can do an update by Sunday. Tomorrow is W/C day, I will see and test the water on Friday with less on the 180 now.
If I ever saw readings of 0 Nitrate on any of my systems I'd go buy a new test kit cause I'd know it's BS.
You need an accurate test kit to start with. Can't base anything on invalid information.
How often are you changing/cleaning mechanical media? I don't run canisters for the simple reason it's a PITA to clean them every week.
You need an accurate test kit to start with. Can't base anything on invalid information.
How often are you changing/cleaning mechanical media? I don't run canisters for the simple reason it's a PITA to clean them every week.
