high nitrate in tap water
- Thread starter NoahEm
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An Algae scrubber is one very effective way to remove Nitrates. Terrestrial plants, i.e. Pothos, is another. I just hang them over the rim of my tank and they take care of themselves from there. An algae scrubber might be effective sooner than Pothos????
Howdy,
I am not so sure that we disagree too much: To quote Paracelsus: "What is there that is not poison? All things are poison and thing is without poison. Solely the dose determines that a thing is not a poison" Which means we both agree with the fact that nitrate is a poison, but I think it's tolerable at a higher dose than you believe. I also agree that nitrates are in the single digit ppm in the Amazon - but not necessarily in floodplain lakes during the dry season. Then everything gets concentrated as water evaporates and leaves behind all dissolved matter. I dare to hypothesize that nitrates spike seasonally in these bodies of water.
The 7 day lethality concentration of nitrates is, across most fish species, in adults, around 6000 ppm. EPA published a 32 day continuous flow chronic fish toxicity test with effects around 80ppm, on which I based my statement above. That is a worst case scenario, constant exposure, no recovery after weekly water changes.
We all live with pollutants that are not part of nature. We all manage. So do fish.
It's the dose that makes the poison
HarleyK
I am not so sure that we disagree too much: To quote Paracelsus: "What is there that is not poison? All things are poison and thing is without poison. Solely the dose determines that a thing is not a poison" Which means we both agree with the fact that nitrate is a poison, but I think it's tolerable at a higher dose than you believe. I also agree that nitrates are in the single digit ppm in the Amazon - but not necessarily in floodplain lakes during the dry season. Then everything gets concentrated as water evaporates and leaves behind all dissolved matter. I dare to hypothesize that nitrates spike seasonally in these bodies of water.
The 7 day lethality concentration of nitrates is, across most fish species, in adults, around 6000 ppm. EPA published a 32 day continuous flow chronic fish toxicity test with effects around 80ppm, on which I based my statement above. That is a worst case scenario, constant exposure, no recovery after weekly water changes.
We all live with pollutants that are not part of nature. We all manage. So do fish.
It's the dose that makes the poison
HarleyK
