How to remove nitrates if tap water has high nitrates?

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Some of the fish you list, have a high tolerance for nitrate, fish that don't, are many cichlids that come from lakes and rivers where nitrates are almost non-existent.
Most swamp type fish handle them well.
Normal filtration does not take out nitrate, in fact a bi-product of filtration is nitrate.
I agree with Raka, that your tank is not heavily planted, for plants to make much of a dent, they must weigh about 3 times more than the weight the fish.
I have a heavily planted tank, and it usually reads in the 2-5ppm nitrate range, but my tap water is 0 ppm, a couple of the plants are heavy feeder, like the water lilies.
In the states the MCL (Maximum contaminant level) for nitrate is 10 ppm, and where I lived before, it was zero because the source was lake Michigan, which barely ever exceeded 1 ppm nitrate.
In my tank the plants are so thick they often totally obscure the view of the fish. (there are a dozen cichlids and a few others in the tank.
183CA8ED-2107-45E3-8940-5E91171E54CE_1_201_a.jpeg
Also using terrestrial plants growing from the surface of the tank can help soak up nitrate (plants like pothos are readily available as cuttings).
C4D1942A-94B0-410D-BDC1-5D5F00CCE009_1_201_a.jpeg
 
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Some of the fish you list, have a high tolerance for nitrate, fish that don't, are many cichlids that come from lakes and rivers where nitrates are almost non-existent.
Most swamp type fish handle them well.
Normal filtration does not take out nitrate, in fact a bi-product of filtration is nitrate.
I agree with Raka, that your tank is not heavily planted, for plants to make much of a dent, they must weigh about 3 times more than the weight the fish.
I have a heavily planted tank, and it usually reads in the 2-5ppm nitrate range, but my tap water is 0 ppm, a couple of the plants are heavy feeder, like the water lilies.
In the states the MCL (Maximum contaminant level) for nitrate is 10 ppm, and where I lived before, it was zero because the source was lake Michigan, which barely ever exceeded 1 ppm nitrate.
In my tank the plants are so thick they often totally obscure the view of the fish. (there are a dozen cichlids and a few others in the tank.
View attachment 1409514
Also using terrestrial plants growing from the surface of the tank can help soak up nitrate (plants like pothos are readily available as cuttings).
View attachment 1409516
Thanks for the info, which plants are the best? I can't really put plants in the front of the tank because the fish dige em up.
I was gonna get

50 dwarf lettuce
10 Java fern.
Some more rigid big ol'plants?
 
Thanks for the info, which plants are the best? I can't really put plants in the front of the tank because the fish dige em up.
I was gonna get

50 dwarf lettuce
10 Java fern.
Some more rigid big ol'plants?

You can submerge roots of golden pothos along with the dwarf lettuce, keeping leaves above the water line. Keep in mind that plants above the water line can compete heavily against submerged plants. Find out what works best without too much tinkering.
 
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Just make it clear, of I started up an aquarium which has 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite but 50 nitrate (let's say a ten gallon) and covered it with plants, in a few weeks the nitrate would come down?
And also would hard-to-live fish like discus live in that aquarium?

If so, that's really cool that plants can do all that.
 
As you can see in my tank, I use a lot of Vallisneria, its easy to grow and takes no special talent, or green thumb, lights or ferts. I also have Hydrilla that I collected in the lake here. The pH of my tank water hovers around pH 8, so soft water plants wouldn't t be a good idea for me.
When in the states beside Vallisneria, I used Cryptocorne, Java fern and Anubius, but I believe (although I have nothing to back it up) the faster growing plants like vallisneria are better as nitrate users (as are water lilies)
77A75487-86EE-484E-984B-382A09C75E18_1_201_a.jpeg
0FBC5CA0-5C7F-4D11-8813-E137BF9F212C_1_201_a.jpeg
The Hydrilla is on the left side of the tank.
 
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As you can see in my tank, I use a lot of Vallisneria, its easy to grow and takes no special talent, or green thumb, lights or ferts. I also have Hydrilla that I collected in the lake here. The pH of my tank water hovers around pH 8, so soft water plants wouldn't t be a good idea for me.
When in the states beside Vallisneria, I used Cryptocorne, Java fern and Anubius, but I believe (although I have nothing to back it up) the faster growing plants like vallisneria are better as nitrate users (as are water lilies)
View attachment 1409537
View attachment 1409538
The Hydrilla is on the left side of the tank.
Thanks what grumpy looking fish are those ?
 
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