nitrate stay the same

[duanes]

Cleaning a filter only once every 3 months may be the elephant in the room.
I realize that cleaning filters is a pain, and why I never use canisters anymore, very user "un"-friendly to do maintenance on. But all that hidden gunk buildup over 3 months is like a baby farting out nitrates. I like to swish bags of bio-media in water change water at least once per week (more often if I remember) to get the gunk out of the water column. Since nitrate is invisible, out of sight is not gone, having that gunk in a filter is not removing it from the tank, its just sweeping it under the rug where it can secretly and efficiently send back large concentrations with every gallon sent back to the tank.

 

[davao]

In my 30 years as a fish keeper. I found that people over concern about nitrate. In the past, I have aquarium with very very high nitrate and I did not loss a single fish. This is not to encourage keeping the fish in high nitrate. Just don't be obsess with it. Of course most people know nitrite is very poisonous and can kill fish like ammonia.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

I think it depends what fish you are keeping.Some fish hate nitrates some do ok with it,within reason.

 

[dan518]

In my 30 years as a fish keeper. I found that people over concern about nitrate. In the past, I have aquarium with very very high nitrate and I did not loss a single fish. This is not to encourage keeping the fish in high nitrate. Just don't be obsess with it. Of course most people know nitrite is very poisonous and can kill fish like ammonia.

I remember some of the old school methodology, only do 20% waterchange weekly, nitrate is harmless to fish. But some fish were thought impossible to keep in home aquariums, some fish were thought impossible to breed in home aquariums, and even the commen one's like oscars were thought to only live 5 to 7 years in home aquariums. So yes some species will survive in high nitrate they won't thrive in them.

 

[Chockful O Phail]

I remember some of the old school methodology, only do 20% waterchange weekly, nitrate is harmless to fish. But some fish were thought impossible to keep in home aquariums, some fish were thought impossible to breed in home aquariums, and even the commen one's like oscars were thought to only live 5 to 7 years in home aquariums. So yes some species will survive in high nitrate they won't thrive in them.

I think this is where most or at least a lot of the misinformation on size/lifetime/general care comes from. My dad had a 60g for a lot of years and never once changed water, just topped off with a couple gallons a week with a little canning salt.