Nitrates

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
B

Bleeding

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 14, 2006
175
0
0
45
KC, Missouri
Is there anything i can do to help control the nitrate level? I finally got a large enough filter to handle the ammonia and nitrites to get them to 0, but I am still having a problem with the nitrate levels. I know that water changes help this...what is a safe amount i can clean out of a 55 to get this down also? 50%? 20%?

This is a 55 setup with livebearers, live plants, and an eheim 2026 filter, with a sand bottom.
 
Feed smaller portions of food. Water changes of 25-35 % weekly, and you can alway setup a denitrator; there are DIY coil units and my favorite is the korallin sulfur based unit but there are a lot more expensive than water changes. I see you have plants, they help aswell, maybe add a few more.

I just re-read your post is it a new tank? If it is within 4-6 weeks old the nitrates will drop off after about the 2-3 rd month.
 
Simplest thing to do is water changes every week. You can do up to a 100%, but that is hard on the fish because it would be very difficult to keep the temp exact. It would be best to do a few 30-50% water changes through the week.

Even with a fully planted tank nitrates will build up to the point that you need to change the water. As long as you keep nitrates under 20 ppm you shouldnt have any problems.
 
What is the level of your nitrates? 20 ppm is a good goal for nitrates although there are many that say 40ppm is fine. I personally don't let nitrates get above that even in my feeder tank. Don't get in too much of a panic over the nitrate level, it has a bad effect over long term. With your tank and fish a 30% water change every other week will likely be enough. you may want to do a couple of 50% water changes over the next couple of days to bring them down.

Just test before and after all water changes and record them, after a few of them you will be able to figure how much water to change and how othen.

Keep us posted with your findings.
 
water changes and then more water changes.
getting into a regular WC routine is the best way and % of water changed depends on how many fish you have,feeding etc etc.
i only do 50% per week now.
 
I do water changes once a week and a HOB filled with Purigen. Nitrates stay under 10 ppm.
 
More plants, floating plants

I have a 125 gal tank, heavily planted, with 1.75 watts of light over it, I have too add nitrate back to the water for plant fertlizer. If i let my nitrate get to 0 i always get an algea problem, so i keep it at 10-15 ppm by adding potassium nitrate.


I would get my hands on some duck weed, and some water lettuce, and put them in your tank, these floating plants have leaves out of the water so they can pull co2 from the air, if you have enough light they will grow fast and reproduce, pulling nitrate out of the water. usually floating plants grow better than submerged because of the lack of co2 in most tanks

what is you photo period?
how many watts per gal do you have?
how are your plants doing? (growing like crazy or just hanging on?)
do you have an algae problem in the tank?

have you tested your tap water? (let it sit in a clean, uncovered jar for 24 hours) some places have high levels of nitrate in the water
 
boisblancboy;643134;643134 said:
Simplest thing to do is water changes every week. You can do up to a 100%, but that is hard on the fish because it would be very difficult to keep the temp exact. It would be best to do a few 30-50% water changes through the week.

Even with a fully planted tank nitrates will build up to the point that you need to change the water. As long as you keep nitrates under 20 ppm you shouldnt have any problems.
Click to expand...
A fully planted tank actually needs water changes for reasons other than nitrate. My 135 will drop from 10-5ppm nitrate every day, I dose nitrate every day. If I skip a day, I will hit 0 without question. This is pretty standard for a fully planted tank, with all the bells and whistles.
 
hmt321;644116;644116 said:
More plants, floating plants

I have a 125 gal tank, heavily planted, with 1.75 watts of light over it, I have too add nitrate back to the water for plant fertlizer. If i let my nitrate get to 0 i always get an algea problem, so i keep it at 10-15 ppm by adding potassium nitrate.


I would get my hands on some duck weed, and some water lettuce, and put them in your tank, these floating plants have leaves out of the water so they can pull co2 from the air, if you have enough light they will grow fast and reproduce, pulling nitrate out of the water. usually floating plants grow better than submerged because of the lack of co2 in most tanks

what is you photo period?
how many watts per gal do you have?
how are your plants doing? (growing like crazy or just hanging on?)
do you have an algae problem in the tank?

have you tested your tap water? (let it sit in a clean, uncovered jar for 24 hours) some places have high levels of nitrate in the water
Click to expand...
Federal regulation is 10ppm nitrate is the highest concentration allowed in the US.
 
Wyld, how many fish do you have in your 135? Also what kind?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom