so whats the deal with parameters

[adamstv]

I know about nitrates and nitrites and all that stuff and my tanks levels are really good now.
But i wanna know whats ideal with nitrates and nitrites. My nitrates are at like 15ppm now and my trites are at 0 but whats dangerous and what happens when they are high. I mean i have come home from vacation and seen my trates at 80 and my aro and bass and cats were totally fine with no signs of stress. Is there a certain disease they can develope?

 

[DeLgAdO]

I know about nitrates and nitrites and all that stuff and my tanks levels are really good now.
But i wanna know whats ideal with nitrates and nitrites. My nitrates are at like 15ppm now and my trites are at 0 but whats dangerous and what happens when they are high. I mean i have come home from vacation and seen my trates at 80 and my aro and bass and cats were totally fine with no signs of stress. Is there a certain disease they can develope?

the fish you have listed are not affected by high nitrates over short periods of time (months) certain fish however are more sensitive, but dont let thatm stop you from keeping them as low as possible

 

[islander671]

I believe fish can get "brown-blood" disease from prolonged exposure to high nitrates.

 

[rallysman]

Always try to keep your nitrites at 0. If they go any higher that's a sign of inadequate filtration. The nitrates in my aro tank used to go as high as 80ppm, but I've noticed that with my drip system the fish looks MUCH better with nitrates at a constant 15ppm.

They can handle higher nitrates, but that doesnt mean that they should.
It is amazing how much better my fish looks with the constant steady slow water change.

 

[Jesse]

In a cycled tank, nitrites should be at 0 ppm. Nitrates will vary depending on bioload, frequency of water changes, size of water changes, and presence or absence of nitrates in your source water. Different fishes have different tolerances for nitrates, but lower is generally better. Also, elevated nitrate levels can slow the rate of growth in some fishes.

 

[DeLgAdO]

Always try to keep your nitrites at 0. If they go any higher that's a sign of inadequate filtration. The nitrates in my aro tank used to go as high as 80ppm, but I've noticed that with my drip system the fish looks MUCH better with nitrates at a constant 15ppm.

They can handle higher nitrates, but that doesnt mean that they should.
It is amazing how much better my fish looks with the constant steady slow water change.

how much do you drip a week again?

 

[Sunpoe]

The thing with nitrates is, that there level is an indication of water quality. When water quality is poor nitrates are generally the first compound to build up in high quantities. This is why it is a good indicator molecule. Hopefully you can change the water before other toxins build up. The point is, there are a lot of poisons that can build up in your tank water in addition to nitrates, so if nitrates don't harm your fish something will.