Water Change question.

[nfored]

Unless I do multiple 50% water chanes a week my trates are always like 40ish. Also if I say only do a water change like once every 2 weeks its still like 40ish.

So would I be a bad Fish keeper if I start going to bi weekly water changes? the reason I ask Is this water bill is killing me and I only about 150 gallons of water. I will be getting a 240 gallon here in about a month and a half doubling my tank volume.

I personally don't think that 40ppm is that bad for my fish they all seem happy, much happer then they looked at the pet store with 5ppm trates. I would like to be able to get buy with maybe 50% every other week or 20% a week.

 

[tcarswell]

I honestly have the same issue. My nitrates come in with the tap water and my nitrates are always 40+ no matter how much water I change. Other than faulty test equipment that may be the reason bro. Have you tested 24 hour old dechlorinated tap water ?

 

[Merbeast]

I honestly have the same issue. My nitrates come in with the tap water and my nitrates are always 40+ no matter how much water I change. Other than faulty test equipment that may be the reason bro. Have you tested 24 hour old dechlorinated tap water ?

Weird, I am in Sac as well, and my tap water is usually around 10ppm nitrates.

I think a GOOD fish keeper does water changes once per week on a normally stocked tank. An OK fish keeper changes the water less.
May I suggest plants to reduce the nitrates in the tank?

 

[Bllib]

Test your tap water. I was getting 40 ppm straight from the tap. Changeing your water will vary from person to person. I think doing a 50% water change is to much. You can kill off you bacteria. I do bi weekly 25% water change and my tank are healthy. But much will depend on your stock of fish and how much you feed your fish.

Hope this helps. If you have any other questions you can pm me or else I may not see this thread again. Although there are plenty of other members that are more than capable to answering questions. Good luck!!!

 

[tcarswell]

Weird, I am in Sac as well, and my tap water is usually around 10ppm nitrates.

I think a GOOD fish keeper does water changes once per week on a normally stocked tank. An OK fish keeper changes the water less.
May I suggest plants to reduce the nitrates in the tank?

I am more down south sac by Winters. the water is just awful for some reason. I change 20% every other day

 

[nfored]

Weird, I am in Sac as well, and my tap water is usually around 10ppm nitrates.

I think a GOOD fish keeper does water changes once per week on a normally stocked tank. An OK fish keeper changes the water less.
May I suggest plants to reduce the nitrates in the tank?

It would be easier to do 75% weekly water changes then to plant a 240 gallon tank that 30" deep. I would spend 4 months worth of water on just buying lights. Not to mention buying presurized CO2, but the algea scrubber thread seems to be the winnner for cheap trate removal compared to planted. Not to mention with planted tanks since there should always be 0 Ammonia which plants perfer you must add trates to the tank as part of the fertilization. This is not to say there is no Ammonia as we no its always there in trace amount just not enought fot the plants. My planted tanks run 20 - 40ppm nitrate at all times depending on how far into the EI dosing I am that week.

I honestly have the same issue. My nitrates come in with the tap water and my nitrates are always 40+ no matter how much water I change. Other than faulty test equipment that may be the reason bro. Have you tested 24 hour old dechlorinated tap water ?

I have not tested my 24 hour water for trates, I know str8 out the tap its 5ppm, so the best I could ever hope for is 5 ppm.

 

[brianp]

I don't think that 40 ppm will cause any discomfort to most fish. In fact, considerably higher levels of nitrate appear to be well tolerated. Moreover, if your municipal water contains substantial nitrate, then you're just not going to be able to beat it. Your wc regimen should attempt to prevent a significant escalation beyond 40 ppm. Start with something reasonable based upon your bioload, once per week, and continue to monitor. Of course, you can always establish a lighted refugium in your sump (if you have a sump) or introduce some plants to your new 240 to keep the nitrate in check.

 

[nfored]

I don't think that 40 ppm will cause any discomfort to most fish. In fact, considerably higher levels of nitrate appear to be well tolerated. Moreover, if your municipal water contains substantial nitrate, then you're just not going to be able to beat it. Your wc regimen should attempt to prevent a significant escalation beyond 40 ppm. Start with something reasonable based upon your bioload, once per week, and continue to monitor. Of course, you can always establish a lighted refugium in your sump (if you have a sump) or introduce some plants to your new 240 to keep the nitrate in check.

This is where I get confused, when I setup my planted tanks I treid to use just light and soem carbon, and my plants died. Some of the MFK guru's and Tom Barr suggest ferts including nitrate, so what type of plants do people put in thes reuguiums?

Thanks for all the advice

 

[Merbeast]

Check out the planted tank section. Java fern would work well in low light/no CO2 tanks, it's cheap and easy to propegate.

 

[FSM]

This is where I get confused, when I setup my planted tanks I treid to use just light and soem carbon, and my plants died. Some of the MFK guru's and Tom Barr suggest ferts including nitrate, so what type of plants do people put in thes reuguiums?

Thanks for all the advice

How much light did you have?