# plants and nitrates



## SSBurke (Feb 13, 2008)

i have a tank set up with approximately 40 pounds of aragonite crushed coral and roughly 40 pounds of rock and was wondering what kinds of plants i should use to lower my nitrate levels. Maybe my test kit is defective but i do weekly water changes of at least 10 percent. Ammo nitrites are always 0 ph around 8.2 and a KH of 6. Water temp is 80-82 nitrate reading of about 20-30 ppm i test the water out of the tap and it tests 0 nitrates but after just a few minutes after a water change its back around 20-30 ppm it never gets any higher than that but am concerned about the long term affects of it on my fish


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## under_control (Jan 9, 2008)

Try bigger water changes. Few plants work with Africans and the ones that do are slow growers and won't do much for your nitrates.

Try a 30-40% change. I do 50% changes on my tank weekly.


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## SSBurke (Feb 13, 2008)

how big is your tank? my water tests at any given moment 0-0.25 ammo 0 nitrites between 8 and 8.2 ph and 6 kh i do a minimum of a 10% change a week and treat the water with prime and jungle aquarium salt 2 drops per gallon prime and i use a little bit less of the salt than recommended i have well water so it tests pretty good all 0's ammo nitrites and nitrates but 6 ish ph


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## macclellan (Nov 30, 2006)

I'd be much more concerned of the presence of any ammonia (even 0.25ppm) before I became concerned about 20-30ppm nitrates.

Wisteria, Najas Grass, etc. etc. any fast growing stem plant are great for nitrates - if you have decent light and fish that won't destroy the plants.


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## under_control (Jan 9, 2008)

how long has this tank been set up? If it is cycled then it should have ZERO ammonia/nitrite as macclellan said.

Further 20-30 ppm of nitrate is completely acceptable.


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## SSBurke (Feb 13, 2008)

i've been told that prime will give a false positive on ammo it breaks it down into a non toxic form but it shows up on a test the tank has been set up for about 4 months now


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