# Nitrate issues



## boardpow (May 16, 2020)

Hello everyone

First post here. Been a pretty avid reader of the forum. Great info.

150g tank w/ 25 peacocks/haps. Wanting to add a few more once I get a handle on the nitrates.

So here is my issue. Went from 75g to a 150g about 4 months ago. Had a 407 existing and added a FX6. Ran both since start up. Added a second FX6 set up Pondguru style about 3 weeks ago. The second FX6 was meant to replace the 407, but I ended up leaving the 407 running also. So yes, 2 FX6's and a 407 currently running. CAnnot get /Nitrates below 80ppm.

Tested the home tap water. [email protected]+.

Installed a R/O to make water for water changes last week. I did my first water change yesterday, about 30%. I added Cichlid salt and Malawi buffer to R/Oed water and let mix 24 hours before water change. R/O water Nitrate level @ 10ppm.

After water change with R/O water, Tank Nitrate was at 60+ ppm.

I guess my question is am I on the right track and should I do more frequesnt water changes until the nitrates get lower. I do a weekly water change religiously, so should I do one ever few days fo now? I don't want to overkill the water change on a fairly new tank.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Are you positive your tap water has 80ppm nitrate?

How old and what is the expiration date of your test kit? Which test kit are you using?


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## boardpow (May 16, 2020)

Thanks for the response.

It is from a Master Kit from API. Exp. 09/23 I actually just bought a new nitrate test kit from API on Amazon, gets here tomorrow.

I am positive, unfortunately. I live in the Central Valley in California, all farmland, High Nitrogen usage in the crops and trees locally.


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## boardpow (May 16, 2020)

After posting the above, my Wife informed me that the new kit had arrived. I used the new kit, expiring in 07/25 and tested the tap water, and it read 20 ppm! I reverified the old test kit and it again read 80ppm.

I checked the r/o water with the new kit and it read 0ppm.

So, tap water is at 20ppm, r/o is at 0ppm and tank is at 40ppm all tested on the new nitrate test kit.

What would be a recommended water change schedule to get it as best I could?

Is it odd to find such a big difference in testing with same manf. test kit? API?


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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

I've never heard of a drinkable water source with 80ppm nitrate so your new test kit sounds more accurate. R/O water should be 0ppm. My water source is 100% r/o water and I mix Cichlid Lake Salt + buffer in my new water minutes before doing my weekly 75% water change. I'd recommend at least 50% weekly water changes to reduce nitrates. What substrate do you use? I like pool filter sand since it helps you keep the tank clean and it's more natural for the fish.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

The only things I can think of is the old nitrate solutions were open for a year or more or you didn't always shake up the reagent bottles prior to dispensing the drops which screwed up your test readings.

Glad to hear though that your tap is 20 ppm rather than 80 ppm! I'll let others with more experience make some recommendations.


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## boardpow (May 16, 2020)

ken31cay said:


> I've never heard of a drinkable water source with 80ppm nitrate so your new test kit sounds more accurate. R/O water should be 0ppm. My water source is 100% r/o water and I mix Cichlid Lake Salt + buffer in my new water minutes before doing my weekly 75% water change. I'd recommend at least 50% weekly water changes to reduce nitrates. What substrate do you use? I like pool filter sand since it helps you keep the tank clean and it's more natural for the fish.


I just started using the R/O and have been adding the Malawi buffer and the Cichlid Lake Salt. I have only been doing a 25% weekly water change, so I will change it up to a 50%. I am using CaribSea African Cichlid Mix for my substrate.

I should post a pic of the test results from the old nitrate kit on the tap...straight red. I ended up putting on a whole house filter for drinking water, hoping it would help with the nitrates also. After spending too much.....I still had a high nitrate test result on my tap water. So, today I found out the test kit was faulty. Oh well, I have been wanting a whole house filter anyway. The things we do for our fish right. That is what led to getting the R/O. Now that I have it and set it up, I will be using it. I enjoy the time I spend doing the water change and getting the water quality correct.

Thanks for your input


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## boardpow (May 16, 2020)

Deeda said:


> The only things I can think of is the old nitrate solutions were open for a year or more or you didn't always shake up the reagent bottles prior to dispensing the drops which screwed up your test readings.
> 
> Glad to hear though that your tap is 20 ppm rather than 80 ppm! I'll let others with more experience make some recommendations.


Thanks for the reaction you gave me on the high tap water test results. That got me thinking something else has to be wrong. I have been running that particular test kit for well over a year. I ran a 75 g for a good 14-16 months before getting this one. So I guess I have actually had that test kit for almost 2 years. It was at the bottom of all the testing solutions.


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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

boardpow said:


> I just started using the R/O and have been adding the Malawi buffer and the Cichlid Lake Salt. I have only been doing a 25% weekly water change, so I will change it up to a 50%. I am using CaribSea African Cichlid Mix for my substrate.
> 
> I should post a pic of the test results from the old nitrate kit on the tap...straight red. I ended up putting on a whole house filter for drinking water, hoping it would help with the nitrates also. After spending too much.....I still had a high nitrate test result on my tap water. So, today I found out the test kit was faulty. Oh well, I have been wanting a whole house filter anyway. The things we do for our fish right. That is what led to getting the R/O. Now that I have it and set it up, I will be using it. I enjoy the time I spend doing the water change and getting the water quality correct.
> 
> Thanks for your input


Best scenario is to keep nitrates under 25ppm and mine usually varies between 5ppm-10ppm which is a little 'cleaner'. Even though your source water has starting nitrates, if you do at least 50% weekly WC then you should be good. But you may want to do a couple more WC the first week to get nitrates down to an acceptable level 25ppm-30ppm then maintain from there.

CaribSea African Cichlid Mix is fine as long as it keeps the fish excrement on top so it can break down and go into your filters. Pool filter sand works well for this and is kind of the perfect substrate. No valid reason to choose anything else IMO.


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## boardpow (May 16, 2020)

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback.

I have good circulation, so the excrement gets pulled into the filters rather quickly. I will use pool filter sand on the next tank, as I am hooked and looking forward to another tank sooner then later.

I think that was an issue also, I was only doing about a 25% wc, while needing a 50%. Thanks again.


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## Kara Gibson (5 mo ago)

The growth of the plants in your aquarium depends on nitrates. Therefore, your only alternative in this situation is to maintain a balance that can satisfy both your plants and your fish. Because your fish can be content with the lowest level of nitrates, you don't need to worry about adding more plants to your tank if it doesn't already have any. Nitrate concentrations below 40 ppm are beneficial to your fish, maximum 50 ppm probably acceptable but its so verge. The more nitrates you can add to your aquarium using this as a guideline. Follow these methods to keep your nitrate in balance. First, determine how the fish and plants fit together, then. Third, you should take action to control food waste. a swim-up. Lower labels could pose a challenge thats why rapidly you need to check the nitrates level.


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Hello,
this is an old post, and I suspect the OP has already moved on. And unfortunately, he does NOT state at any time that he has any (or any intention of getting), Live Aquatic Plants.
But as you inform in your reply, there IS a potential answer to the Nitrate problem in his aquarium with the application and use of Live Aquatic Plants as part of a purpose-built (comprehensive?) filtration system for that tank.








Comprehensive Filtration - When Technology Is Not Enough


As freshwater aquarists, we (and our little charges) live under the TYRANNY of the Three Kings of the Nitrogen Domains. We must obey and submit to the Rules & Writ of these Realms! As follows, AMMONIA: King of Fire and Initial Terror NITRITE: King of Tricks and Pain NITRATE: Harbinger King...




www.cichlid-forum.com




'Comprehensive Filtration' is something I suspect we will be seeing more of in the future. This will happen as the clean, fresh water needed to supply our aquariums becomes less available, and/or certainly MUCH more expensive to source out.


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## Kara Gibson (5 mo ago)

you can also get more idea about the all aquarium issue here.


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Yeah.... not enough Nitrates is the 'other' problem you can have with a lightly stocked, heavily planted aquarium. To overcome that problem and maintain zero to very low (below a measured 5 PPM) Nitrate level in the water of my own planted tanks, I've had a LOT of success using high-quality potting soil to place substrate rooting plants down into (The potting soil is located under a top-coat layer of either coarse sand or fine gravel). The plants have access to organic nutrition that way with their roots. But, it also keeps that nutrition/plant-growing stuff safely away from the water column where the *HATED ALGAE* can't get access to it. 
Another way people can get sustained growth in the aquarium with low levels to zero Nitrates, is using CO2 injection systems to push those plants. Works, yes... but, CO2 injection systems cost a bit more than I want to pay to keep live aquatic plants in the aquarium - $$$.


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