I've just tested my tap water and it's no longer showing as zero its now showing as what looks like 20 ppm so my old testing strips must have been rubbish so my tank is showing slightly more then my tap water, does this mean its still to do with my tank not my tap water?
I usually do a 25% water change but last night i did a 50% change fish definitely seem happier, do I just stick with weekly 50%.
Also live plants any you recommend getting at all? I have a gravel bottom if that makes any difference.
sorry for all the questions I've just spent alot of money on this fish tank including fish so want to get this rightthanks for everyone's advice so far
Some of this has already been mentioned, but I find it easier to keep it together.
Aquatic plants use ammonia/ammonium as their source of nitrogen, and they assimilate this primarily through the leaves. So, if nitrates are occurring within the aquarium, aquatic plants will keep them lower by using the ammonia/ammonium faster than the bacteria can, which means less nitrite and thus less nitrate resulting. If the tank is not overstocked, or being overfed, and if water changes are regular and substantial (here using zero nitrate tap water), the nitrates can be kept very low, close to zero.
Nitrates already in the tap water is a very different issue. Aquatic plants are not going to help reduce these in most tanks because aquatic plants do not take up nitrate unless the ammonia/ammonium is exhausted and provided the plants are otherwise well supplied with nutrients and light. Terrestrial plants take up nitrate, through the roots. Our member @AbbeysDad has articles on this issue on his blog, here:
