High Nitrate in tap water

[romiko]

Hi,

Have anyone of you guys every built a denitrifying filter the DIY way? I seem rather keen on the idea as my tap water has over 50mg/l of nitrates and I think this will be bad for fresh water fish?

 

[Da_Oz]

When you did this test on your tap water did you let the tap water set for a hour or did you take it strait from the tap.

 

[skimpy]

No trying to rob this post, but in what way does it make a difference if you leave the tap water sit, to taking the test straight from the tap.

Does that make reading higher or lower???

 

[wuvmybetta]

No trying to rob this post, but in what way does it make a difference if you leave the tap water sit, to taking the test straight from the tap.

Does that make reading higher or lower???

Chlorine should disappear in about 24 hours,but I don't think nitrate will. Unless it's filtered for a day or so.

Romiko...I had a similar problem last year with my nitrites in my tap. Here's the thread where I got some pretty helpful advice about an additional filter.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=10466&hl=

My aplogies if I'm completely off track about the info you're looking for,it's been one of those days

 

[Da_Oz]

Alot of things change in time. CO2 leaves water PH can change. Alot things change. But as the air O2 and CO2 leaves the water so can the nitrates. Nitrates are part of cleaning water to be reused by the public. In some areas where I live the readings out of tap would almost kill somefish but with in a hour they are fine. I do alot of tank maintenance around my area and have taken readiings from all of there tap water and so far only one had anything left after one hour.

 

[FishDan]

Nitrate is a byproduct that does not "leave" the water as it sits. If that were the case we would not have to change water out of our aquariums, as nitrates are the problem we are removing (in a healthy aquarium at any rate). If your aquarium is healthy, the ammonia should be converted to nitrite and the nitrite in turn to nitrates. Nitrates above a certain level (different for most fish) is the last step of the cycle. And the only way to remove nitrates is by changing water. Again, nitrates do not "gas out"/ This is the process that accounts for many changes (pH, CO2 levels, etc). Letting the water sit will not change your nitrate reading, at least not significantly. If it did, that's be great. We'd never have to change our water unless there was some other problem.

That is a lot of nitrates in your tap, this may be due to the water company adding more chemicals to clean the water this time of year. Or is this always the level of nitrates in your tap? In any event, you might want to try RO water. I am not certain of a DIY method for you.

\Dan

 

[romiko]

Hi guys,


Firstly, thanks for the posts, I am busy building a De-Nitrification system for my tank, however the nitrates are tooooo high, a nice proof is the algae in my tank, its thriving because of it, water changes wont help as I Have nitrates in the tap water, what i am going to do is buy water for the tank.

Im looking at RO solutions, but there is allot out there, any recommendations?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I wouldn't mind higher nitrAtes in my tap water, have you thought about making your tank planted?