High nitrates.

[guppygirly]

I have a fully cycled, 2 month old tank. I keep getting a nitrate reading of around 40. This seems high. What makes nitrate high and how do I keep it low? I've been doing 10% water changes every three days or so. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CFC]

Areading of 40 is nothing to worry about and unless you are keeping nitrate sensative fish nitrate is not a problem until it exceeds 70ppm.

Have you tested your water supply? Most urban tapwater supplies have a reading of 40ppm or more straight from the tap, in big cities like London it is often double that so no ammount of water changes will bring the nitrates down. Nitrate can be reduced by using high nitrate using plants in the tank or the addition of nitrate removing filter medias, another method is to use RO water which has been purified of all tapwater contaminents but unless your lfs has a RO unit and sells the water buying your own unit is very expensive.

 

[Lateral Line]

There are also nitrate absorbing resins you can buy, Nitrazorb for example. Anaerobic filters can also be used, but these are notoriously fiddly, as the bacteria cannot tolerate Oxygen, but at the same time, must be fed with an organic carbon source.

RO water must be stabilised before use in an aquarium. As it is, it can swing about quite wildly in pH.

 

[njparton]

I agree with the 70 mg/l rule.

Try Green-X in your filter - good at keeping algea and nitrates at bay

 

[caz27]

I'v never heard of green x

Would you tell me more about it

Thanks

 

[dcraveiro]

Try a water additive called "Prime". It detoxes Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates really well.

 

[st.cichlid]

Green X is a phosphate remover which removes Nitrite and Nitrate.

Its made by HAGEN so should work. I have one but have never used it.

You can put the greenx in the filter or just on the floor of the aquarium

Hope this helps

Newbie234

 

[chunmak]

Do watter changes and use nitrazorb or a product that absorbs nitrates and only nitrates