Ideal Nitrate Levels

[nshockeyplaya]

What is an ideal nitrate level for a tank with no live plants.

 

[gadazobe]

between 10-20. The only way to keep the levels down in a tank with no plants is regular weekly water changes. What fish are in it?

 

[nshockeyplaya]

I havent got any yet, im cycling the tank right now. I am planning on getting a black shark, a few balas, a red tail shark, a oscar, and some more fish not positive yet. As you can see i like sharks. I dont like the maintince of live plants, and i dont like tanks that focus more on the plants and crap than the fish.

 

[gadazobe]

Even with your 125 US gallon tank, you will be overcrowding with your choice of fish.

 

[nshockeyplaya]

I think id being doing fine with my selection of fish. But thanks anyway for the input.

 

[OohFeeshy]

No, they will be rather crowded, I'm afraid. Have you seen how big Oscars alone grow?

 

[nshockeyplaya]

Yea...good 1 buddy

 

[WILDER]

You are lucky if you can have low nitrates without plants,as some tap water can have high nitrates, nitrates above 50 are not that good.

 

[fufanu360]

that would DEFINATLY be over stocking, do you have any idea how big black sharks get, and balas need a 200+ gallon tank....

I thought that anwhere from 0-40 nitrites is acceptable...

 

[leafs]

I also thought 0-40 nitrate was acceptable

 

[WILDER]

Yes 0-40 is very acceptable..

 

[CFC]

A black shark will quickly dominate and could even kill all the other fish in the tank, they are suitable only for species tanks or very large public aquarium type display tanks.
The oscar will certainly eat a RTBS and depending on the size of the balas when added it may eat those too as their growth rates are vastly different, oscars grow very quickly and balas grow slowly.

and balas need a 200+ gallon tank....

the minimum size to house a group of 3 balas would be a 75 gallon tank though a tank with a 5 foot length or more is far better.

Nitrates are generally considered safe at levels below 100ppm for the majority of common tropical fish though it is highly recomended that levels be maintained below 50ppm for the benefits of their long term health. For more sensative species such as those which are wild caught or known to be sensative to nitrates such as Discus, knife fishes and catfishes levels should be kept below 40ppm at all times.

 

[fufanu360]

well everyone keeps saying balas need huge tanks, so i beleived, i didnt no that, thanks cfc

 

[nshockeyplaya]

Well as far as nitrates and me not having plants. I dont think i should have that much trouble keeping them low because my tap water has 0 ppm of nitrate. I could also add the media to my filter that will eliminate nitrate if it becomes neccesary.

 

[steelhealr]

Nitrates are generally considered safe at levels below 100ppm for the majority of common tropical fish though it is highly recomended that levels be maintained below 50ppm for the benefits of their long term health. For more sensative species such as those which are wild caught or known to be sensative to nitrates such as Discus, knife fishes and catfishes levels should be kept below 40ppm at all times.

Hi...does anyone here have trouble reading the nitrate levels with Aquarium Pharmaceuticals color card? To me it seems that after 40, all the orange colors are too close to distinguish? Are there better nitrate test kits? SH