Nitrate in tap water

Rosegardener

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Our tap water's from aquafer, I just used a API 5 in 1 test strip and got
Gh 30ppm, Kh 40ppm, Ph 7.5, NO2 0, NO3 20ppm

Is it normal to have nitrate in tap water?
 
Tests trips are notoriously inaccurate, but there are water sources that have nitrates already present. I would suggest live plants to help with any excess nitrates in the water.
 
Our tap water's from aquafer, I just used a API 5 in 1 test strip and got
Gh 30ppm, Kh 40ppm, Ph 7.5, NO2 0, NO3 20ppm

Is it normal to have nitrate in tap water?

Not exactly "normal," but it does occur especially if you have any agricultural runoff nearby. Other members have this problem. The 20 ppm is about as high as you ever want it to be for our fish, and lower will definitely be better long-term. We have older threads that explain options, but one of our members (@AbbeysDad) has some good info on his blog, here:
https://mjvaquatics.com/my-nitrate-fight/
 
Tests trips are notoriously inaccurate, but there are water sources that have nitrates already present. I would suggest live plants to help with any excess nitrates in the water.

If I may, this needs a bit of explanation. Live plants, if by this one means aquarium plants grown submersed, will not remove any nitrates already in the source water. This is because they prefer ammonia/ammonium as their nitrogen source, and there is usually plenty of this available in an aquarium with fish that are fed. Aquatic plants will only begin taking up nitrate if the ammonia/ammonium is insufficient for their needs (i.e., out of balance with light and other nutrients, and thus the "limiting factor" to plant growth). Part of the reason for this is that plants need ammonia/ammonium to produce their amino acids and proteins, and the nitrates must first be converted back into ammonium, and this takes a lot of energy from the plant, so it is a "last resort."

Aquatic plants can help with nitrate that occurs from the biological processes in the aquarium. They do this by using ammonia/ammonium and taking it up faster than the nitrifying bacteria/archaea can, which means less nitrite and thus less nitrate as a result. Fast-growing plants such as floating species can really do this, which is why they are often referred to as "ammonia sinks."

Terrestrial plants use nitrate as their preferred source of nitrogen. So terrestrial plants such as houseplants may help if their roots can be submersed permanently in the tank water. Provided the plant is not toxic (many houseplants are), such plants can remove nitrate. I've never had this issue fortunately, so no idea how effective, but others have if memory serves me said it does work.
 
If I may, this needs a bit of explanation. Live plants, if by this one means aquarium plants grown submersed, will not remove any nitrates already in the source water. This is because they prefer ammonia/ammonium as their nitrogen source, and there is usually plenty of this available in an aquarium with fish that are fed. Aquatic plants will only begin taking up nitrate if the ammonia/ammonium is insufficient for their needs (i.e., out of balance with light and other nutrients, and thus the "limiting factor" to plant growth).

Aquatic plants can help with nitrate that occurs from the biological processes in the aquarium. They do this by using ammonia/ammonium and taking it up faster than the nitrifying bacteria/archaea can, which means less nitrite and thus less nitrate as a result. Fast-growing plants such as floating species can really do this, which is why they are often referred to as "ammonia sinks."

Terrestrial plants use nitrate as their preferred source of nitrogen. So terrestrial plants such as houseplants may help if their roots can be submersed permanently in the tank water. Provided the plant is not toxic (many houseplants are), such plants can remove nitrate. I've never had this issue fortunately, so no idea how effective, but others have if memory serves me said it does work.
Ahh, thank you for letting me know! I have both a pothos in the filter and standard aquarium plants in most of my tanks.
 
Ahh, thank you for letting me know! I have both a pothos in the filter and standard aquarium plants in most of my tanks.

Be careful with the pothos, it is a toxic sap plant. In the filter should be safe enough, provided the roots are not somehow "opened" to discharge the sap. I've no idea how toxic it is.
 
Not exactly "normal," but it does occur especially if you have any agricultural runoff nearby. Other members have this problem. The 20 ppm is about as high as you ever want it to be for our fish, and lower will definitely be better long-term. We have older threads that explain options, but one of our members (@AbbeysDad) has some good info on his blog, here:
https://mjvaquatics.com/my-nitrate-fight/
Where I live, Coachella Valley, it used to be an inland sea. Now home to 124 irrigated golf courses. That might contributed to nitrate in tap water.
 

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