Nitrate levels

[SoulOddity]

I can never seem to keep my Nitrate levels down. Ammonia and nitrite are fine but nitrate is always higher than I'd like and I hope it's not at a level that can harm the fish. It's a 55g with 15 black neon tetras, 4 black loaches, 5 panda corys, 1 clown pleco, 3 Otos, and 4 juvenile angels. (I just added 3 of them yesterday)
The tank is planted including Pothos growing outside of the tank with a bunch of roots inside. I do regular water changes, but the tap water tests with nitrate already present. Not sure what I can do to get it in the 5.0 ppm range.

 

[gwand]

What is the nitrate concentration in your tap water?

 

[SoulOddity]

What is the nitrate concentration in your tap water?

Well, I guess I stand corrected. For years, nitrate of around 5-10ppm has always been in my tap water. The last time I tested it was about 2 months ago and it was there. But I just tested it to reply back and now no nitrates! I'm not sure what's changed other than we've had 2 big hurricanes with flooding and surge here in Sarasota, FL, so I'm not sure if something has changed at the water treatment facility since the hurricanes?
I guess I'll due a 50% water change today and see what happens.

 

[MuddyWaters]

I have a shrimp tank that has black bar endlers and sunshine neon tetra in it. The tetra are fine, but the black bar endlers are like rabbits. I took about 35 out of the tank and sold at the club two months ago and now I'll need to do it again.

It's a 15 gallon tank, and the shrimp do not like high nitrates, so I had a struggle. I now use Nitrazorb from API. It keeps them steadily at 5ppm. I put it in the outflow tank of my filter (the tank is an all-in-one Fluval Flex 15 gallon).

It works great. I change it out every couple of weeks with another one and I use each for several months. I just follow the directions for storing them and "recharging" or whatever it's called.

I also tried Tetra's NitrateMinus, but haven't seen results from it that I can tell. Someone else on here (maybe @Magnum Man ?) used it to great effect.

Good luck with it- it's super frustrating when it just won't go down. One other thing- make sure you're not adding nitrates through your plant fertilizer. I use the EI method on my 75 gallon tank, but I have it overstocked, so I don't put NK in it usually. I have Pothos growing out of that one too.

 

[gwand]

Well, I guess I stand corrected. For years, nitrate of around 5-10ppm has always been in my tap water. The last time I tested it was about 2 months ago and it was there. But I just tested it to reply back and now no nitrates! I'm not sure what's changed other than we've had 2 big hurricanes with flooding and surge here in Sarasota, FL, so I'm not sure if something has changed at the water treatment facility since the hurricanes?
I guess I'll due a 50% water change today and see what happens. View attachment 352469

My well water has a stable nitrate concentration of 25 ppm. I use API Nitrozorb in my Aquaclear HOB for 2 days after each water change. It brings the tank nitrate levels down to around 5 ppm.

 

[Magnum Man]

Just an FYI… it wasn’t me

 

[Essjay]

I also tried Tetra's NitrateMinus, but haven't seen results from it that I can tell. Someone else on here..........used it to great effect.

Here it is

Tetra NitrateMinus.

I didn't find any place where I would logically could think a review for an additive be posted. Long story short... My shrimp tank got smashed and I was forced to crash setup another tank and plop everything I could save in a new one... This tank was running for months without any sign of...

www.fishforums.net

 

[gwand]

The product is not available at the moment in the USA. You can purchase it from the UK but shipping costs are ridiculous.

 

[Essjay]

MaloK, who started that thread in post #7, is Canadian - is it possible for Americans to get it from there?

 

[gwand]

Amazon carried it but not anymore. Maybe it will return.

 

[anewbie]

There are way to filter out nitrate; i don't know what they are but given that you live in florida; the best suggestion i can come up with is move to colorado where the water is mountain pure

Also the air is nicer and the humidity is a lot lower. Colorado is the place to be not florida.

Also in that first post of the nitrate red - i could call that dangerously high.

 

[MaloK]

How old is your setup ?

Water changes are the #1 method of reducing Nitrate, Second to that is a dense flora that is actively growing, the use of nitrate free fertilizer that provide bio available co2, strongly encourage the plants to take over any nutrients dissolved in the water layer.

Then there are also bacteria that are able to convert Nitrate to gas that will escape in the air. These will thrive in lower oxygenated area of the substrate and filters that have a slower flow. They will appear naturally but they can take a very long time to develop and you might never have enough surface area for them to takeover. Also they tend to create sulfur gas and that is not that welcome in aquariums.

So I think a diligent approach to win is to try to maximize your attack on the 3 fronts available.

keeping water changes as the main weapon and plants second, until the other starts to become effective. High nitrate can lead to epic algae blooms and total oxygen deprivation relatively fast.

 

[MaloK]

MaloK, who started that thread in post #7, is Canadian - is it possible for Americans to get it from there?

It's sold By Tetra in America and Canada, But when I reach the Store Front they are different for each country.

If you can basket it on Amazon.ca in the US, You should receive it no problem. I often buy stuff available on Amazon.com that is not available in Canada that way.

 

[Colin_T]

Add some floating plants to the tank to help reduce the nitrates. They will also help your fish feel more secure and spend more time out in the open instead of being worried about being attacked from above. It's not going to happen in an aquarium but fish don't know that. Water Sprite is a good floating plant.

If the tap water has low or no nitrate, do big (75%) water changes each week and make sure you gravel clean the substrate to remove the gunk in it.

Make sure you clean the filter at least once a month to reduce the gunk in it.

 

[SoulOddity]

Add some floating plants to the tank to help reduce the nitrates. They will also help your fish feel more secure and spend more time out in the open instead of being worried about being attacked from above. It's not going to happen in an aquarium but fish don't know that. Water Sprite is a good floating plant.

If the tap water has low or no nitrate, do big (75%) water changes each week and make sure you gravel clean the substrate to remove the gunk in it.

Make sure you clean the filter at least once a month to reduce the gunk in it.

I have red root floaters in it now. Didn't do the best during shipping but it's slowly coming back and starting to see some roots growing. The Angels love being underneath it.