Nitrate levels

[SoulOddity]

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.

Well, my tank was set up for a few years but then sprung a leak in the middle of the night about 3 months ago. Instead of resealing, I ended up buying a new 55g and transferred everything over. Basically started over, making sure it was cycled before putting the fish in. I currently have Amazon sword, jungle Val, a few annubias and red root floaters. I'll be adding some more plants.
Going to try and do a decent size water change this evening. It's hard because I'm in Southwest Florida and the water comes out of the tap warm compared to the temp in the tank so I do a little at a time. It's my other obstacle. lol

 

[SoulOddity]

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.

Oh I've been in Florida my entire life lol I don't do well in cold weather! I'm sure it's a beautiful place to visit!

 

[MaloK]

Well, my tank was set up for a few years but then sprung a leak in the middle of the night about 3 months ago. Instead of resealing, I ended up buying a new 55g and transferred everything over. Basically started over, making sure it was cycled before putting the fish in. I currently have Amazon sword, jungle Val, a few annubias and red root floaters. I'll be adding some more plants.
Going to try and do a decent size water change this evening. It's hard because I'm in Southwest Florida and the water comes out of the tap warm compared to the temp in the tank so I do a little at a time. It's my other obstacle. lol

Ok and the nitrate started to rise afterward, I had a similar thing happened when I moved all my shrimp tank to a new aquarium for reasons similar to yours...

Disturbing the substrate that much was not good, had no choice to rinse it before putting it in the new tank. That simply killed a lot of nitrate processing bacteria that was there. Once restarted in the weeks that followed Nitrates where rising non stop, I had to do 25% per day for more than a week and added NitrateMinus in despair. In the following weeks the tank magically re stabilized.

That was Aug 22, 2024, My nitrate are back to nil, since last week I was able to resume feeding the tank normally. Without having them creeping up the next days.

 

[Bamf Comics]

Coil Denitrator. Simple and costs almost nothing to make DIY if you don't want to buy one. The simple version is a big bundle of airline tubing and a Pringles can. Drill a hole in the bottom inch or so of the can and one in the lid. Run about 5 feet or so thru the bottom hole. Coil the rest up until the can is filled to the max. Run the extra out the lids hole. Insert one end into the back of a power filter or such that's elevated above the water level and rim of the tank, drilling a lid is an option for some brands. Suck on the other end for a moment to start a flow like gravel vacuuming. Drap the other end over the edge of the tank so it drips back in, preferrably near the flow from the HOB filter. I use the filter itself to wedge it into place but there are alternatives that make it simple. You can use a clothspin type clip to slow the flow rate if needed or just tie a knot to tighten until the flow is as slow as possible.

Over time, bacteria develop in the first part of the tubing like any bio surface converting ammonia thru to nitrate eventually. Over some additional time, the bacteria exhaust the oxygen supply doing so and the back part of the tubing produces anaerobic bacteria that will begin to lower your nitrate level. Over time you can fiddle with the flow rate to get it to the point that no nitrate is testable on the return drip side. If it's at max flow, then you can always add another or upgrade to a larger size tubing and flow. The Pringles can is just to keep everything neat and out of the light so you don't get light related growth of algae's and such. Once it's setup, you're pretty much never having to spend money on anything again and over time it may help save money thru smaller less frequent water changes, especially if you find yourself adding stuff to the water like plant ferts and such.

 

[MaloK]

Denitrator coils can be be boosted by adding a special Bio-plastic carbon food source in them.

Neptune Denitrator costs 20$ per cartridge and can maintain from 75 gallons aquarium and bigger for 1 year or more. There are single (X1) 75 gallons, double (X2) and triple (X3) up to 300 gallons units also available.

They have proven technology that naturally starts bacteria to process nitrates under a week with a non methanol food source. It's a lot more expensive than a Pringles Tube, but It's serious hobby gear that produce the effect desired without any hassle.

Probably a good investment when you have a big tank and maintaining low nitrate is difficult because of of a large bioload and Water changes becomes a real pain to cut it back mutiple times per week.

 

[Bamf Comics]

Denitrator coils can be be boosted by adding a special Bio-plastic carbon food source in them.

Neptune Denitrator costs 20$ per cartridge and can maintain from 75 gallons aquarium and bigger for 1 year or more. There are single (X1) 75 gallons, double (X2) and triple (X3) up to 300 gallons units also available.

They have proven technology that naturally starts bacteria to process nitrates under a week with a non methanol food source. It's a lot more expensive than a Pringles Tube, but It's serious hobby gear that produce the effect desired without any hassle.

Probably a good investment when you have a big tank and maintaining low nitrate is difficult because of of a large bioload and Water changes becomes a real pain to cut it back mutiple times per week.

I've seen a number of products. There's even some place selling bricks. Lava rock in garden ponds, etc.. I love free and cheap though. I also love Pringles, especially those cheesums. You could sub any number of other containers including coffee cans. Costs nothing when it's headed to the rubbish if you don't purpose it. Even if you don't want the anaerobic nitrate reduction, you can always shorten the tube to a length that it just serves as normal bio and doesn't have enough length to get to the finish line removing everything.

 

[MuddyWaters]

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

I'm in the USA and I bought it at Petco.

 

[Bamf Comics]

I'm in the USA and I bought it at Petco.

I get my Pringles at the dollar store. I'm sure you have multiple options. Airline tubing I usually already have around buying in bulk.

 

[gwand]

I'm in the USA and I bought it at Petco.

I was on the Petco website yesterday and it was not listed. Same for Petsmart and Amazon. Out of stock.