Opinions On Tank Additives Such As Filter Boost?.

[saltyseadog]

I have a fresh water planted aquarium now in its 6th month. This is my first aquarium and through posting questions and reading up on relevant info at these forums I haven't had any real disasters yet other than a particularly nasty brush with hair algae. In my 20 gallon tank as well as the plants I have 5 guppies, 5 cherry barbs, 6 zebra danios, 2 albino corydoras, malaysian trumpet snails + 3 assassin snails to keep check and around a month back after getting to grips with the hair algae I added 10 cherry shrimps. All appears well and my weekly test results for Ammonia, Nitrite = 0ppm. My nitrate levels are up around 40ppm and I cannot seem to get them below that. I live in a hard water area ph of 7.5 with a lot of limescale in the water. I use a pair of tights to partially filter the water for my weekly 25-30% water changes and add a litre of boiling water to 6.5ltrs of cold plus de-chlorinator which gives me around 27 degrees to top up the tank. I have two filters, a Fluval U2 and a home made air powered moving bed filter from the tyne valley guys videos on YouTube. In that I use the bio-motion media balls bought from that same source and also replaced the filter media in the Fluval U2 with them as well.
 
There is a fish tank at the place where my daughter works and she said they use the product in the link http/www.petsathome.com/shop/love-fish-filter-boost-96705 to add to their tank. Not being aware of what it is/does I googled it and then decided to first ask you guys 'n gals here your opinions on it. Is it worth buying some in addition to what I have detailed here, or is it not needed?. I am thinking that maybe it would help to reduce my nitrate levels nearer to 0 !!!?. If not are there any other ways to reduce nitrates in a planted tank?.

 

[KirkyArcher]

Filter aid and products of that ilk state that it contains bacteria that speed up the cycle of an aquarium, debate is rife as to how products containing "live" bacteria can have a shelf life of 3+ years, I have used and continue to use Nutrafin cycle and Nutrafin waste control, dunno what's in it dunno if it speeded anything up but as I got it for free and has caused no harm what the heck

 

[frapadoodle]

Why do you want/need to reduce nitrates?
With your stock, and the size tank I would say they are normal.
My nitrates are 20ppm from the tap, 40ppm in both 55gal. and 10gal. tanks. Both planted.
If you want to reduce nitrates, stem plants soak them up.

As for tank additives, I use dechlor and fertilizer, that's it.

 

[fluttermoth]

You don't need to use it, and it wouldn't help reduce your nitrate either. 40ppm is a perfectly acceptable level anyway.

 

[saltyseadog]

First of all thanks for the very fast replies people. Maybe I have misunderstood but I thought that Ammonia, nitrite and Nitrate levels should all be at 0. Mine seem to be pretty stable at Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0 and Nitrate = 40ppm. So Nitrate at 40ppm is acceptable, normal even?.

 

[KirkyArcher]

yes, you have ideal results in the real world

 

[frapadoodle]

Nitrate is the end product of the Nitrogen cycle.
Ammonia broken down to Nitrite. Nitrite broken down to Nitrate. Nitrate used by plants.
And most Nitrate tests are not entirely accurate.
So, no worries.
Most fish in the trade are acclimated anyway. I have read many places to get corys to spawn Nitrates must be below 20ppm. Mine spawn regularly.
If Ammonia is 0ppm, and Nitrites are 0ppm, you are spot on.

 

[dave840f1]

If anyone out there can get zero Nitrate please tell me how. I think every tank will have a degree of nitrates and as previously stated they won't do too much harm as long as they don't skyrocket out of control. Plants seem to be the natural way of keeping it in check. You can also make a denitrifier (That's what I call them) to take out some of the nitrate but it will take about a month or two to start working.

 

[daizeUK]

I get 40ppm nitrates out of my tap water, so much that I don't bother fertilizing N for my heavily planted tanks   With plants and weekly 50% water changes my nitrates are pretty stable at 40ppm.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Ask almost anybody who runs a high light co2 added tank about 0 nitrates. I added potassium nitrate to mine weekly for 12 years to prevent having 0 nitrate. Plants consume nitrate.

 

[dave840f1]

TTA try putting fish in. lol

 

[daizeUK]

Depending on how heavily you plant and stock your tank, plants are quite capable of consuming more nitrate than fish will produce....

 

[saltyseadog]

Thank you all for your very helpful replies.