Pretty Worried About My Incoming Tap Water

[Applecart]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just put a lot of live plants in there, don't overfeed and at each weekly water change give it a really thorough gravel vac all of which will help.

That's not going to change the fact that he's potentially drinking water with 120ppm or more of nitrate in it!

I think he is getting a false reading somehow. I cant see the water board who must have highly advanced and accurate testing equipment letting it get to dangerous levels - people would be suing left right and centre!

United Ulitities are not best known for their diligent water quality testing, with the last MAJOR situation involving supplying Cryptosporidium to thousands of household taps! And as I said, I live in a rural area, and as has been pointed out, it's not impossible for their to be a contaminent between my tap and Hayeswater which is the source and the point at which United Utilities test the water. It's only us fishy types that would likely even become aware of an imbalance in the water as we're probably the only people testing on a regular basis at the end-point as opposed to original source.

The LOT numbers on the Nitrate test bottles ( likely production dates ) are
Nitrate bottle 1 = 17A0811
Nitrate bottle 2 = 18B1011

and CezzaXV's last point is kind of where I'm heading with this, but I didn't want to start crying wolf to United Utilities, if ther really is no problem at all. I CAN have a lab test th ewater, but hey ho what do you know.. the LAB owners are United Utilities! ( what are the chances of a genuine result emerging should it be that my sample breaks the UK laws regarding Nitrate levels for drinking water supplied to the public? , would they really shoot themselves in the foot and open themselves up to thousands of pounds of legal fines by the government bodies? )

Not knowing where to turn or who to trust...
In the words of Shirley Manson

" I think I'm Paranoid! "

 

[Prime Ordeal]

The LOT numbers on the Nitrate test bottles ( likely production dates ) are
Nitrate bottle 1 = 17A0811
Nitrate bottle 2 = 18B1011

Manufactured in August and October of 2011 so less likely to be faulty but still not impossible.

At the very least you should test with another different test kit before contacting the water authority. If both test kits say the nitrate is above 100ppm then it's a safe bet to say, even allowing for the inaccuracies,that it's above the 50ppm legal limit.

 

[Applecart]

The LOT numbers on the Nitrate test bottles ( likely production dates ) are
Nitrate bottle 1 = 17A0811
Nitrate bottle 2 = 18B1011

Manufactured in August and October of 2011 so less likely to be faulty but still not impossible.

At the very least you should test with another different test kit before contacting the water authority. If both test kits say the nitrate is above 100ppm then it's a safe bet to say, even allowing for the inaccuracies,that it's above the 50ppm legal limit.

I'll take a water sample to the nearest specialist fish store to me for them to test next week. They're marine only, but I'm pretty sure that wont affect the nitrate levels testing. A level is a level regardless of where the water is going to end up.

I first tested with those Tetra 6-1 test strips which is how I became worried to start with, then bought the API freshwater master test kit.
I'm going to go to my sisters in a while and test her tap water to see what results I get. I was just mentioning this to her when she stopped and said "oh, maybe that's why the doctors found an unusually high level of nitrate in her urine sample but had no explanation for it" ( she'd just been for a full medical last week ). I'll get that Halfords distilled water also whilst I'm out, if they're open ( with it being Easter sunday ).
I'm collecting that Rio 180 tank and occupants this evening after 7pm.
Not sure how the levels are going to fair with them once the tank is refilled/dechlorinated etc, but that's another thread.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

I'll take a water sample to the nearest specialist fish store to me for them to test next week. They're marine only, but I'm pretty sure that wont affect the nitrate levels testing.

It does actually make a difference but the difference is generally not much and certainly not relevant if the levels are as high as you say.

I was just mentioning this to her when she stopped and said "oh, maybe that's why the doctors found an unusually high level of nitrate in her urine sample but had no explanation for it" ( she'd just been for a full medical last week ).

Unlikely. The reason high nitrate in drinking water is bad is because it gets reduced to nitrite in the stomach and, after being absorbed, leads to methaemoglobinemia (try saying that when you're drunk...hell, try saying it when you're sober ). It's more of a worry with babies where it causes blue baby disease...or Smurfitis .

 

[Applecart]

Hehe.... just spent the last hours since posting calling in on peopel I know in the are and testing their tap water

Well, I'm NOT paranoid, my kit does work

I tested my sisters water three times and everytime I got the same result for HER water.. 30-35ppm ( which is what United Utilities say their test results are at the treatment works 250 metres from her house! )

So I work my way back towards my house and closer to me the levels rise a house approx 200 metres from me is getting virtually the same reading as I get. so there's DEFINATELY a problem, but to what extent, I'll not really know until next week.

Now, my immediate problem is that I go to collect these tropical fish just after 7pm this evening, and once they're back at mine after their 30-40 minute journey, I have to set up and fill the Rio 180 tank with my very high nitrate level tap water ( with API tap water conditioner, some ammolock etc ). I've got hardly any Tetra nitrate minus fluid left and it's easter sunday then bank holiday monday tomorrow. Do you think these fish will survive the nitrate shock? I'll bring them back with as much of their current water as possible but that's only going to be around 50 litres. I'm using two 50 litres plastic tubs, but I dont think I should be trying to fill them each more than half due to weight etc. There are catfish, GSP's, Corys, a couple mollies, and a few of which I'm currently uncertain of species. ( yes I know.. what a plonnker putting puffas in with the other fish, but they get along apparently )

 

[Prime Ordeal]

If you can set up the tank again with just the water you brought back, i.e. assuming the filter will work in whatever depth that is, then your best bet is to drip the new water slowly into the tank. You'll have to fashion a way of doing that, for example, if you can set up a bucket above the tank on a shelf then just dangle a length of air hose from the bucket into the tank with a knot in it. Tighten the knot to get a few drips per second.

 

[OldMan47]

Relax Applecart. Almost any fish will do just fine at the 50 ppm UK limit, which is about the value you are seeing in your tests. The drip acclimation suggested by PO is a good idea for any new fish if you are not sure that fish come from water similar to your own, and it can't hurt either way.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Relax Applecart. Almost any fish will do just fine at the 50 ppm UK limit, which is about the value you are seeing in your tests. The drip acclimation suggested by PO is a good idea for any new fish if you are not sure that fish come from water similar to your own, and it can't hurt either way.

He's got nitrate levels of plus 120ppm. Read the whole thread.

 

[CezzaXV]

I was told back along that tests showed that even sensitive fish can handle 300ppm before they start showing I'll effects. I would advise dropping the water into your tank to acclimatise them to higher nitrate levels.

Your water isn't ideal, but it's not terrible. It'd be far worse to have ammonia or nitrite in your water. Just carry on as you would, but do chase it up with the water supplier and let us know what happens.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

I was told back along that tests showed that even sensitive fish can handle 300ppm before they start showing I'll effects. I would advise dropping the water into your tank to acclimatise them to higher nitrate levels.

Your water isn't ideal, but it's not terrible. It'd be far worse to have ammonia or nitrite in your water. Just carry on as you would, but do chase it up with the water supplier and let us know what happens.

They may be able to handle 300ppm (and more) depending on the fish and if it's a gradual increase to that level, but they will not thrive in it. There are very definite long term consequences to high nitrate levels and thus they should always be kept as low as possible.

I would always be concerned at high nitrate levels.

 

[Applecart]

Local Enviromental Health Officer is coming tomorrow at 9am to test the tap water

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Local Enviromental Health Officer is coming tomorrow at 9am to test the tap water

Nice. Make sure you test the nitrate level just before he comes so that you can compare your reading to his far more accurate one. Should be educational.

 

[Applecart]

Still having high nitrate readings even after United Utilities ad Local Council health service type people took tap water samples last year. Neither got back to me.
 
here are my TANK test result figures:

Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 80+ ppm
 
PH in tank has risen lately? now around 8.0, whereas the water going IN from tap is between 7.5 - 7.6 ,
I've not changed anything to the setup so I'm a bit baffled about that one.
 
sorry no pics of those results.

There are 7 fish in the tank.
1 mickey mouse platy, 1 common plec ( approx 6" long ) , 1x 3 lined Cory, 1x Yoyo loach, 1x Cuckoo, 2 x Raphael catfish ( small 3" ), 1x tiny cute loach that I've still not discovered the identity of! ( approx 1.5" long ).
Fitler is still the 1000EF 302B

No live plants, just plastic.

--------

On a brighter note, I've found a supplier of RO water.... my window cleaner! He's using the pure water system for his window cleaning round, and he filters his own water for that. It's not pure pure, just a decent bit better than the tap water ! I've not started using it yet as we're still trying to work out a price. ( needs to be cheaper than me buying a pozzani NR600 filter and the cost of replacing it every 3 months ).

I'm going to try Seachem De-nitrate in a small D.I.Y. filter and plumb it into the return pipe with a valve and y piece so I can set the flow to it below 200lph for optimum results.

Won't be doing either though until I've moved the tank downstairs to the front room and that means first building a place to stand the tank ( in an alcove ).

I started to think about possibly using the 5 ft of space under the front room floorboards to possibly house a large water butt or some such device that would increase my water amount and then I could maybe put the filter and air pump down there in a soundproofed box to minimise noise? but depends on head capacity of filter pump I guess.

Oh... the town where I live is about to get a P.A.H......  this is a photo of how it looks at the moment.

 
it's opening date is 11th October at 9am..........
So now I'm wondering just ho ware they going to get the place finished, the tanks moved in and filters cycled before then?
lol.

 

[DrRob]

Simple enough, they have big teams of people who do just that. Filters they have lots of, so they have plenty of media to seed with. You'd be amazed how fast shops go together in general when they get moving.

 

[Applecart]

I took the suggested route and diluted my TAP water with De-Ionized water to get a lower rate reading using API master test kit for NITRATE.

First photo is the result of the pure bottled De-Ionized water from Halfords ( just to show it's nitrate free therefore a suitable liquid )

 
 
This next photo is the result OF MY FAUCET TAP WATER diluted down 1 in 10
( 9 parts Pure De-Ionized water to 1 part cold FAUCET TAP water )
So.. my GUESS is based on this and previous tests, my INCOMING NITRATE is around 80ppm+
Agree is disagree ?