# Nitrates-High levels



## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

Hi guys. What can I do for insanely high 40-80ppm nitrates coming from the tap water, so even if i do a 50%+ water change it doesn't go down, my other reading, Ammonia and Nitrite are both minimal. I don't know what I can do to lower it.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

You can use bottled water, ro/di water, try amquel plus for a temp fix. I would suggest talking to water co to have it tested. I had trouble like that once and it ended up costing replacement of some water lines to the house.


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

I don't know whether or not the bottled water would be fine every other day... and it would get expensive eventually. I think I might still be going through the final stages of cycling.


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

Add some plants to the tank! Lots of plants will help take care of that problem. other than that, go to your local fish store and see what they have for it. usually people change their water to get rid of nitrates and nitrites but it sounds like you're just adding them in. So try feeding less to keep them under control in the tank, add plants to help suck them up, and do less water changes since your tap water is the contaminant.


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Emphino said:


> Hi guys. What can I do for insanely high 40-80ppm nitrates coming from the tap water, so even if i do a 50%+ water change it doesn't go down, my other reading, Ammonia and Nitrite are both minimal. I don't know what I can do to lower it.


Hello E...

The vast majority of aquarium fish will adapt to the vast majority of public water supplies. Water high in nitrates is the perfect environment for floating stem plants like Anacharis and Pennywort. I float these two in all my planted tanks. They're great nutrient users, so get some and see if they don't lower your nitrates.

Keep up with the large, frequent water changes. These alone will keep the water chemistry stable.

Ammonia and nitrite should be at "0". Even a trace of either of these toxins is enough to damages a fish's sensative gill tissues.

B


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

seachem PURIGEN is a synthetic resin that removes nitrates(slowly).$10 for a pouch will last a long time as product is re-chargeable.I use it in all my tanks,and feel it helps(probably won't eliminate completely) but is a simple ,good product.


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

BBradbury said:


> Hello E...
> 
> The vast majority of aquarium fish will adapt to the vast majority of public water supplies. Water high in nitrates is the perfect environment for floating stem plants like Anacharis and Pennywort. I float these two in all my planted tanks. They're great nutrient users, so get some and see if they don't lower your nitrates.
> 
> ...


Yeh I went out and bout some elodea crispa densa. Local pet store guy grows it. I know it's for cold water, and rots a bit quicker but it's still kinda doing the job for a little while. 
As for getting hold of pennywort I can't find any in my Lps or plant stockist.


coralbandit said:


> seachem PURIGEN is a synthetic resin that removes nitrates(slowly).$10 for a pouch will last a long time as product is re-chargeable.I use it in all my tanks,and feel it helps(probably won't eliminate completely) but is a simple ,good product.


 Hi coralbandit. How do i got about using the seachem purigen? I never heard of it and when i researched it all i got was information about protien skimmers and marine tanks.


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## edisto (Nov 4, 2012)

Forget about the fish. I think the EPA max for nitrates in drinking water is 10ppm. Higher levels can cause some real problems in infants, including death.

If it is public water, you should raise a big stink. If it is a well, an RO sysem might help.


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

edisto said:


> Forget about the fish. I think the EPA max for nitrates in drinking water is 10ppm. Higher levels can cause some real problems in infants, including death.
> 
> If it is public water, you should raise a big stink. If it is a well, an RO sysem might help.


Hi Edisto, I rang my local water supply and they said that the maximum amount of nitrates that can be in the water are 50ppm and that they run at an average of 40ppm. This is the annual report.
Parameter Name:Nitrate 
Std: 50
Units: mg NO3/l
No of samples taken: 8
No of Fails:0
% Fails: 0.00%
Population No of Fails (Und): 0
% Fails (Und): 0.00% 
Min:37.7 
Mean: 39.8
Max: 41.4


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Wisteria is a big nitrate hog too, you could try that.


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## edisto (Nov 4, 2012)

Emphino said:


> Hi Edisto, I rang my local water supply and they said that the maximum amount of nitrates that can be in the water are 50ppm and that they run at an average of 40ppm. This is the annual report.


I'm used to the US having a lower (as in worse, not as in a smaller number) standard than other countries. We have to keep nitrates below 10 ppm per the EPA.

HERE is the factsheet.

Did a little reading and found out that the UK follows the World Health Organization standard (as does the rest of the EU). Sorry to set off the alarm bells!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

seachem purigen comes in jar(need filter bag{check out Brian757 90 gallon planted build as he just installed some today with pictures!}) or it can be purchased in pre packed mesh bag(good upto 100 gallons I think).Place it path of water(preferably after some form of prefilter) and that's it.When it changes from white to brown renew with 50/50 bleach water soak for 24 hrs,then rinse well and soak in de-chlorinated water(the de-chlorinator is important as bleach is chlorine based.Really add it to filter and your done,it works 24/7 so you don't have to(really good stuff since besides water changes there is no removal of nitrAtes ). high nitrates or "acceptable" nitrAte according to your supplier is to be questioned,as many suppliers use ammonia along with chlorine(good luck getting them to you that) to treat the water they send you and therefore understanding the "cycle" wouldn't you almost hope you had nitrAtes as opposed to ammonia?Question authority and really question who they subcontract to test water,no-one ever cares till they have problems and few complain to water supplier about how their coffee taste(only fish people test their water).


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

That is so true on testing the water. We get the water company out every couple of years to test ours.


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

coralbandit said:


> Question authority and really question who they subcontract to test water,no-one ever cares till they have problems and few complain to water supplier about how their coffee taste(only fish people test their water).


Funny you should say this.... I told the water scientist that I had tested my water, and he turned around and said it was wildly inaccurate test....


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

Also I just went and bought 5 bunches Elodea Crispa their now in the corner of my tank....


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Emphino said:


> Hi guys. What can I do for insanely high 40-80ppm nitrates coming from the tap water, so even if i do a 50%+ water change it doesn't go down, my other reading, Ammonia and Nitrite are both minimal. I don't know what I can do to lower it.


Hello E...

Nitrates in the 40 ppm range aren't going to harm your fish. However, significantly higher than that over an extended period can damage a fishes' sensitive gill tissues.

Several months ago, I emersed the roots of some Chinese Evergreen plants (Aglaonema) in a 45 G tall to see if I could reduce the large, weekly water changes I was doing, because of the heavy fish load in the tank. Even with routine water changes, the nitrates were higher than normal.

Surprisingly, within a couple of weeks, the nitrates dropped to 10 ppm and have stayed at that level for six months. The plants grow well in the high nitrogen environment, purify the water and the tank water properties remain stable. 

If the standard means of maintaining a stable water chemistry aren't working. You might research the Chinese Evergreen.

Just a thought.

B


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