# Question about Nitrates and water change after cycling



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I'm cycling a 20g tank. I use Nitrazorb because our Nitrates are 80+ppm straight from our water source. When Nitrazorb is used, my 10g tank reads 10-20ppm for Nitrates.

The cycling tank was reading 20ppm last week for Nitrates and since the big NitrtIte spike today, it's reading at around 30 or 40ppm.

Everyone recommends doing a 25-50% water change after a fishless cycle to bring down Nitrate. Since this will actually increase them in my case (taking out the Nitrazorbed water and replacing it with high nitrate water,) should I skip the big water change before adding everyone? (I don't have a problem doing this, since after a cycle the ammonia and nitrites will read 0 after a dosing (4ppm) 24 hours before.... so there shouldn't be any traces of ammonia to hurt anyone.)

Just wanted to be sure it's ok to skip the big water change before adding everyone if it is a vital step.... (I can see it being important for people who have nitrates in the tank and their water source has NONE, but in my case my tank is MUCH lower than my water source, lol.)

Thanks!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The concern I would have would be impurities in the ammonia you used. Plus, 80 whatever will not hurt your fish and the zorb will be taking it down.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

True about the Nitrazorb taking it down... it just takes time, so I didn't want the Nitrates to hurt my fish in the time it takes the media to do it's work, which is a while.

If 80ppm Nitrates isn't bad, then why does it say "dangerous" on the chart? 0-20ppm says "safe" 40-60 says "stressful" and 80+ is "dangerous/deadly". Big Al's also said that 79+ppm Nitrates is deadly.... I know not to always trust LFS places, but if they (and the kit chart) are saying that's a bad number, I have to wonder.

Only wondering, because when I wasn't using Nitrazorb and the levels were at 80ppm, all my fish kept dying. Now that it's 20ppm and lower, they've been fine. (My Otos died before the Nitra' and now they are well past a month here.)


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

80ppm in nitrates would be bad over a sustained period. It is not like ammonia or nitrites that could kill your fish within hours if the levels are around 3-4, nitrates take time. One of my 125g tanks that has Angels, mostly various Tetras and Cories, regularly stays at 40+. It is very heavily planted and I dose the tank with Nitrates 3 times a week. Usually it will get around the 80ppm range before my weekly 50% water change. That gets it to about 40ppm. I have lost 1 fish in over 6 months and have had most since Sep. I read all the time about nitrates counts in the 100s with no effect on fish. I'm not saying don't pay attention to it, but momentary peaks in the 80 range are going to do nothing.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

IMHO plants will maintain low nitrates regardless of the nitrates in the replacement water.


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## Subaru4wd (May 6, 2011)

I would consider changing my water source...

80ppm to start, thats kinda high. Makes me wonder what my Nitrate levels are in my tap water??


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Subaru4wd said:


> I would consider changing my water source...
> 
> 80ppm to start, thats kinda high. Makes me wonder what my Nitrate levels are in my tap water??


That is our tap water. It's an artisan well. The water is faaaaaaantastic to drink, but not so great for fish, lol.


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## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

I would recommend you make water changes with either distilled or bottled drinking water. Neither of these water sources will have any Nitrates in them. The cost of both of these water sources is about a dollar a gallon. Many of the harder to keep Tropical Fishes are very sensitive to Nitrates.


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## Subaru4wd (May 6, 2011)

That is what I was thinking. With a 20gal tank, you can buy 2 gallons of water for like... $3, or less i am sure. Buy it 10gallons at a time and have enough water to do 10% changes a week for a month.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

That's an idea...

Our water is great for all my inverts' though as it's super hard. It's been perfect in every other way except the Nitrates. I don't mind running the Nitrazorb.

But, bottled water is a good idea for the big water change before moving every one in!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

That is an idea that will work, but you should get a kh/gh test kit to see where it takes you after your water changes. Strips won't work for an accurate test. GH is your water's hardness and this is where the waters natural minerals are as well that your fish and inverts need (Calcium, Mag, etc). If you know your starting level then you should be okay. Kh is your alkalinity or carbonate hardness. This is what helps keep your ph stable. Both should be at levels of 3 degrees or above and maybe a little higher gh with inverts. You can do 100%, but you'll have to put that stuff back if you do.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I got the liquid test kit a few weeks ago.

My pH was at 7.8 - 8.0

My GH was at like 22 (LOL!)

My kH was at 11 (Like I said, uber hard water!!!!) The shrimp and snails are loving it though. The shrimp are shedding like mad!


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