I just figured out I have not been doing the API nitrate test correctly I was not shaking the test tube for 60 seconds my 37 and 100gal newly cycled tanks have nitrates at the high end of the test color. I read some tap water can be high so I tested my well water :yuck:and it is just as high out of the tap. NOW WHAT?? I am in a panic on how I am going to lower the nitrates I cannot afford to buy 50 gallons of spring water to do water changes , maybe a RO system at some point but they are costly. I read mixed reviews of additives to lower nitrates in the water or filter media. Any suggestions? nitrites ammonia in tanks 0 at the moment the 100 gal has been reading .25 nitrites I made some changes to my filters and I think it is mini cycling.Goldfish in the 100 gal and the large black moore is showing signs of problems. I did a 50% water change before I realized the nitrate problem and the moore is a little better he has scales coming off his sides like he was scratched but he is not flashing or fighting.No white spots or any color just patches of scales came off and he was a little depressed.Can nitrates cause this? I have WCM and dojo loaches so should I still use salt?
HELP!! High Nitrates in my well water
- Thread starter vlbisme
- Start date
I would ditch the salt and grab some plants, there is nothing better if you can't do anything about nitrates out of tap which are high than getting plants that will suck it up. RO/DI water filter system in the future and you will be fine, but plants would definitely help.
Fast growing stem plants are the best for eating up nitrates. I like to use wisteria, I've found it to grow well in almost any tank/lighting.
I have the same problem with high nitrates in my well water, most likely the result of a 95 acre farm field across the road from me.
Yes, you can move in the direction of a heavily planted tank, which may require upgrading your lighting. You might add some floating plants which may help some.
I am taking a multi-prong approach. I have tried reducing nitrates with store bought water with little success so I have ordered some Fluval Lab Series Nitrate Remover* to get my tank nitrates down.
I've also ordered an API Tap Water (DI) filter (To use filtered water for water changes). Finally, I am developing a DIY bio denitrate filter that once established, I hope will be able to manage tank generated nitrates, allowing me to do reduced frequency and/or volume of water changes and still have high quality water.
There are other products (synthetic resins) that can assist in nitrate removal (e.g. API Nitra Zorb, Algone, etc.) but I feel these are short term solutions to our problem with the long term solution being tank/filter management to minimize reduce nitrates and using filtered water for water changes.
AD
Yes, you can move in the direction of a heavily planted tank, which may require upgrading your lighting. You might add some floating plants which may help some.
I am taking a multi-prong approach. I have tried reducing nitrates with store bought water with little success so I have ordered some Fluval Lab Series Nitrate Remover* to get my tank nitrates down.
I've also ordered an API Tap Water (DI) filter (To use filtered water for water changes). Finally, I am developing a DIY bio denitrate filter that once established, I hope will be able to manage tank generated nitrates, allowing me to do reduced frequency and/or volume of water changes and still have high quality water.
There are other products (synthetic resins) that can assist in nitrate removal (e.g. API Nitra Zorb, Algone, etc.) but I feel these are short term solutions to our problem with the long term solution being tank/filter management to minimize reduce nitrates and using filtered water for water changes.
AD
Well I broke down and bought a RO/DI system now I have to figure out what to do with the purified water! With the high PH hard well water the fish are used to I am really unsure of exactly how to condition the water to put back in the tanks. Equalibrium? ph buffers? phosphates? feel like I need to be a chemist to figure all this out??
There is a product called RO Right that makes it very easy to dose and adds back to the water what your fish need. Just make the water change gradual in your tanks and your fish will adapt.
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We drink bottled water but cook and make coffee and tea with it. I called our county gov. and it appears they don't really care about our water on private land from wells they don't even have any testing they will do. It is kind of funny since here in California they seem to care just about everything we do as landowners but this they could care less.
If they are that high I would be concerned enough not to use that water even for boiling/coffee/tea. If it were me I would definitely get the water tested. If your county extension office will not test it, you can find other places that will. A good start would be to find a number in your phone book of a company that drills for private water wells. They would be able to point you in the right directions. You can also buy a cartridge filter to put on your kitchen tap that will help. Just make sure it says it will filter out nitrates. They aren't that expensive and can be easily installed by you. The cartridges need replaced every few months but would be worth the piece of mind.
I know your already past it because you bought a RO system but in case someone else comes across this another idea I have seen is to pretreat your water with some plants. Put the water in a tupperware tub or something and get a bunch of plants, I think it's pythos plants is the name, they grow well with the roots in just water. Just provide sunlight or a plant light above it to provide the plants light and they should suck up the nitrates in the water. I heard you can get some pretty good success that way.
