I have tested my water supply (from tap/fawcett) and it appears that there is 10ppm Nitrate in the water. This makes keeping the levels low a little harder. Is this common to have Nitrates in the water? Is there a way to remove the Nitrate before adding the water to the tank? Or should I just live with it?
"Backround" Nitrate
- Thread starter mercurial
- Start date
Not a problem. Keeping nitrates low is not so much for the nitrates, but because when nitrates are high it implies that other dissolved contaminants are also high.
So instead of keeping below 40ppm, you would probably be OK keeping below 50ppm.
There are commercial nitrate removing filter media available.
So instead of keeping below 40ppm, you would probably be OK keeping below 50ppm.
There are commercial nitrate removing filter media available.
Nitrates are present to a greater or lesser degree in a lot of water. 10 ppm is fairly low and I wouldn't especially worry about it. I agree with Faramir that nitrates are often used as a water quality indicator and aren't especially toxic in their own right. They are toxic, but less than 40 ppm is generally considered a safe level for most freshwater fish. Many people go a bit higher without disastrous results. I'd just keep up a regular water change regimen and continue to use 40 as a general target.
If you have plants, plants will remove nitrates. This means you can't use them as an indicator anymore, it doesn't mean you can skip your water changes. I try to change 20-25% about once a week and actually add a little bit of nitrate for my plants. You don't really need to be nuts about it, but keeping a clean tank is just good practice. If I get busy and let it go for a week I notice the difference, just like in my own home. I make a little time (doesn't take long) and clean.
If you have plants, plants will remove nitrates. This means you can't use them as an indicator anymore, it doesn't mean you can skip your water changes. I try to change 20-25% about once a week and actually add a little bit of nitrate for my plants. You don't really need to be nuts about it, but keeping a clean tank is just good practice. If I get busy and let it go for a week I notice the difference, just like in my own home. I make a little time (doesn't take long) and clean.
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Nitrates are present to a greater or lesser degree in a lot of water. 10 ppm is fairly low and I wouldn't especially worry about it. I agree with Faramir that nitrates are often used as a water quality indicator and aren't especially toxic in their own right. It is toxic, but less than 40 ppm is generally considered a safe level for most freshwater fish. Many people go a bit higher without disastrous results. I'd just keep up a regular water change regimen and continue to use 40 as a general target.
If you have plants, plants will remove nitrates. This means you can't use them as an indicator anymore, it doesn't mean you can skip your water changes. I try to change 20-25% about once a week and actually add a little bit of nitrate for my plants. You don't really need to be nuts about it, but keeping a clean tank is just good practice. If I get busy and let it go for a week I notice the difference, just like in my own home. I make a little time (doesn't take long) and clean.
If you have plants, plants will remove nitrates. This means you can't use them as an indicator anymore, it doesn't mean you can skip your water changes. I try to change 20-25% about once a week and actually add a little bit of nitrate for my plants. You don't really need to be nuts about it, but keeping a clean tank is just good practice. If I get busy and let it go for a week I notice the difference, just like in my own home. I make a little time (doesn't take long) and clean.
I agree. We live in an agricultural area, and the fertilizer used (esp. ammonia - go figure!) causes increased nitrate levels in our water. There's been a lot of debate about how high nitrate levels have to be for how long before there is harm caused to fish, but I don't see your level (10 ppm) being anything to worry about. Even starting at 10 ppm, you shouldn't have much trouble keeping nitrates below 40 ppm, which is considered safe by all but the most conservative aquarists.
Don't sweat it.
Jim
Don't sweat it.
Jim
10ppm as a starting point? heaven! My tap water will normally come out at around 50ppm and is regularly 60+ (not regularly enough for the water board to do anything). I try to keep them down to <75 in the tank by weekly 20-25% w/c's and have several plants.
I've had nitrates over 100ppm and not lost any fish. I don't suggest its ok to have them that high but maybe your local nitrate level will dictate the fish you should be keeping?
I've had nitrates over 100ppm and not lost any fish. I don't suggest its ok to have them that high but maybe your local nitrate level will dictate the fish you should be keeping?
I live in an agricultural part of the UK (choice not birth) and have been told (not by the water board) that nitrates are higher near farmed land.
...extract taken from The Drinking Water Inspectorate....
The current regulatory standard of 50 mg/l nitrate is derived from the standard in the European Union's Drinking Water Directive. The EU standard is based on the World Health Organisation's guideline value for drinking water, which is also 50 mg/l. That standard is intended to ensure that drinking water will not cause methaemoglobinaemia.
My levels do peek and when they do I leave my w/c for another day. I also run both of my taps for at least 10 minutes before drawing water for the tank.
I use stress coat in the new water and all my fish seem fine. I must ask my lfs what his levels are - he is deeper in the countryside.
Slightly off topic but the article also goes on to say said that methaemoglobinaemia is a potentially fatal illness. NitrAte is converted to NitrIte in the gut and interferes with the absorption of oxygen by the blood
...extract taken from The Drinking Water Inspectorate....
The current regulatory standard of 50 mg/l nitrate is derived from the standard in the European Union's Drinking Water Directive. The EU standard is based on the World Health Organisation's guideline value for drinking water, which is also 50 mg/l. That standard is intended to ensure that drinking water will not cause methaemoglobinaemia.
My levels do peek and when they do I leave my w/c for another day. I also run both of my taps for at least 10 minutes before drawing water for the tank.
I use stress coat in the new water and all my fish seem fine. I must ask my lfs what his levels are - he is deeper in the countryside.
Slightly off topic but the article also goes on to say said that methaemoglobinaemia is a potentially fatal illness. NitrAte is converted to NitrIte in the gut and interferes with the absorption of oxygen by the blood
