No Nitrates - is that a good thing?

[DirkW]

Is it healthy to keep the nitrates down to an undetectable level long term? I've got a total of four tanks that circulate water between them for a total of 69 gallons. I use a RFUG combined with a 2213 Eheim classic canister and a modified wisper 30 HOB filter. I usually change about 5G of water every other week. I added mangroves to one of my tanks to keep the nitrates down. They've barely started spouting and they've been keeping the nitrates at an undetectable level. Both ammonia and nitrites are at undetectable levels and my pH stays around 7 and dH is about 5. My tanks stay well stocked with varying numbers of fancy Swordtails and Mollies plus about 8 neon tetras and some glass shrimp. (I take the livebearers to the LFS when it gets too crowded).

I don't really care if the mangroves flurish, the main reason I keep them is to keep algae to a minimum (which it does quite well). My primary goal is to minimize maintenance while keeping my fish healthy and happy.

 

[patoloco]

Keeping nitrate free water is not bad if you are planning a fish only setup. Your set up seems nice, and keeping nitrates this low will benefit your fish. However, Nitrate is not the only pollutant in the water that has to be removed by partial water changes. There are other thing that can not be normally measured in the home and you'll also need to do your regular water changes.

For 69 gallos of total water volume, I'd recommend to do at least a 15 gallon water change every week.

 

[budrecki]

Nothing can be done to lessen the need for water changes. You cannot do anything to get around this. If there were a way, we would all be doing it! Most people, including me, recommend 50% weekly. It's not just about nitrates. There are other things in the water, such as dissolved solids and organic wastes (TDS, DOCs). These substances are pollutants that "thicken" your water. A build up of these substances will lead to OTS, old tank syndrom. Please read the following links to articles by RTR.

He speak good, he smart, he know more than me :bowing:

OTS (Old Tank Syndrom)
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/small/ots.html

Waterchanges - How, Why
http://www.thepufferforum.com/artic...aterchange.html

Water Change Math for Source-Tank Mismatches
http://www.thepufferforum.com/artic...r/otswater.html

Water Change Math
http://www.thepufferforum.com/artic...changemath.html

 

[patoloco]

Correcting the above wrong adresses
OTS (Old Tank Syndrom)
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/small/ots.html

Waterchanges - How, Why
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/water/waterchange.html

Water Change Math for Source-Tank Mismatches
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/water/otswater.html

Water Change Math
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/water/waterchangemath.html[/QUOTE]

 

[DirkW]

Those are some interesting articles. I'll plan a major gravel vac/water change this weekend.

 

[joephys]

as said above you still need to do partial water changes, but if you have no nitrates and ammonia and nitrites are still zero, then you got one good set up.