Tap water reading Nitrate 80ppm

[fleehouse2]

Tap water reading Nitrate 80ppm, advice wanted

I regulary check Nitrite and Ammonia in my tank both of which are 0, but today I got myself a Nitrate test kit and the reading was 80ppm, whch I think is very high (dangerously so). I also tested my tap water which also read 80ppm.

So I cannot reduce my Nitrate levels by doing more water changes hence the post. What do you guys recommend, are the pads the best option?

I also have some plants in my tank (various types, not sure what they are called), which I believe need some Nitrate (although nothing like 80ppm), so when reducing the levels I do not want to go all the way down to 0, unless I have got it wrong.

 

[Maj0rFiSh]

What test kit do you use?

I use a "Tetra Test" which is based on a visual colour chart, how do i know what ppm or whatever its measured in it is?

 

[fleehouse2]

What test kit do you use?

I use a "Tetra Test" which is based on a visual colour chart, how do i know what ppm or whatever its measured in it is?

I use the "Aquarium Pharmaceuticals" one, it uses a colour chart too, but it has the relevant readings along side the colour chart.

 

[Kasakato]

How old is the kit? Sometimes a old test kit can give you a miss read.

 

[fleehouse2]

How old is the kit? Sometimes a old test kit can give you a miss read.

I only bought it today, I cannot see a 'use by' date or anything on it, so I guess it could have been sat in the shop for a while (got it from Pets At Home).

 

[RTR]

The UK does not have the same potable water standards as the US. In this country potable water must be below 44 ppm nitrate, which is still very high.

 

[scorpy]

What about de-ionising the water... would that remove the nitrates?

 

[fleehouse2]

It looks like I have 2 choices:

1. Treat my tap water with a product called Aquarium Pharamceuticals Tap Water Filter, which claims to remove Nitrate from your tap water (I cannot get this product around here so will have to send off for it)

2. Use something like Nitra-Zorb.

Has anybody had any experience of these products, I think option 1 would be the better?? Agreed? Anybody got any alternative ideas?? More plants??

 

[RTR]

The acid/base exchange resins (TWP is one) will give you DI water of good purity, but are not inexpensive resins and cannot safely be recharged at home, so can be expensive.

Reverse osmosis or RO is an alternative, but it does send a lot of water to waste. Relative cost is something you would have to figure out for yourself.

Both of those processes may require re-mineralization of the water with products made for that purpose, as high resistance DI or RO is not suitable to support fish or plants.

Nitra-Zorb and its ilk may actually increase the TDS, total dissolved solids, of your water rather than reduce it, as it is a salt-exchange material. Whether that would be beneficial or harmful I am unsure - it would depend on TDS readings of your water with and without treatment (which also would require a TDS meter). You could be juggling one harmful material against another harmful material - all concentration dependent.

 

[Harlock]

I would go for Reverse Osmosis water first. I don't know about across the Pond, but here where I live in Texas, RO is available just about anywhere and for relatively cheap. If you have a planted tank, be sure you are dosing ferts if you use RO, as you will lose some trace elements. I would also take a water sample to at least one LFS and see if they get the same readings you did, just to eliminate the possibility that it is a bad test, so you cans ave yourself the trouble.

A lot of folks do very well with an RO mix, but it can wreak havoc with your pH among other things, so careful monitoring would be strongly advised.