2nd hand tank, cycled already?

[QueenBee]

Councils (local governments) don't have anything to do with the water supply. If you have nitrates in the water supply, you need to contact your water company. If they won't do anything, then talk to the local newspapers and get them to run a story on nitrates in tap water and how it is bad for people, animals, birds and fish. If enough people kick up a stink, the water company might do something about the nitrates.

They do where I live. Councils are responsible for ensuring the water supply is safe. They are the 'water company'. Water is free in vast majority of towns and cities where I live (New Zealand) but some, like mine, do charge a small amount of water tax.

 

[Colin_T]

Fair enough.

Normally councils are not entrusted with water because it is an essential resource that all people and animals need. So state governments take care of it instead of letting the shady councils touch it.

Maybe you could write to the Federal government and try to get the laws changed so councils don't control the water. You might get cleaner water across the country that way.

In the mean time, perhaps set up water holding containers and filter them with something that removes nitrates. When the nitrates are 0, use the water for the tanks.

If you can't find anything to remove nitrates, put the containers of water outside in the sun and grow aquatic plants in them. The plants will use the nitrates and when it is 0, use the water for the fish.

 

[QueenBee]

Fair enough.

Normally councils are not entrusted with water because it is an essential resource that all people and animals need. So state governments take care of it instead of letting the shady councils touch it.

Maybe you could write to the Federal government and try to get the laws changed so councils don't control the water. You might get cleaner water across the country that way.

In the mean time, perhaps set up water holding containers and filter them with something that removes nitrates. When the nitrates are 0, use the water for the tanks.

If you can't find anything to remove nitrates, put the containers of water outside in the sun and grow aquatic plants in them. The plants will use the nitrates and when it is 0, use the water for the fish.

I'll try to find a solution for filtering nitrates into water ... I'm not mechanically minded, so hoping the Council sort it. It's notdefinitely uncommon for nitrates in our water apparently, they add chlorine for a while to get them under control.

We don't have federal government's in NZ .. our biggest water polluters are dairy farms where the waterways aren't fenced

I think it's fine Councils are responsible for the water - they don't make money out of it, and there are health hoards and national health governing body that has standards councils most kept to in.terms of the environment / water.

First step - council
Second step - local hospital health board

 

[QueenBee]

Back up plan on short term is to get water from another part of town. I'll head over to my friend's house, test her water, and fill up some 20L containers

 

[Colin_T]

Chlorine doesn't do anything to nitrates in tap water.

If the nitrates are coming from agricultural run off, there could be other things in the water too. Herbicides, pesticides and who knows what could have leeched in.

I would put the water into big holding containers, dechlorinate it and the put a carbon filter into it. Then while the carbon is filtering out anything in the water, I would put floating plants like Duckweed on the water and leave them to use the nitrates.

 

[QueenBee]

Chlorine doesn't do anything to nitrates in tap water.

If the nitrates are coming from agricultural run off, there could be other things in the water too. Herbicides, pesticides and who knows what could have leeched in.

I would put the water into big holding containers, dechlorinate it and the put a carbon filter into it. Then while the carbon is filtering out anything in the water, I would put floating plants like Duckweed on the water and leave them to use the nitrates.

Great, thanks!

So is that with 2 containers or 3? Ie, is the carbon filter on a separate container from the duckweed? Or is this all in the one container?

The carbon filter, is that one you use in a fish tank, with the sponge filters with it?

Sorry for so many questions, I'm trying to make sense of it - it sounds like this might be the best way forward

 

[Colin_T]

You can use as many containers as you like. I would use as many containers as you need to hold enough water to change the entire volume of the tank.

You add a carbon filter and plants to each container of water you have. The carbon is used to adsorb chemicals out of the water. Carbon will not remove nitrates but should remove any chemical contaminants that might have gotten into the water. The floating plants can then remove any nitrates.

You can use a carbon filter for any sort of aquarium filter. However, it is usually cheaper to buy a big bag of carbon and put it into a mesh bag and put that in a power filter or air operate box filter.

Carbon should be rinsed under tap water to remove any dust before it is used in an aquarium.

If you buy carbon, look for Activated Carbon or Highly Activated Carbon. These will adsorb more chemicals than normal Carbon. They are all carbon but the Activated and Highly Activated are better. Highly Activated is the best carbon to get if you can find it.

You don't have to buy the carbon from a pet shop either. You can check online and buy 10-20kg bags and it works out a lot cheaper than buying it from a pet shop.

 

[AbbeysDad]

Have you found the pre filter works? Local info I found said adding a filter to your tap water won't fix nitrates, nor will boiling the water.

I recycled a now discontinued API Tap water filter. I emptied the resin and filled with API Nitra-Zorb. Works great and the resin is recharged with non-iodized salt water (about every 200g with my water). I follow with an in-line activated carbon filter. I've put over 8000 gallons through it and still going strong!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I recycled a now discontinued API Tap water filter. I emptied the resin and filled with API Nitra-Zorb. Works great and the resin is recharged with non-iodized salt water (about every 200g with my water). I follow with an in-line activated carbon filter. I've put over 8000 gallons through it and still going strong!
View attachment 98695

That can’t be good, can it? After all, the filter was discontinued for a reason.

 

[AbbeysDad]

That can’t be good, can it? After all, the filter was discontinued for a reason.

You're missing the point! The original Tap Water Filter had specialized resins and produced DI (De-ionized) water (that also had nitrates removed)...but the cartridge use life wasn't that good, at least with my water. I can't speak to why API discontinued production/marketing of the product. Could be low sales, not enough profitability - who knows.
After discussions with MARS Tech Support, I took a spent cartridge and emptied the resin, then filled the cartridge with new API Nitra-Zorb (a totally different resin that adsorbs nitrates). The filter connects to a faucet and water is trickled through it to produce water that has zero nitrates! (This is a DIY Pozzani filter). The real beauty is that the resin recharges over and over with regular salt water.
So no, it can't be good....it's GREAT.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

You're missing the point! The original Tap Water Filter had specialized resins and produced DI (De-ionized) water (that also had nitrates removed)...but the cartridge use life wasn't that good, at least with my water. I can't speak to why API discontinued production/marketing of the product. Could be low sales, not enough profitability - who knows.
After discussions with MARS Tech Support, I took a spent cartridge and emptied the resin, then filled the cartridge with new API Nitra-Zorb (a totally different resin that adsorbs nitrates). The filter connects to a faucet and water is trickled through it to produce water that has zero nitrates! (This is a DIY Pozzani filter). The real beauty is that the resin recharges over and over with regular salt water.
So no, it can't be good....it's GREAT.

Ok man, I was just asking.

 

[QueenBee]

GREAT NEWS! I moved my 6 x odessa barbs into the new tank, joining the 6 x glass bloodfin tetras, and it's working great! They swim in their wee schools, but also mingle and swim together as a bigger group. Probably helps that the odessa's prefer mid bottom to middle of the tank, and the glassfins, middle to upper. And so much more room!

Better yet, after adding nitra-zorb to the filter, my nitrates were just 5 this morning - my tap water is 20-40 currently.

And the ammonia and nitrates are both zero, with 12 fish on the tank, so I'm confident it's definitely cycled, thanks to the previous owner who didn't clean / remove the bio media when she gave me the tank

I plan to get some bottom dwellers in the next day or two. Probably peppered corries. I'll also add a bristlenose, and that will be it

LOVE watching the fish swim - so much more awesome in a big tank