Hello,
This is not a cycling question, but just to let you know, I am new to fish keeping and am currently nearing the end of week 3 of my fishless cycle using ammonia, it’s going well so far, the ammonia has dropped from 3ppm to 0.25ppm and I have topped the ammonia level back up to 3ppm this morning. So I’m getting excited about the rise in Nitrites (currently 0ppm) and the eventual purchasing of tank inhabitants.
Since the day I received my tank and API Master Test Kit, I have known that my tap water seems high in Nitrates (I live south of London and the water authority test samples I have found online say that Nitrates will are as follows:
Minimum 23, Average 29, Maximum 37
However, when testing the water taken directly from the tap, they seem to be more in the region of 50+… it seems that whether this will affect the fish or not is debatable, either way, I would like to try to reduce it and do so by not using chemicals.
I have read a fair amount online about this, have done what has been suggested, bashed the API bottles on the table until I thought they would break and shaken them until I thought my arm may fall off, however, the Nitrate readings are still high. From what I understand, planting the tank will reduce the Nitrates to some degree however it seems that this will only be by a small amount (I do plan to plant the tank however not heavily once it’s cycled, this may be the wrong way around but it’s how it is, I have a CO2 system that is not running but will be when it’s planted).
So, how to reduce the Nitrates?
Use RO water either bought or that I make myself, I have thought of this however would prefer not to have to do this.
Use a system that reduces it right out of the tap, such as the Pozzani Nitrate Remover: www.pozzani.co.uk/water-treatment-250/water-filters-185/product_info.html which is a possibility.
Or ask for advice on this issue, which I am doing now. If anyone has any options or comments about what I can do please let me know?
Also, I have read that Protein Skimmers remove organic compounds, would this be an option for reducing the Nitrate levels? Of course, this would mean when I do water changes the Nitrates would increase instead of decrease, but then would the skimmer reduce it and if so would this happen quickly? Something like this: http
/www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/hang-on-protein-skimmer-dg2516.html
I have a 125 Litre Fluval tank with an Eheim Professional 3 filter running at full tilt. The reason I selected this filter is because of the great reviews I read about it, however also that it is extremely quiet in its operation, so, as a result, I would not like to introduce anything that will make the noise levels increase. If a Protein Skimmer is the answer, are these noisy? Do they have to hang on to the tank like that or is there an option to have it inside the cabinet underneath the tank?
Thanks,
Paul
This is not a cycling question, but just to let you know, I am new to fish keeping and am currently nearing the end of week 3 of my fishless cycle using ammonia, it’s going well so far, the ammonia has dropped from 3ppm to 0.25ppm and I have topped the ammonia level back up to 3ppm this morning. So I’m getting excited about the rise in Nitrites (currently 0ppm) and the eventual purchasing of tank inhabitants.
Since the day I received my tank and API Master Test Kit, I have known that my tap water seems high in Nitrates (I live south of London and the water authority test samples I have found online say that Nitrates will are as follows:
Minimum 23, Average 29, Maximum 37
However, when testing the water taken directly from the tap, they seem to be more in the region of 50+… it seems that whether this will affect the fish or not is debatable, either way, I would like to try to reduce it and do so by not using chemicals.
I have read a fair amount online about this, have done what has been suggested, bashed the API bottles on the table until I thought they would break and shaken them until I thought my arm may fall off, however, the Nitrate readings are still high. From what I understand, planting the tank will reduce the Nitrates to some degree however it seems that this will only be by a small amount (I do plan to plant the tank however not heavily once it’s cycled, this may be the wrong way around but it’s how it is, I have a CO2 system that is not running but will be when it’s planted).
So, how to reduce the Nitrates?
Use RO water either bought or that I make myself, I have thought of this however would prefer not to have to do this.
Use a system that reduces it right out of the tap, such as the Pozzani Nitrate Remover: www.pozzani.co.uk/water-treatment-250/water-filters-185/product_info.html which is a possibility.
Or ask for advice on this issue, which I am doing now. If anyone has any options or comments about what I can do please let me know?
Also, I have read that Protein Skimmers remove organic compounds, would this be an option for reducing the Nitrate levels? Of course, this would mean when I do water changes the Nitrates would increase instead of decrease, but then would the skimmer reduce it and if so would this happen quickly? Something like this: http
/www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/hang-on-protein-skimmer-dg2516.htmlI have a 125 Litre Fluval tank with an Eheim Professional 3 filter running at full tilt. The reason I selected this filter is because of the great reviews I read about it, however also that it is extremely quiet in its operation, so, as a result, I would not like to introduce anything that will make the noise levels increase. If a Protein Skimmer is the answer, are these noisy? Do they have to hang on to the tank like that or is there an option to have it inside the cabinet underneath the tank?
Thanks,
Paul
