Nitrates Too High?

[Mikaila31]

I am having some concern about my nitrates, after someone on another forum said they were too high. I have 20ppm out of the tap, most my tanks are average or heavily stocked, I keep lots of plants and dose the EI ferts(KNO3, K2SO4, KH2PO4, and CSM+B) Nitrate ranges from about 40 to I think close to 80. I have trouble reading the AIP Nitrate scale around those numbers. I'm also wondering do ferts come up on Nitrate tests? I've been dose KNO3, which is to add nitrate for the plants, I've cut this fert from what I dose for the last week. I don't think I needed it anyway, with all the nitrate already in the water. But does doesing it effect the tests?

So what would be the best way to reduce nitrates? My fish always seem to be happy, but I've not been having any luck breeding for a long time. I can get eggs without a problem, but they rarely hatch, just turn white. When I do get them to hatch the fry tend to die within a couple hours or die right after hatching.

 

[minxfishy]

Ferts dont to my knowledge effect nitrAte levels, although Im no plant expert and what fert ingredients do. However on a heavily stocked tank 40ppm isnt that bad, especially with 20 from the water.

The only way to get them down is via regular water chanages, although Im suprised in a heavily planted tank some of them arent used up by the plants.

 

[Truck]

ferts will bump up the nitrate, i would try dosing less KNo3

 

[minxfishy]

Than I apologise for the misinformation, me, plants and ferts dont mix

 

[rabbut]

Right, ferts are not free nitrate, so not too much of a problem to fish. They will however show on most test kits. You aim for (I think, about to be corrected no doubt) 50ppm under the EI method. As truck says, if 80ppm is typical, cut back adding the nitrate fert until you are around 50ppm

 

[aaronnorth]

20-30ppm is the target to aim for (although more doesnt hurt).
I would stop dosing the KNO3 completley, then just dose the K2SO4 in its place so that the plants are still recieving some K+