Nitrates

[hamfist]

Being a fishkeeper of over 30 years, I have always seemed to do pretty well without testing my water. Just a good understanding of the nitrogen cycle has been enough. I'd always noticed that certain species of fish failed to thrive with me, and I just put it down to the local water (pH, hardness etc)
Anyway, a few months ago I wanted to take it further and bought an API master test kit, and I was extremely happy to find that all my tanks, and my tapwater were showing zero ammonia, nitrite and nitrates.
However, over the last couple of weeks it has become apparent that the nitrate part of the kit is faulty. I bought replacement API nitrate kit components and found that my tapwater nitrates are at least 20ppm, and the tanks therefore run somewhere from 20-40 ppm. No wonder some fish failed to thrive !!
My wife has been trying to keep Bettas recently. I was doing all the maintenance, and really thought I was giving them a good envirnment. However, we are just in the process of losing the 3rd one this year. They are just fading away and dying. THink I know why now ! Also my uaru's fins have just never healed. Wonder if it's down to the nitrates ??

The scientific evidence is all there that nitrates of 20ppm and above are harmful to fish health.

Anyway, I love my fish and want to do my best for them. THought about putting up an RO system, but discounted it as I just didn't see how I could fit it in (the water butt mainly). Also I am put off by the huge waste of water that the process uses.

So I came upon this ... http/www.pozzani.co.uk/water-filters-185/product_info.html

Ordered it on weds. It came this morning, and is clearly a really well make bit of kit. It wastes no water, and simply removes the nitrates from the tapwater, before it goes into the tank.
Installation was pretty easy. I ran a few litres of water through it, just to wash it out, and then started to filter my first "nitrate-free" water.

I tested my plpain tapwater and then the filtered water and here's the results .....

Plain tapwater ... somewhere between 20 and 40ppm. Filtered water .... ZERO !!!!!


What a result ! The filter was really pretty cheap. The consumable filter element should last about 3-4 months with my usage, and they only cost £13 for a refill anyway.

Overall I am thrilled with it, and the prospect of getting all my tanks down to a MUCH lower nitrate level. It will be really interesting to see what effect this might have on my fish.

Think I'll post this in the hardware section too. So, so far, I can thoroughly recommend the Pozzani nitrate filter as a reasonably cheap, and effective way of removing nitrates from your tapwater.

 

[ChilliPepper]

Sounds very interesting, and reminds me to test my tap water. We only moved about 25 minutes away but it's under a new water board.

ETA: Mine is Nitrate 0 out of the tap and pH 7.5, which is what I thought. Phew.

 

[Curiosity101]

I agree, an interesting read. Good to know it works... but more interestingly I'd like to know how it works? Glad it's working for you anyways You'll have to tell us if you have more luck with bettas now. If you don't I'd be inclined to think it's your supplier that's the issue.

For someone who wants to lower tap water nitrates I'd say this is a really good option, but would still say no to people who use in tank nitrate removers (like the liquids n pads). Cause unless you are treating the water away from the tank then it's clearly being deposited somewhere...

Plus for anyone reading this thinking it's an option to avoid water changes, it's really, really not.

 

[hamfist]

I agree, an interesting read. Good to know it works... but more interestingly I'd like to know how it works? Glad it's working for you anyways You'll have to tell us if you have more luck with bettas now. If you don't I'd be inclined to think it's your supplier that's the issue.

For someone who wants to lower tap water nitrates I'd say this is a really good option, but would still say no to people who use in tank nitrate removers (like the liquids n pads). Cause unless you are treating the water away from the tank then it's clearly being deposited somewhere...

Plus for anyone reading this thinking it's an option to avoid water changes, it's really, really not.

It works by passing the water past an ion exchange resin, whcih selectively absorbs the nitrate. Once it's full it will stop absobing, but will not release the nitrate it has already sequestered.

As for the Bettas, all three were from different suppliers, although all were LFS. THe next one we get will be privately from a breeder.

Completely agree about it not meaning I can WC less. Just means I have a chance at keeping the nitrates below 20ppm with a decent WC schedule, which was impossible beforehand, without plants (which are not possible with my fish) or some other nitrate-reducing strategy.


Chillipepper .... I am jealous !! Nitrates of zero. Nice one !

 

[chris18181818]

really interesting. when testing nitrates with my api kit i always get really nervous as it seems to be so unpredictable. watching it for the five minutes hoping it stays yellow ahhhhhhhhhhh. how long does it take to filter enough water for your wc?

 

[Verminator89]

really interesting. when testing nitrates with my api kit i always get really nervous as it seems to be so unpredictable. watching it for the five minutes hoping it stays yellow ahhhhhhhhhhh. how long does it take to filter enough water for your wc?

I'd like to see you sat waiting for a pregnancy test if this is how you are with Nitrate readings

On a serious note, where did you get this kit. I'd like to look into this some more myself.

 

[ChilliPepper]

I'd like to see you sat waiting for a pregnancy test if this is how you are with Nitrate readings

 

[Curiosity101]

Completely agree about it not meaning I can WC less. Just means I have a chance at keeping the nitrates below 20ppm with a decent WC schedule, which was impossible beforehand, without plants (which are not possible with my fish) or some other nitrate-reducing strategy.

Just to make sure... I wasn't trying to imply that you might. I just wanted to clearly state it incase someone came along to read this and thought it'd be a good idea to replace water changes with a nitrate reactor!
I know I'd want to if I didn't know any better!

 

[hamfist]

how long does it take to filter enough water for your wc?

It's the only negative thing about the filter. They quote a 3 litres/min flow rate. My house's cold water pressure is fairly low and I am getting 1.5 litres per minute. So somewhere between those two flow rates I suppose. Do the maths for your own tank.
For me it's worth it. A 25% change on my 500 litre tank takes an hour and 25 mins. But I don't have to concentrate on the tank for all that time. I can just leave it filling while I'm doing something else, so long as I keep an eye on it.

 

[chris18181818]

luckily ive never had the pleasue of waiting for a pregnancy test im guessing its like a water test x 100000000000

definately worth going the extra mile to keep nitrates down im tempted. my tap water is also 20ppm surely this is something the waterboards should be keeping an eye on???

 

[Curiosity101]

my tap water is also 20ppm surely this is something the waterboards should be keeping an eye on???

Of course it is... which is why it is below the european limit of 50ppm

Tbh 20ppm is nothing to complain about and for most fish is perfectly fine.

 

[snowflake311]

what kind of filter is it? Are you useing it for drinking water too? I would filter my drinking water if I had nitrates in it. so this filter might be good for your fish but also your family.

20 and 40ppm is WAY TOO HIGH for drinking water. Do you drink this water?

Here in the USA.
" EPA has set an enforceable regulation for nitrate, called a maximum contaminant level (MCL), at 10 mg/L or 10 ppm. MCLs are set as close to the health goals as possible, considering cost, benefits and the ability of public water systems to detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies. In this case, the MCL equals the MCLG, because analytical methods or treatment technology do not pose any limitation. "

this has some good info on nitrates in drinking water.
http/www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/basicinformation/nitrate.html


I'm really suprised your tap water Nitrate levels get up to 40ppm I would talk to the water company about that. unless its well water.

 

[Curiosity101]

I'm really suprised your tap water Nitrate levels get up to 40ppm I would talk to the water company about that. unless its well water.

The european limit is 50ppm as I stated. The water company doesn't have to do anything if it's below this level.

 

[snowflake311]

That's weird to me. Good thing for filters.

 

[hamfist]

THe Uk and USA approaches to nitrate levels in tapwater are a good example of organisations using the same research data and coming to different conclusions. Down to different priorities I expect, as well as financial considerations.

The USA certainly seems a much friendlier fish-keeping environment than over here, what with your low nitrates, and your easy access to decent fish meds.

The UK approach is based upon the evidence that for organisms drinking the water, the stats seem to show that levels way above 50ppm are needed for potential damage to humans in their drinking water.
The long term effects in humans (as in fish) of lower levels is also slightly unclear though. The US govt obviously takes a safer line.

I suspect that it may also be related to financial factors. As the UK is so densely populated, I suspect that in general we pollute our watercourses more than in the US, where everything is much more spread out.
So our watercourse nitrate levels would, I suspect, be higher on average than in the USA. Thus getting down all drinking water down to less than 10ppm nitrates would be too "expensive", based on their interpretation of the current evidence.

Interestingly, my local water comes from the river Test, which is a highly regarded chalk stream in hampshire, well thought of for it's Salmon and trout fishing. If 30ppm nitrates is what you get in the Test, which is a "nice" river, I wonder what it is in some of the less well-regarded rivers around the country.

So in the UK we are all drinking loads of nitrates, and it may be why we can be rather odd at times !