Stupidly High Nitrate

[freddythefish]

So as you can see I have tapwater with such bad nitrate levels. I was told this was on the legal limit (for UK) too.
Anyone got any good ideas how to bring it down as water changes are pretty pointless!!

 

[bronzecat]

Hi
Although i've never had to use it, i believe there is a product called Nitrazorb?? I think some people hang the little bag of it next to their filters.

Hopefully someone who's used it will come on. I think Pheonixbaby uses it, she hangs out in the betta section.

 

[doresy]

Hi, I have 40 in my tapwater and it has had no effect to my 5 years of fish keeping.

That amount of nitrate will have no adverse effect on your fish. More importantly, does your tapwater test positive for ammonia or nitrite?

Let me just add that partial water changes dilute a lot more than just nitrates so it still must be a very big part of your weekly maintenance.
Don't forget to use dechlorinater.

 

[moll]

Hi we have used nitra-zorb in the past when our cycle crashed it is about £8 from Pets at home bung it in your filter if you have a external and you see the difference in 2 days the bag can be recharged in salt water.

 

[pastabake]

Yes 50mg/l is the legal limit in the UK and your fish wont be bothered by it, nitrate has to be much higher to cause problems to fish, and as doresy said, the water change takes out more than just nitrate.

 

[freddythefish]

What else does it remove then?
And no luckily it doesn't test for ammonia or nitrite!!!!!!

 

[rabbut]

Waterchanges remove disolved organics, chemical polutants absorbed from the atmosphere and add buffering capacity to the water, thus keeping the pH stable I could go into listing elements, but I'm not sure you are interested in a 10 page essay

A word of warning on nitrate removing filter media. I have yet to find any media that is genuinely "safe" in a tank. Nost absorb ammonia and nitrite, starving your filter bacteria to death. This isn't an issue so long as the bag is replaced regularly (expencive if replacing, time consuming if recharging), but if you need to medicate or forget to change it, ammonia and nitrite can spike, wiping the tank If you realy want to use it, look to see what it absorbs first. If anything other than nitrate and possibly phosphate is listed, leave it on the shelf

All the best
Rabbut

 

[freddythefish]

Wow...this is a very informative thread...I have a fair bit of fish-experience but i didn't a lot of this stuff...thanks people!!!!!!

 

[newfishy]

I would leave it be, fish can adapt to higher nitrAte as long as it isnt a huge jump, like going from your 50 to 330 say. Our house the tap comes out at 20 and in tank has gotten to 60 with no ill effects on my fishs.