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Hi everyone,

Just wondering what would be a "safe" nitrate reading.

I dont actually have a test kit but a friend of mine did a test for me and it was at the higher end of the scale. I've since done a number of water changes and all seems o.k. although I haven't had a re-test at this stage.

Thanks for your replies.

Cheers
Crusha

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Those who say they cant, Never will !!!

Hi Crusha,

Nitrate (NO3­) ideally should be maintained below 20 ppm.
I would do another test. I'm sure your friend won't mind

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crusha
unlike the ammonia and nitrite readings you will always..or should always have a nitrate reading.
It is the very basis of why we need to do regular water changes.
How big is your tank?
how much do you regularly change?

Now mind you if you have plants they consume nitrates at varying rates.

40ppm has been proven to do damage to pretty much all fish over long term but if you have no plants you want to keep nitrates as close to zero as possible. Below 20ppm is usually the ideal and most fish won't mind that level. A few more sensitive fish still wouldn't be happy.

Thanks for you quick responses everyone

My tank is 48 x 18 x 13 and is very well planted. I have been doing fortnightly waterchanges of around 30% but I am now considering doing them on a weekly basis. I have noticed that the fish are much more active after having done a few recently to bring down the nitrate.

This is a picture of the reading

Attached Image:

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Those who say they cant, Never will !!!

Here is a thread posted previously Frank has a very good reply with excellent infomation it could help you.
Nitrate Levels

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

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Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos


Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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Thanks Keith, I tried to do a search but my search function doesn't seem to be working.

Cheers
Crusha

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Those who say they cant, Never will !!!

Sham, I have Blue Rams, from what I have read, they would be considered sensitive ... they are all doing fine.

Getting my water checked again this arvo. Hope its all good now.

Cheers again
Crusha

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Those who say they cant, Never will !!!

Glad I could have helped
Adam is looking into the Seach problem apprently it does not work for all.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

My blue rams and my plants do fine at around 10ppm nitrates. I don't let them reach 20 and with heavily planted and lightly stocked tanks that is rarely a problem for me. Only twice have my tanks tested over 20. For the ram breeding tank I keep the nitrates below 5ppm. With plants you want to keep some testable nitrates.

Grrrr, had my water checked and its still in the red zone. I have a feeling that my new Eheim canister filter hasn't had enough good bacteria built up yet.

I took the original filters out too soon, back to the water changes and the LFS sold me a product to boost the bacteria, so far no fish loss.

Keep you fingers crossed it stays that way.

Crusha

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Those who say they cant, Never will !!!

If there wasn't enough bacteria you wouldn't be getting nitrates you'd be getting ammonia and nitrites. Nitrates are the final step and usually the only way to lessen them is with plants and water changes. The good bacteria will only increase nitrates by breaking down waste into ammonia and eventually into nitrates. Unless you setup a specific type of filtration to use what we normally consider bad bacteria but that's alot of work and we call it bad bacteria for a reason. They give off toxic substances while breaking down nitrates that you have to make sure don't get into your tank in large amounts.

Have you tested your tapwater for nitrates? Usually if you don't see a change after several water changes it means there's nitrates in the water your adding.

I see I am a little confused with all this Nitrite, Ammonia, Nitrate stuff.

I had the ammonia tested and that was fine, ph was fine also. Haven't tested tap water as LFS believes water in the area to be ok.

They recommended frequent but smaller water changes than normal so I will do them every other day for a while and see how that goes. I have quite a few plants in the tank, mainly anubias, crypts and swords.

I hope I can get the nitrates down before I lose my precious fish.

Thanks Sham for your response.

Crusha

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Those who say they cant, Never will !!!

Nitrates may be originating from the tap it has been known to happen.
as you are doing water changes and you have plants then one logical explanation is to look into the tap water.

http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/threads/27532.1.htm?16#
http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/threads/27503.1.htm?22#
some more info can be found in the following recent threads.

If your nitrates are testing over 40ppm I would do a 25% water change every day to every other day until they are lower. If you do a water change with water that contains zero nitrates then the levels should go down quickly. With a starting nitrate level of 40ppm and a 25% water change with 0ppm you should end up with a tank that has 30ppm. Provided I remember algebra correctly. So if you don't see a difference after 2-3water changes then something is either up with your tapwater(which I would test despite what anyone says) or something is up with the test kit being used.

Sham, my first thought was that maybe the test kit my friend used was inaccurate, so I took a sample to the LFS and had them test it, same result - so I can rule that out.

Zman, I will get tap water tested tomorrow along with another sample of my aquarium water.

Happy to say, still no fish loss.

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Those who say they cant, Never will !!!

Today I went and got a Nitrate test kit and tested my tap water ... 0 nitrate, so I can definately count that out.

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Those who say they cant, Never will !!!