High nitrates in tapwater

[cizkaro]

So my tank is cycled but I cannot get my nitrate levels down past 40 PPM its hard for me to read exactly what it is as i cant tell the reds apart too easily. My tap water is 40 ppm nitrates all the time. Any one have any idea on what I can do to help reduce these levels? Maybe add some plants or something?

 

[fishyfriends3]

You could buy a ro unit, and/or heavily plant.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[cizkaro]

I have experimented with going to 50/50 ro(from a jug at the grocery store) and tap water. This method seems to keep my PH levels lower since normally they are on the high side and reduces the nitrates in the water considerably. Is it safe to use half ro half tap water? if so should i start using it in my water changes?

 

[mrvincent]

Cut the tap water with RODI... Or maybe use only RODI water but you need to buffer it with a product like Seachem Equilibrum, or you will kill your fishs.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Do you have city water? Nitrates are not allowed to be that high. If you are on well water, best bet would to be buy a RO system and remineralize it.

 

[cizkaro]

I am on city water. I think I am going to call the EPA and the utilities board about it. For now I am going to cut my tap water 50/50 with ro/di water when i do my changes experiments show my nitrates are only 10 ppm and my ph is slightly lower when i do this.. Its only like a dollar a gallon at the grocery store.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Let us know what the city says.

 

[cizkaro]

Here is what my nitrate levels in tap water look like.

Link:
Dropbox - Error - Simplify your life

 

[venymae]

holy-smokes. I would not drink that! A friend of mine had the entire back wall of his tank planted with Pothos plants. They are a common vine houseplant that readily will grow out of water without soil. The leaves do have to be out of the water though. The roots make a wall on the back wall of his tank and absorbed a lot of nitrates (the whole purpose of him doing it). If you are ok with the look, it might be worth a try. (you just take a scabbed cutting and stick it right in top your tank, the roots will grow)

 

[BBradbury]

Nitrate Level

So my tank is cycled but I cannot get my nitrate levels down past 40 PPM its hard for me to read exactly what it is as i cant tell the reds apart too easily. My tap water is 40 ppm nitrates all the time. Any one have any idea on what I can do to help reduce these levels? Maybe add some plants or something?

Hello ciz...

Floating plants like Common water weed, Hornwort and Pennywort will help keep the water properties a bit more stable. 40 ppm nitrates isn't the end of the world. Most aquarium fish will adapt to most public water supplies, they've been doing it for decades. If you introduce the plants and change half the tank water every 2 weeks for larger tanks and weekly for the smaller ones, your fish should be fine.

B

 

[Scottyhorse]

Hello ciz...

Floating plants like Common water weed, Hornwort and Pennywort will help keep the water properties a bit more stable. 40 ppm nitrates isn't the end of the world. Most aquarium fish will adapt to most public water supplies, they've been doing it for decades. If you introduce the plants and change half the tank water every 2 weeks for larger tanks and weekly for the smaller ones, your fish should be fine.

B

Except changing water when the tap itself is super high in nitrates isn't going to help much