Nitrates tell me more

[kaz]

what is the best or whatever to keep your nitrates low. I know about water changes but is their curtain fish or clam or plant or media that will help in this area I always have problems with this.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Water changes, not overstocking a tank, feeding less, and adding live plants will all lower Nitrates. What are your readings?

 

[CGGorman]

Just listening...

 

[BrianNY]

Any organic material which is left to decay will eventually add NO3 to the water column. Over feeding is as much a cause as over stocking a tank. The most effective way to keep NO3 down is by doing pwcs.

 

[sherry]

also I've been reading that even in a heavilly planted tank, where the nitrates are used up frequently by the plants, it is a good idea to do thos PWCs at least once a week because there are other dissolved organics we can't test for easilly or at all.

 

[kaz]

ok I'm setting up a 60g and like to keep nitrates down in my 20g they are always arond 40 and up. in my 60g I will be transfering my fish there adding driftwood or roots and airpump to it. I like to get more gouramis, pair of rams and rainbow fish how much including my current fish is adivable to I dont get high nitrates? btw I do water changes once or twice a week anywhere from 20% to 40%

 

[nomadofthehills]

Your fish seem fine, although you should get 5 more neons.


Do your water chagnes EVERY week, if not twice a week, and your fine.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Well, you can try Seachems Matrix, because it's either that or my plants that are sucking up all mine, I can't get them back over 10, and they were off the scale before I started putting higher light plants in the tank (faster growers). now I'm adding nitrates.

 

[jrp1588]

I seem to get lots of nitrates as well...despite my tank being a jungle pretty much. lol

 

[kaz]

why you need to add nitrates i thought they are bad so way add?

 

[jrp1588]

they make great plant fertilizers

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I would LOVE to be battling high Nitrates. Well, probably not. But it would be easier than dosing Nitrogen and testing testing testing testing and testing. I am also one of the people that doses Nitrates to promote plant growth. Hopefully the new tank additions will bring me enough fish waste that I won't have to do it anymore.

 

[BrianNY]

If you consider that 76% of the earths atmosphere is Nitrogen, it makes sense that Nitrogen compounds are essential to life. Aquatic plants need N to grow and they get their requirements in the form of NO3. Which is why some people with planted tanks dose NO3.

In order for plants to utilize the NO3 which is produced as the end product of the nitrogen cycle, they need the other catalysts which drive nutrient uptake. Enough light to promote photosynthesis and C in the form of CO2. Without these other ingredients the plants won't take up much of the NO3 in your tank. It's kind of like putting gasoline in a car without an engine or transmission. There would be no mechanism to consume the fuel.

HTH

 

[7Enigma]

Hmmm....I just recently found my tap has between 10 and 20ppm of nitrAte. I'm thinking I should pick up a couple of low-light live plants when I get some fish after my cycle is complete....