Boulder
Aquarium Advice Activist
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2009
- Messages
- 167
Could I get some input on what is a maximum acceptable Nitrate level between water changes in a FOWLER system - with inverts such as crabs, snails, feather dusters, and shrimp.
I realize we should target for 0ppm whether the system is a Reef or FOWLER, however, I have read fish are not affected by Nitrates at levels up to 50ppm, but I'm wondering how much the inverts mentioned above can handle.
I'm on an every other week PWC schedule in which I change out 13% of the water volume so I am trying to get a feel as to how this is working. Between the last 2 PWC's the nitrates really didn't get over 5ppm (non detectable on the API reference cards) but during my current period the Nitrate has gone a bit higher in the 10-15ppm. Probably contributed by me being guilty of over-feeding and possibly by a Turbo snail that died and I didn't discover it for a few days.
I'm on schedule for a PWC this Saturday.
Thanks for any input!
I realize we should target for 0ppm whether the system is a Reef or FOWLER, however, I have read fish are not affected by Nitrates at levels up to 50ppm, but I'm wondering how much the inverts mentioned above can handle.
I'm on an every other week PWC schedule in which I change out 13% of the water volume so I am trying to get a feel as to how this is working. Between the last 2 PWC's the nitrates really didn't get over 5ppm (non detectable on the API reference cards) but during my current period the Nitrate has gone a bit higher in the 10-15ppm. Probably contributed by me being guilty of over-feeding and possibly by a Turbo snail that died and I didn't discover it for a few days.
I'm on schedule for a PWC this Saturday.
Thanks for any input!