What happens when your nitrates are really high?

[Camogirl28]

So as some of you may know I have high nitrates. I was wondering about this, my tank looks clean, clear, just perfect. But my nitrates are high. Zero fish have died and all the fish look fine. Is it possible that my nitrates are just fine? I mean wouldn't really high nitrates make more fish die? Also if I do really have that high of nitrates if I just did regular water changes is it possible it would work it self out? Please help me with this, I am not sure I completely understand what's going on and what high nitrates should look like.

 

[Dgameman1]

What are your Nitrates at?

 

[Mebbid]

People are going to argue about what levels nitrates are considered high at. Personally I say below 40ppm is safe.

Whatever the thought, high nitrate levels inhibit a fish's immune system allowing for infections to take hold. There's also widespread belief that continuous exposure to high nitrates can cause damage to internal organs shortening the lifespan of fish. Excessively high nitrate levels can cause blindness in fish and obviously death. Next, if new fish are added to a system with too high of a nitrate level without proper acclimation it can put the fish into nitrate shock which is almost always fatal

 

[Old Scales]

I agree totally with Mebbid.
Something to think about concerning nitrate acclimation. You can take a fish from a 40 ppm nitrate tank and put him in a 5 ppm nitrate tank with no problem. Take a fish from a 5 ppm to a 40 ppm and it will probably be in trouble. During the time between water changes the fish acclimate to the slowly rising nitrates. Interesting. For those of us with multiple tanks this is something to be aware of when transferring fish.
To the OP's post, it would depend upon what species of fish you have as to how much tolerance they would have. Zebra Danios, no problem. German blue rams, big problem. Good discussion. It might just save a few fishe's life. OS.

 

[Delapool]

It does seem a bit how long is a piece of string as fish species and age play a part. Also I'm not really happy with the articles I've read - probably a deep mistrust of statistics lol. In the interest of discussion I've copied these links below. For my tank I use <40ppm.

Drinking water
Basic Information about Nitrate in Drinking Water | Basic Information about Regulated Drinking Water Contaminants | US EPA

NITRATES AND DRINKING WATER

http://www.public.health.wa.gov.au/cproot/1805/2/Nitrate in Drinking Water.pdf

Articles with references
Is Nitrate Toxic? A Study of Nitrate Toxicity

Nitrate - The Free Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Encyclopedia Anyone Can Edit - The Aquarium Wiki

Some light reading material

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bss/18/1/18_1_7/_pdf

Developmental Biology Research in Space - Google Books
(sorry, don't have the article)
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=14949

 

[BBradbury]

Nitrate Levels

So as some of you may know I have high nitrates. I was wondering about this, my tank looks clean, clear, just perfect. But my nitrates are high. Zero fish have died and all the fish look fine. Is it possible that my nitrates are just fine? I mean wouldn't really high nitrates make more fish die? Also if I do really have that high of nitrates if I just did regular water changes is it possible it would work it self out? Please help me with this, I am not sure I completely understand what's going on and what high nitrates should look like.

Hello Cam...

Nitrates are at the end of the nitrogen cycle, so even a reading in the 50 ppm range isn't going to do much more than give your fish very sight discomfort. Large, weekly water changes will maintain a stable chemistry and a stable chemistry is infinitely more important than a particular water chemistry.

I would start adding a bit of standard aquarium salt to the replacement water. A teaspoon for every 5 gallons is sufficient. It will help the fish cope with a slightly higher nitrogen level by improving gill function. It helps the fish breath more easily and has a calming effect.

Just keep the water healthy for your fish by changing out half the tank water every week and they'll be fine. Aquarium fish have been adapting to public tap water supplies for a long time.

B

 

[Mebbid]

Hello Cam...

Nitrates are at the end of the nitrogen cycle, so even a reading in the 50 ppm range isn't going to do much more than give your fish very sight discomfort. Large, weekly water changes will maintain a stable chemistry and a stable chemistry is infinitely more important than a particular water chemistry.

I would start adding a bit of standard aquarium salt to the replacement water. A teaspoon for every 5 gallons is sufficient. It will help the fish cope with a slightly higher nitrogen level by improving gill function. It helps the fish breath more easily and has a calming effect.

Just keep the water healthy for your fish by changing out half the tank water every week and they'll be fine. Aquarium fish have been adapting to public tap water supplies for a long time.

B

Bbradbury, I have to ask nicely for this. But will you please stop telling people that nitrates aren't a big deal. While they aren't AS toxic as ammonia or nitrite they are absolutely undeniably unhealthy for fish.

An exerpt from a website discussing nitrate toxicity in fish:

"As mentioned, most of the scientific studies I’ve found do not take into consideration long-term life of the fish. They are designed to determine what level becomes lethal within a short amount of time (generally 36-96 hours) or what levels impact reproduction. I don't find it surprising that the only test I am aware of (the NASA test), specifically conducted to determine maximum long-term levels of nitrate (for the meduka fish), recommends keeping nitrates below 25ppm (7). A study on Fathead minnows attempting to determine when nitrate induced physiological impacts could be detected returned a result of 21ppm, with significant physiological differences being detected at 41.6ppm (6). A compiled review of prior testing conducted in Spain at the Universidad de Alcala suggests that the effects of nitrate toxicity in the most sensitive freshwater species can begin in concentrations as low as 2ppm and that long term exposure to nitrates in concentrations of 10ppm are known to adversely effect rainbow trout, chinook salmon, and cutthroat trout (1) (5). Only studies of channel catfish returned a result of what I would consider a high acceptable range, and that was at 90ppm (2)."


Here is the website:
Is Nitrate Toxic? A Study of Nitrate Toxicity


Furthermore, the adaptation of fish to water parameters is referring to their tolerance for pH rather than tolerance to ammonia / nitrite / nitrate.

 

[threnjen]

Just keep the water healthy for your fish by changing out half the tank water every week and they'll be fine
B

Op has 40-80ppm nitrates in her tap water



I can't even remember if this has already been discussed - Camogirl, where do you live? Do you have well water? If not that is an unacceptable level of nitrates in city water. Honestly you should be calling your city and complaining.

 

[Delapool]

I think it is well water but I lose track of the threads.

 

[Camogirl28]

Op has 40-80ppm nitrates in her tap water I can't even remember if this has already been discussed - Camogirl, where do you live? Do you have well water? If not that is an unacceptable level of nitrates in city water. Honestly you should be calling your city and complaining.

I live in Oklahoma. I figured it out the nitrates are 40-80 in my bathroom, but in my kitchen it is 40.

 

[threnjen]

You should seriously call your city, that is messed up...

 

[Mebbid]

You should seriously call your city, that is messed up...

Nobody to call when you have well water

 

[Tommy10]

Lucky for me i live in BC and my hometown actually had the cleanest tap water in the world and was in the Guinness book of world records

 

[Camogirl28]

Finally a breakthrough in my nitrate problems. My nitrates on Wednesday was 180 ppm, I did a 50% water change vacuumed the gravel and washed the decor. Then I treated it with Prime. I waited 48hrs so the water would settle. I just tested the water and my nitrates was a 80 ppm. I know this is still high and I have a long way to go but, this is a small victory. I would just liked to thank you guys for your helpful input.

 

[LEBEANPOLE]

180? Holy yellow tank Batman! Kiss those fish and do another 50% WC now.

 

[threnjen]

180? Holy yellow tank Batman! Kiss those fish and do another 50% WC now.

OP has 40-80ppm nitrates in her tap water.
This has been mentioned in this thread a few times now

She's doing pretty good, all things considered.

 

[Camogirl28]

180? Holy yellow tank Batman! Kiss those fish and do another 50% WC now.

180? Oh I accidentally put 180 it was 160! 180 is crazy!!!

 

[Delapool]

OP has 40-80ppm nitrates in her tap water.
This has been mentioned in this thread a few times now

She's doing pretty good, all things considered.

+ 1. Absolutely agree. Much easier when tap water is all good.

 

[Thumper828]

Just a thought...trying to think this out....

When I read about filter maintenance folks are are always saying "don't rinse media in chlorinated water, it kills your BB!" Since you are on well water and the nitrates are High, and nitrates are BB ,as an experiment, what if you added pool chlorine to your water before adding water to your aquarium...then dose with prime to neutralize the chlorine...
Would the chlorine "kill" the nitrates?

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Didn't read all the posts, but to answer the question of the thread....your fish will die.