High nitrate

[Jason6942]

So I prepared some water with prime water conditioner and all levels were good except nitrate. It was around 80-160ppm. How can I get that down.

 

[Ian086]

Is it 80-160ppm from the tap??

 

[Jason6942]

Yeah, I tested it after I tested the treated water cause it was so high. It was also like 80ppm after treatment. I thought of mixing treated and reverse osmosis(RO) but idk were to get any

 

[Ian086]

Yeah, I tested it after I tested the treated water cause it was so high. It was also like 80ppm after treatment. I thought of mixing treated and reverse osmosis(RO) but idk were to get any

And I thought my tap water was high at 40+!!. Forgive me but you are using the Nitrate test correctly, following the instructions to the letter??. Is it a liquid test kit or test strips??

 

[Jason6942]

Yeah I'm glad I don't drink it I only use bottled water, and yes I followed the test to the letter and its a liquid test. I'm not on a well either it's just sucky water. Any suggestions?

 

[Ian086]

You can chemically reduce it or indeed mix it with RO water but I would suggest planting it. You don't have to have a great knowledge of plants and it's probably the most natural way to do it. You could use low light plants, like Water Wisteria and/or WaterSprite. Both are cheap, readily available, easy to care for, require low light, nice looking(IMO), no CO2/liquid carbon or ferts needed and can be simply planted or floated in the tank. They grow like weeds, so will eat up most, if not all those Nitrates. They have lowered my Nitrates in my fry tank to <10ppm.....

 

[Jason6942]

Ill have to try that it sounds a lot cheaper than using RO. Thx for the advice and patience.

 

[Ian086]

Your welcome. Definitely a LOT cheaper. The only thing you'll have to do with those plants is trim them!!!