New home - new water source

[TheFragile]

Hi all! Just moved into a new home with a well. Tested my water with the API kit. I have 10-20 ppm nitrates and 0.5-1 ppm nitrites. Are those numbers ok for base water? What should I do differently to keep my levels low?

 

[nirbhao]

Oh jeez. Those nitrites aren't good for you, either!

 

[Paul1792]

Some fish are more sensitive; a 20ppm read is fine

.......... If nitrate levels are high (above 60 ppm), perform a series of small water changes (no more than 25% per day) until it is lowered to acceptable levels (< 50 ppm). These water changes will also replenish lost carbonate ions (buffers) to help stabilize pH and create a healthy living environment.....

Rethink the Importance of Aquarium Water Changes

Unless you are keeping Discuss or other sensitive breeds, you are fine. I keep my tanks in the 30-40 range due to expense and trouble of using R/O & bottled water and both my tanks and my fish look and act extremely healthy.

Until I joined this forum, I followed the advice that to this day is on the label of Aqueon brand aquariums "25% monthly water changes." My reading when I bought a test kit was over 100 and high phosphate but the fish seemed fine .... I just had problems with bba.

See:my post #4 here:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/losing-the-bba-battle-358372.html


Here is the Aqueon video which states the 25% per month rule. I find it amazing it is so far off.