Nirates Up

[Ilikefishes]

My nitrates tested 80ppm!

I thought plants are supposed to lower them as nitrates serve as a fert?

And I think my well water already has high nitrates. How do I lower them?

 

[BigJim]

80ppm is dangerous to your fish. Do a large PWC immediately. Plants will use up some of the nitrates, but they aren't a replacement for PWCs. I can't imagine your tap has anywhere close to 80ppm nitrate, but I've heard of 20ppm before. Some build a denitrator. I don't know the specifics as I've never needed one, but I think it uses sulfur. Others use RO/DI water.

 

[meegosh]

What kind of plants do you have? How about lights, co2, dosing? You could just have a bunch of slow growing plants that don't use up that many nitrates.

I agree with doing some water changes to get your nitrates down. I'd be curious to see what your tap water actually tests at.

 

[Ilikefishes]

My python just broke two days ago, and I did a 75% PWC that day, and a 50% the day before. I don't substitute my PWCs with plants. I do two PWC's a week, They were at 5% the week before. I don't know what the heck happened.

 

[timwag2001]

i had well water that had 80ppm. i upped my lighting and co2 (also had to add other ferts)
how much of a bioload do you have? what type of plants?
do you dose other ferts or co2?

 

[Purrbox]

It's not at all uncommon for the Nitrate levels to change in City Water, especially with the shift of seasons in the spring and fall. I would definitely recommend testing your source water to see if the levels have changed.

 

[discus_lover]

do partial water change of 20% daily until it goes down...

 

[timwag2001]

unless your nitrates are originating from your water source. which is just going to make your nitrates worse.

 

[BigJim]

+1 for Purrbox.

 

[Ilikefishes]

I do dose ferts daily. I use Kent Plant growth Accelerator, 15ml Every week, and 8 drops of Kent Plant supplement every day. and i know there's some old plant tabs in there that my python wouldn't suck up.