High Nitrates

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Mle77

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Apr 21, 2013
Messages
21
Hello, My nitrites are high and need to do an emergency water change. What kind of bottled water can I use? I have a 20 gal, and need more than,the little bottle for beta fish. Any advice for ideas for quick refill water ideas!! Thanks!
 
Hello, My nitrites are high and need to do an emergency water change. What kind of bottled water can I use? I have a 20 gal, and need more than,the little bottle for beta fish. Any advice for ideas for quick refill water ideas!! Thanks!
Hi and welcome to AA!!. Can you not just use your tap water, with dechlorinater of course!!!
 
Right, should I go but gallon jugs? Use the start right stuff? My water is crap here. I am willing to but water, just want to get the right stuff.
 
If you're buying water pretty much any will do caz its all been filtered in some way, shape, or form. Get whatever is cheapest.
You can also see if your lfs sells RO water.
 
Right, should I go but gallon jugs? Use the start right stuff? My water is crap here. I am willing to but water, just want to get the right stuff.
Probably best to get a 5 or 10g bucket. You could buy the water but it would be costly and a hassle. Have you tested the water. What do you mean it's crap, as in taste wise???
 
My water is really hard here. I live in the desert, so, crap water. I usually fill a couple of jugs and store them for changes. I have some start right stuff, but want to be sure I don't kill fish. Must..save...fish.... Haha
 
Get a bottle of prime water conditioner, from Seachem. It detoxifies ammonia, nitrites, chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metals in your tap water so it is safe to use. It should take care of pretty much anything that is in your water supply, plus it lasts a lot longer than most other dechlorinators because it is more concentrated. What makes your water so bad? As long as it isn't something like bad heavy metal concentrations or other odd toxins, you should be ok. If you are really really worried, or you can't find prime in time for this water change, which is likely because it is fairly late on a Sunday, you can use pretty much any bottled water. I would avoid using Distilled water, though, since it doesn't have any minerals in it, and fish need those. They sell mixes like RO Rite to replenish them if you do choose to use some form of RO (reverse osmosis) water or Distilled water. Regular old spring water would be fine, but it will get expensive quickly.
 
Also, tested water, and nitrites are at about 3
 
My water is really hard here. I live in the desert, so, crap water. I usually fill a couple of jugs and store them for changes. I have some start right stuff, but want to be sure I don't kill fish. Must..save...fish.... Haha

Hard water isn't an issue for most fish, and if you got the fish from a local shop, then that is what they are used to. You don't want to shock them by putting them in water with a very different ph! If the water they are in now is hard, it likely has a high pH. Have you tested it? The water from the store will likely be neutral or slightly acidic depending on how it has been treated.
 
Get a bottle of prime water conditioner, from Seachem. It detoxifies ammonia, nitrites, chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metals in your tap water so it is safe to use. It should take care of pretty much anything that is in your water supply, plus it lasts a lot longer than most other dechlorinators because it is more concentrated. What makes your water so bad? As long as it isn't something like bad heavy metal concentrations or other odd toxins, you should be ok. If you are really really worried, or you can't find prime in time for this water change, which is likely because it is fairly late on a Sunday, you can use pretty much any bottled water. I would avoid using Distilled water, though, since it doesn't have any minerals in it, and fish need those. They sell mixes like RO Rite to replenish them if you do choose to use some form of RO (reverse osmosis) water or Distilled water. Regular old spring water would be fine, but it will get expensive quickly.
+1. That's EXACTLY what I was about to say...haha
 
I have tested it. The only thing that is off are the nitrites. I <3 my fish, and don't want to wake up to dead fish!
 
+1. That's EXACTLY what I was about to say...haha

Great minds think alike, eh?

3ppm nitrites in your tap? Wow, I'm not sure if that's even within the legal limits for city water supplies... You might want to report that to your city water board or whatever it's called. They need to look into that. You will definitely want prime! It can help bring those down until your tank can take care of it. Has the tank been cycled or are you still cycling? A cycled tank will eventually be able to take care of that before the prime stops detoxing it, but if you are still cycled you might want to just use water from a different source until the cycle is finished.
 
Great minds think alike, eh?

3ppm nitrites in your tap? Wow, I'm not sure if that's even within the legal limits for city water supplies... You might want to report that to your city water board or whatever it's called. They need to look into that. You will definitely want prime! It can help bring those down until your tank can take care of it. Has the tank been cycled or are you still cycling? A cycled tank will eventually be able to take care of that before the prime stops detoxing it, but if you are still cycled you might want to just use water from a different source until the cycle is finished.
3ppm, I wish mine was that low. Mines more like 40ppm!!!
 
Ok. I am freaking out and not properly typing my issues. Apologies. The nitrites in my tank are 3. I just tested water straight from tap, and all levels are in safe zone. In fact, nitrites are @ 0 from tap water. Do you think it would be safe to just use tap water?
 
No problem. I'm all spazzed out about my fish dying, and not supplying proper info!
 
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