Is nitrate a problem with no fish?

[FortMyersSteve]

Cycling a brackish (15 ppt salt) tank. I have not put any fish in yet. Nitrate is at 40. Can this harm the nitrifying bacteria? Should I change water? Or ignore?

 

[Sniperhank]

I'd say you aren't using a very good water source if it's coming in with 40 ppm of nitrate personally.

 

[BBradbury]

Cycling a brackish (15 ppt salt) tank. I have not put any fish in yet. Nitrate is at 40. Can this harm the nitrifying bacteria? Should I change water? Or ignore?

Hello Fort...

I'd say ignore the reading if you have nothing in the tank. I doubt this level of nitrate would even bother most naturally hardy fish. I keep my aquarium fish in water with a trace of standard aquarium salt and they do fine.

B

 

[Fresh2o]

I would test the source water for nitrates (would not hurt to check ammonia, nitrite, pH while you are at it just to get a baseline). 40 ppm is high for source water. Let’s say the tank levels gets to 80-160. Doing a 50% water change will lower it to 60-100 at best.

 

[King Fisher]

What test kit are you using to check your water?

 

[FortMyersSteve]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I understand that part. At this point all I care about the tank supporting is some plants I will be putting in.

 

[FortMyersSteve]

Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 2 ppm
Nitrate 40
pH 8.2

I know I started with dirty water; it's an experiment. The tank is cycling so the ammonia was expected. I just didn't know whether that level of nitrate by itself would be a problem if it stayed there after ammonia and nitrite disappear. Sounds like it might be. I notice now that drinking water max is 10 ppm (not that I'm drinking this foul looking stuff).

 

[FortMyersSteve]

API Saltwater Master Test Kit. I have no reason to doubt the results, which seemed to be moving in the right direction (ammonia and nitrate going down; nitrate going up) at this early stage in the cycle. Though I have not confirmed with any other test. I do have another nitrate test kit around somewhere that I bought to check our canal water. Actually it would be interesting to compare the two tests. I'll try it tomorrow.

 

[King Fisher]

If you are just cycling the tank the nitrates you have wont do anything to the cycle.