High Nitrates in Tap Water

[Jbar]

Hey Everyone! I have my 125 up and running now.

Planted African Cichlid Tank.

I am having an issue with high nitrates. Our water is very hard where I live. In the tap water it ranges up to about 40 ppm. I use my RO system to fill with water changes but that still is consistently between 10-20 ppm.

Feed only once per day. I currently only have 6 fish residing in the tank. Plant wise-6 Anubias , 2 java fern, and 3 patches of moss. Beamswork 72" LED DA 180 6500K .50W on for 4 hours daily and 4 hours at night.

PH- 7.6-7.8
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Temp.- 78

Can't seem to keep them down and algae is beginning to form. Have been doing 50% water changes 3 times a week and obviously just replacing the nitrates I take out is what it seems like.

Researched Algone but not a chemical fan with the exception of Prime and Excel for the plants (I just recently ordered and on the way)

Does anybody have any suggestions on how I can get this under control? I would greatly appreciate the feedback.

 

[Ashenwelt]

Plants, or event potted plants with roots in filter or tank. Or add a reactor to burn nitrates.

 

[Potluck]

10-20 ppm is not something to worry about, RO water should not Have nitrates or is the 10-20 after cutting with RO , also if it's that planted most people dose 30 ppm weekly for their plants, the plants you have aren't nitrate hogs, as for the algae if you're dosing ferts cut back, if you're dosing... what are you dosing and how much, and cut your light cycle back to 6 hours 3 on 2 hour light break 3 on 18 off, you could also dose excel which will help the plants tremendously and is an algaecide which will help reduce the algae.