# NITRATE LEVEL PROBLEM



## yourockit (Aug 23, 2007)

How can I reduce nitrate levels?

My situation:
100 gallons tank
Fishes in tank: 12 x 3-4.5" caribas; 3" pleco.
Feeding: twice a day: portion of trout

Current nitrat level: 40

Water changes of 15% of 100 gallons reduce nitrate to 30 temporarily.

Small gravel is tank floor.

There are three plants.

Filtration: emperor 400, fluval fx5.

All other water parameters are closing in on normal.

Advice please!


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## blazednosferatu (Feb 27, 2006)

Do a larger percent of water change, do a %50 percent water change and that should take your nitrates half way down. Water changes are the only thing to take nitrates down.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

I would reduce feeding and increase water changes. In my tanks with a pretty large bio-load.....before putting in the auto-water changer...I would do at least 50% a week...and often multiple 50% changes a week to keep them in check.

IMO--3"-4" fish dont need to be fed multiple times a day or even daily....I would try to cut them back to 3 times a week. I would do this gradually so they dont get too stressed....but feeding less will really help cut those nitrates. This is just what I would do though...you need to get a feel for your fish to know how they would react to less food. IME...feeding less often has actually reduced aggression in tanks.


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## yourockit (Aug 23, 2007)

blazednosferatu said:


> Do a larger percent of water change, do a %50 percent water change and that should take your nitrates half way down. Water changes are the only thing to take nitrates down.


I imagine a larger percentage water change would work but I live in LA and LA has notoriously bad water. The water is so bad here that humans are advised against drinking it. And last year there were two or more occiasons when the city put out an alter advisory against using the tap water at all for a period of days.

So...?


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## CROSSHAIR223 (Jan 17, 2005)

Am I the only one who thinks that 40 ppm isn't drastically high? It's not good, but not horrible to where your fish are gonna croak. Me wrong or???


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## yourockit (Aug 23, 2007)

Grosse Gurke said:


> I would reduce feeding and increase water changes. In my tanks with a pretty large bio-load.....before putting in the auto-water changer...I would do at least 50% a week...and often multiple 50% changes a week to keep them in check.
> 
> IMO--3"-4" fish dont need to be fed multiple times a day or even daily....I would try to cut them back to 3 times a week. I would do this gradually so they dont get too stressed....but feeding less will really help cut those nitrates. This is just what I would do though...you need to get a feel for your fish to know how they would react to less food. IME...feeding less often has actually reduced aggression in tanks.


Auto-water changer? I have never heard of such a thing. Is it on a timer? Is it connected to a storage tank or to a direct pumbling line? How does this work?

They eat like crazy when I feed them one per day.
They eat less crazily when I feed them twice per day.

I want to go for size, which is the reason why I want to feed them as much. Doyou think less frequent feedings will allow them to grow as large as they would otherwise?


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## barbianj (Aug 3, 2003)

> Doyou think less frequent feedings will allow them to grow as large as they would otherwise?


Then you really need to step up your water changes. 15% is not nearly enough. But, you would not want to underfeed your Cariba.


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## Greg Stephens (Sep 30, 2006)

OK, the answer to your water quality is an RO system look for a system that will do about 100 gal a day.
This will shorten the amount of time it takes you to get enough water for your water changes.
Have you checked your water, are you getting nitrates through your tap water?

As for the auto water changer GG spoke of I am not sure what his design is but mine is a 5 gallon bucket fitted with a 1/2 bulkhead fitting, plastic valve, 1/4 poly line.
This gravity feeds the water into the tank and a siphon overflow I made removes the tank water as the level rises.
With this set up I run between 10 to 20 gallons a day of fresh water into the tank which is a 55 gal.
This keeps my nitrates between 5 ppm and 10 ppm, and seeing how I am on well water and have a low nitrate level in my water to begin with, I am pretty happy with the design.

But yeah more water changes, better water, less feedings and removing all food debris will do the trick!

Hope that helps!
Greg


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## yourockit (Aug 23, 2007)

would one of these work? 
What are the best RO systems on the market?
What is the best system for me?
http://www.waterfiltersonline.com/reverse-...sis-systems.asp


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Personally..I wouldnt do RO water because it lacks the buffers to keep a constant ph. You would need to rebuild the water prior to adding it to the tank...or only use a fraction of RO water to tap water.

Here is what I did to set up an auto water changer. CLICK ME!


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## Greg Stephens (Sep 30, 2006)

Grosse Gurke said:


> Personally..I wouldnt do RO water because it lacks the buffers to keep a constant ph. You would need to rebuild the water prior to adding it to the tank...or only use a fraction of RO water to tap water.
> 
> Here is what I did to set up an auto water changer. CLICK ME!


GG,
Good point on the RO/PH though it has not proven problematic for me but I am using it only on occasionally and less then the thread starter would use it.
I checked out your system very cool I am looking into the pressure valve and drip heads so I 
can do away with the 5 gallon bucket. 
Not sure if you saw this link when I posted it but it will help you work out how much water you are really replacing.

Drip calc link

Greg


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Yeah Greg...I saw that calculation...thanks!

I have stopped keeping it running all the time...and just crank it up once a week for a few days. It has keeped the nitrates very low, cleaned most of the algea issues I had in the irritans tank..and has caused nothing but joy in my life


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## yourockit (Aug 23, 2007)

Grosse Gurke said:


> Personally..I wouldnt do RO water because it lacks the buffers to keep a constant ph. You would need to rebuild the water prior to adding it to the tank...or only use a fraction of RO water to tap water.
> 
> Here is what I did to set up an auto water changer. CLICK ME!


Wow, I like your style. That is the style I am going for: industrial, lab, fish shop. I will have to read this later when I awake from my nap early evening nap. It looks great though, thanks.

Also, would changing substrate from fine gravel to sand reduce nitrate by improving filtration?


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## yourockit (Aug 23, 2007)

Grosse Gurke said:


> Personally..I wouldnt do RO water because it lacks the buffers to keep a constant ph. You would need to rebuild the water prior to adding it to the tank...or only use a fraction of RO water to tap water.
> 
> Here is what I did to set up an auto water changer. CLICK ME!


That is an awesome drip system. It is far to complex for my apartment. Do you have the water hitting bateria growth chambers along the way so that it is also a slow water movement filtration system?

I decided to go with magroves for nit. filt. I bought 21 of them for 23 bucks. I saw some charts on how powerful these things are in cleaning a tank of nits, and in keeping it clean!; the results are amazing.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

yourockit said:


> Also, would changing substrate from fine gravel to sand reduce nitrate by improving filtration?


I have sand in all the thanks that are on this system. I have never noticed a difference in nitrates between sand tanks or gravel tanks....but I havent really looked into it either.


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

More plants or more % on your waterchanges.

Personally I'd go the plant's route cause overall it will make for a nicer tank. But i'm also semi lazy and only waterchange every few weeks.


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## yourockit (Aug 23, 2007)

Grosse Gurke said:


> Also, would changing substrate from fine gravel to sand reduce nitrate by improving filtration?


I have sand in all the thanks that are on this system. I have never noticed a difference in nitrates between sand tanks or gravel tanks....but I havent really looked into it either.
[/quote]

you have a slow water movement system right? how many feet of tubing and how many separate tubes is water passing through? what pumps are you using to pushthe water? what are the pitfalls of this system? thanks


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

yourockit said:


> you have a slow water movement system right? how many feet of tubing and how many separate tubes is water passing through? what pumps are you using to pushthe water? what are the pitfalls of this system? thanks


You will need to be more clear on what you mean by "slow water movement system"...im not sure what you mean. If you are talking about the drip system..it is hooked up to a faucet...and the amount of water added is controlled by the nozzles at the individual tanks. The water is only going through one tube that goes around the room...and then I have splitters to each tank. Pitfalls.....well....the water isnt heated so if it gets too cold I might need to shut it down for a while..drain it...and hope it doesnt freeze. Other than that...not sure there is one.


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