# Decreasing Nitrate Levels



## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

Okay guys, for the past three days I've been doing 20% water changes and adding in distill water from a RO unit. After three days, I checked the water parameters and the nitrate levels are still high.

So what I'm thinking is a 60-70% water change. Would this stress the fish out to a point where it will cause damage? And dumb question but do you guys unplug your filter/heating systems if you preform a huge water change?


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

a 50% change would be fine, but i wouldn't go much more than that unless you are in an absolute emergency... what are your nitrate levels?

i unplug all my equipment when i do water changes, i usually take that time to check everything out and clean stuff up a bit


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

to Water Chemistry


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## Guest (Dec 24, 2008)

jamezgt said:


> Okay guys, for the past three days I've been doing 20% water changes and adding in distill water from a RO unit. After three days, I checked the water parameters and the nitrate levels are still high.
> 
> So what I'm thinking is a 60-70% water change. Would this stress the fish out to a point where it will cause damage? And dumb question but do you guys unplug your filter/heating systems if you preform a huge water change?


Be careful you don't add too much distilled water. That will definitely stress your fish! Unless you add osmotic salts back to the distilled water.

The problem with distilled water is adding too much of it will make your fish too hypertonic to its environment. This means the osmotic pressure created by its own body salts is much higher than the relatively dilute water around it. This makes the fish's body work too hard to keep from becoming too dilute. A fish dropped in pure distilled water will stress out and die.

The other problem with distilled water is the pH falls too quickly.

For piranha, tap water is usually fine.

I wouldn't go too crazy with the water changes. Some nitrate in the water is okay and inevitable.


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## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

I always do a 15-20% water change weekly and replace it with distill water from my RO unit. Should I not be doing this? Or should I do a 10% tap water, and 10% distill water?

I haven't had a problem with distill water before, but I don't want to take my chances - but lately they've been more active, less skittish and the water looks crystal clear now.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

jamezgt said:


> I always do a 15-20% water change weekly and replace it with distill water from my RO unit. Should I not be doing this? Or should I do a 10% tap water, and 10% distill water?
> 
> I haven't had a problem with distill water before, but I don't want to take my chances - but lately they've been more active, less skittish and the water looks crystal clear now.


If you are adding back minerals into the water, not a problem. If not your test kits will tell you when you have a problem.


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## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

It's been a good two weeks and my nitrate levels were around 40ppm. I checked them today and they're at 0ppm.

Is there anything I should worry about when the nitrate levels are at 0ppm?


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## need_redz (May 11, 2007)

It's fine for the nitrates to be around 40ppm, I don't know why you stressed out about that! 
Your nitrate can't be at 0ppm check it again...also check your ammonia and nitrite and post the results!


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## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

I have the API Freshwater kit and here's what I got:

Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0 - It's yellow and on the card that was provided, it says 0ppm.


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## need_redz (May 11, 2007)

you have to have some nitrate in the tank, if it's at 0 then that means your fish produce no waste whats so ever!


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## cobrafox46 (Jun 2, 2008)

You can use live plants to reduce nitrates. My heavily planted Snakehead tank always shows 0 nitrates since I have added all the plants.


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## Soul Assassin (Nov 21, 2006)

Bullsnake said:


> Okay guys, for the past three days I've been doing 20% water changes and adding in distill water from a RO unit. After three days, I checked the water parameters and the nitrate levels are still high.
> 
> So what I'm thinking is a 60-70% water change. Would this stress the fish out to a point where it will cause damage? And dumb question but do you guys unplug your filter/heating systems if you preform a huge water change?


Be careful you don't add too much distilled water. That will definitely stress your fish! Unless you add osmotic salts back to the distilled water.

The problem with distilled water is adding too much of it will make your fish too hypertonic to its environment. This means the osmotic pressure created by its own body salts is much higher than the relatively dilute water around it. This makes the fish's body work too hard to keep from becoming too dilute. A fish dropped in pure distilled water will stress out and die.

The other problem with distilled water is the pH falls too quickly.

For piranha, tap water is usually fine.

I wouldn't go too crazy with the water changes. Some nitrate in the water is okay and inevitable.
[/quote]
i agree with adding trace elements back into the water, but my r/o system also takes out all the KH (buffering capabilities) out of the water as well, so adding trace elements is not good enough if your KH is at 1 or 17.9 ppm (should be between 4-10 KH) i would recommend getting a GH and KH test kit. if your KH is below 4 or 71.6 ppm, the sudden ph swings could/will kill your P.







i personally mix my r/o water with tap 50/50. the only time when it ok to only use r/o water is to top off the tank due to evaporation, because only pure water evaporates leaving elements behind.


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