# What's Your Nitrate Level?



## arok3000 (Nov 28, 2009)

Okay, trying to get a feel for how out of whack my nitrates are.
On my 75g they are consistently high, even if I do a couple 40-50% water changes a week.
The tank is fairly heavily planted, and the plants grow like weeds.

I noticed a little bit of cyano creeping on some driftwood, so I check my levels, and the tube was red. Probably in the 80ppm range. Any other times I've tested (random times, before and after water changes) I usually end up around 40ppm.

I have never noticed any issues with these levels, but I know high nitrate levels affect fish over a greater period of time.

Anyone else running into this issue?
How do you remedy this, other than a lot of water chaning?


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## Ba20 (Jan 29, 2003)

I usually have to dose nitrates"kno3"


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

mine are usually about 40 before a water change then around 25ppm after.


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## xeloR (Jan 2, 2009)

im doing a WC as I type this. i thought i would check where im at for this thread- 40ppm







. i do 40-50% a week! i hardly ever check my levels anymore







. i have a 40 gallon wet dry with 5 gallons of bio balls, + 500 scrubbies for bio.


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## Soul Assassin (Nov 21, 2006)

5-10 for me, with a 25% WC once a week


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

I usually stay below 10ppm... I do 30% water changes on Sundays and I just tested tonight, I'm sitting at 5ppm right now.


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## RedneckR0nin (Nov 5, 2008)

Same as joe for me too as well. I do a 30% water change weekly and have a lightly planted tank. I have never really seen it go over 10 unless testing right after a water change or moving substrate around. But that happens very rarely and have not seen a spike since last summer easily.


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## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

i just had a thought. we might want to put this into two groups. those of us who have divided tanks with two or more serras in the tank or those of us who have a group of pygos listing these two groups as a option and the second group being those who have a solo serra. Im sure most of us who have higher nitrates such as in the 20ish range have pygos and those of you who are lucky enough to have nitrates in the 10 or less range have serras. no doubt a group of pygos are overstocked much more then serras. I could be wrong but either way i think we should list the number of fish per tank when commenting. As for me i commented on my pygo tank. Its a overstocked tank and is usually in the 20 range never over 20 unless i take a vacation.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

I've always stayed below 10ppm, even with my pygo tanks. Plants really help and I performed the occasional extra water change, it also has a lot to do with how often you feed your fish... If you feed every day and only perform one water change per week, your nitrates are gonna creep up pretty high between water changes. I only feed once or twice a week, so even an overstocked pygo tank won't produce an excessive amount of nitrates during that time.


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## xeloR (Jan 2, 2009)

i agree on splitting it up.

150 gallons 60x24x24
6, 6-7" pygos
i feed every day, to every other day pretty heavily 
i have one small ball of java moss that im hoping will grow out
and like i said: i do 40-50% weekly


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## arok3000 (Nov 28, 2009)

Yeah, the bioload no doubt plays a huge part in it.

I have 4 5-6" RBP's in a standard 75 gallon.
I feed daily, and usually pellets mid day also if I'm around to feed.

My tank may be a victim of slight overfeeding syndrome.


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## xeloR (Jan 2, 2009)

weird,during today's water change i was under 20ppm. i fed more if anythingthis week? API liquid test.


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