Nitrate levels

[tony11705]

I have a 90 gallon FOWLR tank with live rock and sand. There is only 1 fish and my nitrates are at 20 ppm. I just changed 20 gallons last week. What is an acceptable nitrate level for everyone?

The tank has been up and running for 5 months and I use RO water. I and a case of velvet wipe everything out two months ago except for my Hoevens wrasse.

There is also 8 hermit crabs and 8 turbo snails

 

[mandy111]

Look I don't know what Fish can physically tolerate in nitrates. I would think personally. 20ppm would be as high as I would like. I keep corals so nitrates obviously matter a lot more to me. & I keep them undetectable to. 0,02. I suppose if your fish are used to it & still living them it's ok. But I would try below 20 ppm

 

[lmforbis]

It would probably be worth checking with a different brand of test kit. Sometimes as the test kits get older they aren't as accurate. Some brands are more accurate ti begin with.

 

[geridoc]

Also, be sure of what you are measuring. Some kits measure nitrate, others measure nitrate nitrogen. These are two different values that differ numerically by 4X. You need to read the literature that comes with the kit to know what you are measuring, and what their normal (safe) levels actually are.

 

[tony11705]

Thanks Guys

Besides water changes does anyone have another way to lower Nitrates? I have eshopps 150 wet dry and the eshopps 75 protein skimmer in sump. I have started feeding every other day now and will do a 20 gallon water change tomorrow.

What is the best test kit? I use the API which I know is considered junk. I have never had problem before

I have red that some salts can cause high nitrates. Does anyone know this to be the case? I used Red Sea I believe it was in range and white box.

Thanks again for the conversation

 

[lmforbis]

I use seachem and salifert. I like salifert better.

 

[deejeff0442]

In my opinion 20 is next to nothing. You will drive yourself nuts trying to get it to zero.20 to me wont bother a thing.now 60 or above i would start doing something about it.i have had levels at 80 and didnt see anything being stressed.its the other 2 ammonia and nitrites that

 

[geridoc]

The API kit measures nitrate nitrogen. To convert to values that most kits use (nitrates) divide by 4. That means that your true nitrate level is 5, plenty low for your FOWLR system.

 

[tony11705]

Thanks guys I really appreciate the info


Tony

 

[mandy111]

Look I don't know what Fish can physically tolerate in nitrates

We collect and use natural salt water for our tank, testing it before it goes in for a water change, Nitrates are always 0.00. if is good enough for the ocean and free fish then we should aim as low as possible for captive fish. Thats just my 2 cents worth.

 

[geridoc]

I recall seeing a research paper several years ago that said that nitrates below 100 were OK for FOWLR. That said, a level of zero never hurts.

 

[mr. limpid]

I would invest in a aquaripure filter the work great.

 

[flower]

I would invest in a aquaripure filter the work great.

I have two sitting in the garage, I no longer need them, and put them on Craigs list to sell them...Macroalgae not only takes care of nitrates, but phosphates, and any ammonia too. The Aquaripure filters do work awesome to bring down the nitrates to a beautiful fat 0 within a month. However, fish don't care much about high nitrates, the cleaning crew of snails and other inverts can't stand them above 40. API tests run 4Xs higher in readings then the other kits...Professor Geridoc can explain exactly why, LOL...I don't care anymore, I started using Seachem kits instead.

 

[beaslbob]

The API kit measures nitrate nitrogen. To convert to values that most kits use (nitrates) divide by 4. That means that your true nitrate level is 5, plenty low for your FOWLR system.

FWIW you probably have different test kits.
just a nit the api kit measures total nitrates which is 4 times greater then nitrate nitrogen which is just the nitrogen part of the nitrate ion.

But your point is correct and one must read the instructions to determine whether your kit is measuring total nitrates or nitrate nitrogen.

 

[mr. limpid]

I thought I read somewhere that long term of high levels of Nitrates wasn't good for fish, any comments?

 

[mandy111]

I thought I read somewhere that long term of high levels of Nitrates wasn't good for fish, any comments?

I tend to agree with you on this. If fish where meant to live in high nitrates happily then the ocean would naturally be high too ? Which when I collect for water changes it is always 0.00 ALWAYS.

 

[bang guy]

I thought I read somewhere that long term of high levels of Nitrates wasn't good for fish, any comments?

I think of it like smog. A small amount of smog is harmless to a healthy person short term. It's not harmless long term nor is a lot of smog harmless to someone that is not at the peak of health.

 

[mr. limpid]

I think of it like smog. A small amount of smog is harmless to a healthy person short term. It's not harmless long term nor is a lot of smog harmless to someone that is not at the peak of health.

so what are you saying? Are you saying a lot of nitrates are harmful only to unhealthy fish but ok for healthy fish?

 

[pegasus]

so what are you saying? Are you saying a lot of nitrates are harmful only to unhealthy fish but ok for healthy fish?

A lot of nitrate is harmful to all fish. He's simply saying that healthy fish will survive it better, or at least longer, than unhealthy fish.

 

[bang guy]

A lot of nitrate is harmful to all fish. He's simply saying that healthy fish will survive it better, or at least longer, than unhealthy fish.

Yep