Nitrates How High Is Too High?
- Thread starter vayapues
- Start date
al mc
Active Member
I would try to keep my nitrates under 20 max, and better under 10 in a reef. A FOWLR
(Fish Only With Live Rock) gives you more leeway...probably try to keep under 40-50 range though I know of some fish only tanks with higher nitrates.
If you need to do large water changes to get the nitrates down that is OK (large meaning
50%) as long as same SG, pH, temperature water that you are replacing.
Also, if you are having chronic high nitrate problems you need to figure out why...
Some (but not all) possibilities
Tank not fully cycled
crushed coral versus sand substrate
feeding too much
too many fish
bioballs in a wet/dry filter
nitrates in you 'new' water
Ways to get nitrates down
water changes
macroalgae that removes nitrates
deep sand beds
decreasing amount of fish or increasing amount of water (adding sump)
decreased feeding
water changes
(Fish Only With Live Rock) gives you more leeway...probably try to keep under 40-50 range though I know of some fish only tanks with higher nitrates.
If you need to do large water changes to get the nitrates down that is OK (large meaning
50%) as long as same SG, pH, temperature water that you are replacing.
Also, if you are having chronic high nitrate problems you need to figure out why...
Some (but not all) possibilities
Tank not fully cycled
crushed coral versus sand substrate
feeding too much
too many fish
bioballs in a wet/dry filter
nitrates in you 'new' water
Ways to get nitrates down
water changes
macroalgae that removes nitrates
deep sand beds
decreasing amount of fish or increasing amount of water (adding sump)
decreased feeding
water changes
vayapues
Member
okay, more information:
The kit is an API SALTWATER MASTER TEST KIT.
In the instructions it says:
This test kit reads total nitrate (NO3) level in parts per million which are equivalent to milligrams per liter.... This test kit measures nitrate as nitrate ion or "total nitrate." (other nitrate test kits that measure "nitrate-nitrogen" (NO3N) will give readings 4.4 times LESS than this test kit.
........................................
When you say that I should be below 10 for a reef tank, is that below 10 NO3, or below ten NO3N?
Thanks kindly
The kit is an API SALTWATER MASTER TEST KIT.
In the instructions it says:
This test kit reads total nitrate (NO3) level in parts per million which are equivalent to milligrams per liter.... This test kit measures nitrate as nitrate ion or "total nitrate." (other nitrate test kits that measure "nitrate-nitrogen" (NO3N) will give readings 4.4 times LESS than this test kit.
........................................
When you say that I should be below 10 for a reef tank, is that below 10 NO3, or below ten NO3N?
Thanks kindly
al mc
Active Member
While there is no hard rule for this...most people seem to shoot for 1-2# of live rock per galoon of water for biologic filtration.
Different test kit levels.....Many of the kits have a 'high range' and 'low range' instructions for testing nitrates. If you have very high nitrates (generally > 50) then most kits give you instructions of how to dilute your sample water with RODI water so you can get a more accurate reading of how high your nitrates might be.
Different test kit levels.....Many of the kits have a 'high range' and 'low range' instructions for testing nitrates. If you have very high nitrates (generally > 50) then most kits give you instructions of how to dilute your sample water with RODI water so you can get a more accurate reading of how high your nitrates might be.
ninjamini
Active Member
A new tank at the end of its cycle will be high. I have seen 80-120.
There is only one way to get rid of nitrates. Export it.
You can do that through water changes.
Or you can run a macro algae like cheato to consume the nitrates. Then you export it by taking it out of the tank.
There is only one way to get rid of nitrates. Export it.
You can do that through water changes.
Or you can run a macro algae like cheato to consume the nitrates. Then you export it by taking it out of the tank.
confusedfishy
Member
These items were mentioned to cause high nitrate earlier: can you give more specifics as to why? I need help with this too...
Tank not fully cycled
crushed coral versus sand substrate
wet dry bio balls
Tank not fully cycled
crushed coral versus sand substrate
wet dry bio balls