# High Nitrates



## Johnriggs (Jun 26, 2009)

I have a six gallon NPT with a fair amount of plants and the chemical parameters are excellent: ammonia and nitrate stay at zero; Ph = 7.6 and is stable; KH around 6 dhp. 

However, my nitrate levels build up to around 20 ppm and would probably go higher if I didn't do a 30 % water change about once a week. I feel like I'm still doing hi-tech.  I started this tank at the end of May, so granted it's just a little over three months old. I wonder why my plants aren't soaking up those nitrates?

Inhabitants are a single African Dwarf frog, a male betta and a plenitude of snails. I'm adding a second ADF today if all goes well.

John R


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## RoseyD (Jul 9, 2009)

Hey John... can't you show us a picture.  I'd love to see what your 6 g tank looks like. 

While I'm really new and can't answer your question... ie. I didn't know that one could have nitrates without having nitrites... maybe I should test for those. I'm really interested to hear what others have to say.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Johnriggs said:


> I wonder why my plants aren't soaking up those nitrates?


That's easy. Plants don't like nitrates. They greatly prefer ammonia/ammonium as their nitrogen source (my book, pp. 107-112).


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## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

Animal waste and excess food. 6g is a small tank and if listed size is 6g after adding substrate and what not your water column is even smaller.
Environmental Engineers at my place of employment are *VERY* fond of saying: The solution to pollution is dilution.

Your tank will be WAY harder to balance than my 55g simply because of its size.


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## Johnriggs (Jun 26, 2009)

I do recall plants prefer ammonia. I just figured two small animals can't be producing all that much.  

I'll take a picture of my six gallon and my five gallon hex and post a link.

John R


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## tug (Jul 23, 2009)

The nitrates in my planted tank reach 20 ppm quickly after a water change and then it seams to level off there until I change the water two/three weeks later. Are there any reasons for why this happens? :ear:


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## tbonedeluxe (Jun 29, 2009)

tug said:


> The nitrates in my planted tank reach 20 ppm quickly after a water change and then it seams to level off there until I change the water two/three weeks later. Are there any reasons for why this happens? :ear:


your tap water might have 20ppm in it or higher.maybe the spike is an addition of tapwater after water change,then it levels off in between water changes.my kit says there is nitrate in ppm in tap water.


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## tug (Jul 23, 2009)

The EPA limits nitrate at 10 ppm so it is possible, but I've been testing the water for nitrate before it goes into the tank. Drinking water analysis from local water authority lists the range of nitrate as 0.4 to 2.9 ppm. I dose flourish nitrogen during the water change to bring nitrate up to 10 ppm. Yet, after 48 hours it is reaching 20 ppm before it levels out.


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## Johnriggs (Jun 26, 2009)

Pics here per request:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/64072-per-request-my-5-gal-hex.html

Sorry for the poor quality, my camera ain't that great. 

Ammonia and nitrites stay rock-steady zero; I suppose I could add more animals to feed the plants and do weekly water changes to dilute the nitrates.

John R


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## brenmuk (Oct 7, 2008)

I would stop the weekly water changes all you are doing is removing plant food - do 1 50% w/c every 6 months. 

Stop worrying about nitrates there are people who add ferts to their tanks and have lush growth and healthy fish and their nitrate levels are far higher than 20ppm. You effectively remove excess nutrients and pollution from the water by pruning your plants on a regular basis.

I had a quick look at your pics - nice tanks. It looks like all the plant growth is at the surface where the light intensity is highest and CO2 is probably highest. Do you have any form of water circulation in the tanks to get the CO2 and plant nutrients better circulated? You could either remove some of the surface growth to let more light into the bottom or replace the plants in the bottom of the tanks with more shade tolerant ones like anubias, crypts, moss, java fern etc.


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## Johnriggs (Jun 26, 2009)

Yes, there is a pump built into the hood with a draw tube that goes down into the water. Those tanks are Marineland Eclipse systems, if you are familiar with those.

I'm not currently doing weekly water changes, am just considering them if my nitrates keep climbing. If they exceed 20 ppm I do a 30 % change though.

J


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