Nitrate Problems

[tarannosaurus 24]

So I have been having bad nitrate problems since I moved. My nitrates seem to hang around 40 ppm or higher, even immediately after water changes. I thought something with my cycle got messed up so I just gave it some time. I cleaned out my canister filter and removed more than half of my substrate. But nothing was helping.

My tap was fine where I lived before and I assumed it was fine here. But I just tested it and the results are shocking. Ammonia levels are about .25, nitrites are 0 but nitrate is between 40-50 ppm! What am I supposed to do with that?

[bodoba 2,980]

Get a nitrate filter to run your water through or overplant houseplants to absorb the nitrates

[tarannosaurus 24]

Where can I get that kind of filter?

[Lis. 4,167]

Sorry to hijack your thread...but boboda, what kind of house plants are good to use? I've been wanting to do it for a while but not sure as to which house plants are suitable

[bodoba 2,980]

Any houseplant requires more nutrients than aquatic plants so using houseplants usually makes a larger dent in the nitrates. So far people have been having success with bamboo and pothos. I don't know whether that is from them being easy to purchase or not.

Another example would be a surface plant like salvinia or azolla, they float close to the light so they absorb more of it. The only downside is it will get eaten

[tarannosaurus 24]

I have never had a planted aquarium. Are those easy to keep? I do have aquarium lights that are intended for plants but that's about it.

[bodoba 2,980]

With houseplants you basically just stick the roots in your filter or clamp them to the side of your aquarium and just leave them at that. As long as they have some window light nearby they will grow. This is why people like bamboo, they are a long stick you can stick in your filter that won't take up much room.

http://www.amazon.com/Aquaripure-Nitrate-Filter-Small/dp/B00481DQBC

Above is an example of a nitrate filter. You can also look up on how to make one DIY on reef aqauriums. Its the same concept.

[Flipper 13,057]

I have pothos, that I rooted in water first, just dangling in my aquaclear filter. It is in a fairly dark room with mild ambient light and grows quite well. I also have a typical aquarium light on anywhere from 4-12 hrs a day. My nitrated are 10-20 and and I have a bit in my tap too.

I frequently have new leaves sprouting and everything. Sometimes the roots gather fish poop and other solid floating crap in the filter so I rinse them with tank water about once per month.

I don't know if this helps, but good luck. Another plant another member uses is mangrove seedlings.

[Mernany 3,708]

I have a couple bunches of Lucky Bamboo in my HOB filter and they are growing crazy well. Nitrates are being used up nice and fast too It's nice to look at as well

[Flipper 13,057]

I have a couple bunches of Lucky Bamboo in my HOB filter and they are growing crazy well. Nitrates are being used up nice and fast too It's nice to look at as well

I love the way bamboo looks! I can't find it at any stores around here. Did you order it online?

[tarannosaurus 24]

I also have an AquaClear filter. Are you guys saying to just stick it in there? Like in the media?

[tarannosaurus 24]

I have pothos, that I rooted in water first, just dangling in my aquaclear filter. It is in a fairly dark room with mild ambient light and grows quite well. I also have a typical aquarium light on anywhere from 4-12 hrs a day. My nitrated are 10-20 and and I have a bit in my tap too.

I frequently have new leaves sprouting and everything. Sometimes the roots gather fish poop and other solid floating crap in the filter so I rinse them with tank water about once per month.

I don't know if this helps, but good luck. Another plant another member uses is mangrove seedlings.

I found this video on youtube:

Is this similar to what you did?

[tarannosaurus 24]

Okay I got a pothos plant today. I planted it in my filter. How should I do water changes in the future since now I know my tap is dangerous to my fish?

[tithra 4,917]

Another other thing you can do, if you have room, is to start storing water in a large bin/trash can. Place a bunch of pothos or other plants inside the tub. Then, you can use this water for water changes

40-50 ppm is certainly not ideal for nitrates, but it is not high enough to cause poisoning. You will need to continue to keep up with water changes even though your tap nitrates are high, particularly since your fish will continually be adding to the nitrate in the tank.

If it is possible to age your water and use it for water changes that is probably the most ideal situation. Otherwise, just continue doing water changes as you have and keep a good amount of terrestrial plants in your filter to suck up excess nitrates between water changes.

[4prettyfish 2,702]

Sorry about your Nitrate problems. I hope the plants help and your fish remain healthy/good.

[cmclien 655]

I have an ion-exchange type nitrate filter (made by Aqua World in the U.K.) that I run my tap water through. It takes my tap from 35-40 down to 0! I have to re-charge it every 100gallons or so with sea salt because mine are so high. At 20ppm you could probably get closer to 150-200gallons out of it. Its not fast, takes about 2 hours to fill 25gallons into a separate bin but it does the job.

Edited June 28, 2013 by CindiL

[tarannosaurus 24]

I have an ion-exchange type nitrate filter (made by Aqua World in the U.K.) that I run my tap water through. It takes my tap from 35-40 down to 0! I have to re-charge it every 100gallons or so with sea salt because mine are so high. At 20ppm you could probably get closer to 150-200gallons out of it. Its not fast, takes about 2 hours to fill 25gallons into a separate bin but it does the job.

I am also looking for a filter like this but I am having a hard time finding something that is less than $300.

[cmclien 655]

I have an ion-exchange type nitrate filter (made by Aqua World in the U.K.) that I run my tap water through. It takes my tap from 35-40 down to 0! I have to re-charge it every 100gallons or so with sea salt because mine are so high. At 20ppm you could probably get closer to 150-200gallons out of it. Its not fast, takes about 2 hours to fill 25gallons into a separate bin but it does the job.

I am also looking for a filter like this but I am having a hard time finding something that is less than $300.

These were fairly inexpensive. Even with shipping from the U.K. I got two for under $100

The problem is when I went to their website recently (Shirley Aquatics) which is who I purchased through I didn't see the product. I will email them and see whats going on with that.