Nitrates
Posted by: GHarris in Fish Health, General Documents, Tank Maintneance, Tank Setup Add comments| Hot: |  |  | | | |
Nitrates
Nitrates come from a few different areas in the tank, such as excess food at the bottom of the tank, a dirty filter, decaying plant material, and sometimes even the water that we use to fill the tank. All of these areas contribute to high nitrate levels and should be managed to keep your nitrate levels as low as possible.
So what is a safe nitrate level? Nitrates are measured in ppm or Parts Per Million, and for a normal operating tank the nitrate level should be under 25-ppm. If you are having problems with algae growth and everything seems to have a green tint to it, then you need to check your nitrate level. Algae growth is accelerated in a nitrate rich environment. Although plants use nitrates, the plants can only do so much. If there is a spike in the nitrate level, the plants may not be able to remove all of it in time. Also if you are considering breeding your fish you want to make sure that your nitrate level is 10ppm or less. This will prevent the fish from becoming sick and create a stable environment for the female’s gestation period.
There are a few simple steps that you can take to manage the nitrate level in your tank.
The first step is regular cleaning. By removing the waste and uneaten fish food from the tank you are preventing these contributors from adding to the nitrate level.
The second step is to change your water. Changing out some of the water in your tank, around 10%, is a good way to reduce the nitrate level, providing the water you are adding is low in nitrates. You can check with your local pet store for their suggestions on store bought water.
A common third step is cutting back on the amount of food that you feed your fish. Decaying food or waste in the bottom of the tank is a common culprit for high nitrate levels. By reducing the amount of food, you cut back on the amount of food and decaying waste on the bottom. This paired with regular cleaning and water changes should keep your nitrates under control.
The fourth method is to use live plants. The addition of live plants will reduce the amount of nitrates because plants absorb and use nitrates. If you have a high nitrate level, plants alone will not be able to get the nitrates under control quickly.
Another method is to use a specialized filter or filter additive. This will help control and maintain the nitrate level as long as the filters are kept fresh and clean, and they are combined with other methods of controlling the nitrate levels.
Nitrates, in high numbers are very harmful for fish and plant life in an aquarium. Nitrates can harm the reproduction in fish and inhibit their breathing as well as cause a spike in the algae level of your tank, basically choking out the natural plants that you have growing there. As long as some basic steps are followed, it should not be difficult to control the nitrate levels in your tanks and keep all of your creatures healthy.