# High nitrate tapwater but RO is Bad?



## Dan Stephano (20 Sep 2018)

Hi all,

In Jersey we have 50-80ppm nitrate out of the tap.  But, everything I read says no RO water for planted tanks.

What are my options?


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## zozo (20 Sep 2018)

Welcome it.. .. Get nitrates for free.. I have the same averagely and always + 40ppm nitrates from the tap.. And i still add a 20 ppm N drysalts, because i do a weekly water change anyway.. Plants seem to love it, fish don't mind.


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## ian_m (20 Sep 2018)

Dan Stephano said:


> In Jersey we have 50-80ppm nitrate out of the tap


How do you know, I doubt a hobby test kit would read any meaningful values for nitrate especially that high.

Please read about hobby test kits.
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/what-about-test-kits.52487/

The EU limit is 50ppm and rarely anywhere near that except in exceptional circumstances. Jersey water say nitrates peaked at 36.5mg/l in March 2017 and is generally below that due to careful water selection.

Jersey water is classified as slightly hard (100-150ppm), better than my 350ppm. So use of RO is a mute point. Plants don't care about water hardness anyway.


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## dw1305 (21 Sep 2018)

Hi all, 





ian_m said:


> How do you know, I doubt a hobby test kit would read any meaningful values for nitrate especially that high.





ian_m said:


> The EU limit is 50ppm and rarely anywhere near that except in exceptional circumstances. Jersey water say nitrates peaked at 36.5mg/l in March 2017 and is generally below that due to careful water selection.


They might be historical values. I don't know the exact figures, but I know that the nitrate level in Jersey tap water has been really high in the past, mainly because Jersey Water had a special dispensation (up to 2016) where the level of permissable nitrates in tap water was 65 mg/L, rather than the the 50 mg/L (50 ppm) in the rest of the EU that @ian_m mentions.

I wouldn't worry about it, whatever the value is now. 

cheers Darrel


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## Barbara Turner (21 Sep 2018)

I use  Ro mixed with tap water without any problems, I have high Nitrate and very hard water. 
The biggest pain is filtering and heating it. 


100% RO doesn't do your plants any favours


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## Oldguy (24 Sep 2018)

Why OR, when rain water is free. However don't over do it. Its a matter of ratios. Be mindful of potassium and magnesium  levels which might get low.


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## HiNtZ (1 Dec 2018)

Why is RO bad? Sounds like you only got half the conversation there...

RO on its own without reconstituting with essential minerals is a bad idea obviously but RO is still water at the end of the day, just minus everything. With ro you can put back what you want at the quantities you want.

There are factors that don't make it feasible for everyone:

Cost
Time
Space
Knowledge

Among others.

Most people who use RO will at least cut it with tap water. This would probably be the best option if you're concerned about the tap.

As for rain water - I wouldn't personally. All the pollution and burnt jet fuel? No thanks.


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