• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Nitrates high!

john arnold

Member
Joined
28 Jun 2018
Messages
363
Location
Somerset
Hi
Just tested water, I know the kits are supposed to be rubbish but you have to have some sort of guideline, anyway, my tank comes up at around 80 ppm maybe higher, hard to tell with API test kit, that’s in a tank that has only shrimp in, i ei dose so I guess I can leave out a lot of the nitrate added to the macro mix, am I right about that?
 
Are you doing 50% water changes alongside the EI dosing? The idea is it resets each week. That seems quite high so I wonder if something other than ferts is causing it.
 
my tank comes up at around 80 ppm maybe higher, hard to tell with API test kit
The API Test Kit is not very useful for nitrate (NO3) testing As you can see in the post the level could be anything.

I guess I can leave out a lot of the nitrate added to the macro mix, am I right about that?
I wouldn't. The nitrate you dose is not the problem - If you know how much you dose and whatever your tap water provides that should be the approx level in the tank - give or take. The nitrate that is buildup due to waste, that is usually the problem.

Cheers,
Michael
 
The API Test Kit is not very useful for nitrate (NO3) testing As you can see in the post the level could be anything.


I wouldn't. The nitrate you dose is not the problem - If you know how much you dose and whatever your tap water provides that should be the approx level in the tank - give or take. The nitrate that is buildup due to waste, that is usually the problem.

Cheers,
Michael
hi

its not waste really as there are only 4 shrimp in there and a couple of otocinclus, its only 3 weeks old woth monte carlo carpeting and some hemianthus macromoides and co2 I forgot to say the nitrate is 30ppm straight out of the tap
Are you doing 50% water changes alongside the EI dosing? The idea is it resets each week. That seems quite high so I wonder if something other than ferts is causing it.
yeah 40/50% water change
 
I forgot to say the nitrate is 30ppm straight out of the tap
Ok, that is of course a different matter. Well, if that is the case you wont have to add any really. Just make sure it stays at a certain level - the best is to check with the water dept. of your city.
 
Last edited:
Ok, that is of course a different matter. Well, if that is the case you wont have to add any really. Just make sure it stays at a certain level - the best is to check with the water dept. of your city.
Yeah I’ll just see how it goes after a couple more weeks cheers everyone
 
Yeah about 3 weeks now
That would be my guess for the source then. I would continue as normal, and monitor it. Hopefully it will drop down again. Would be worth keeping an eye on the occupants/ammonia level, I'm guessing though it's already on the way to stabilising.
 
That would be my guess for the source then. I would continue as normal, and monitor it. Hopefully it will drop down again. Would be worth keeping an eye on the occupants/ammonia level, I'm guessing though it's already on the way to stabilising.
Hi
Yeah it’s stable, I’m not going to worry the shrimps are breeding so all’s well
 
Back
Top