Nitrate Issues

[pufferpuggirl]

When I did a water test on all my tanks recently I was shocked to find that my nitrates reading was 40ppm in ALL my tanks (9 tanks), all tanks but one are puffer-only tanks.

I do water changes regularly once a week, 25-30% on my bigger tanks, and 40-50% on the smaller tanks. I use a vacuum to suck up any uneaten food every morning. I have been taking care not to overfeed, and I don't believe that's the problem anyway.
Someone suggested I test my tap water, and so I have done and here's the result:
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 40ppm
pH: 7.6
High Range pH: 7.4

I've had other people suggest getting an RO unit, but I just can't afford one of those at this time. Doing more water changes is going to be pushing me physically because I have disabilities, so what I want to know is, are there any other ways I can help this situation? And I guess I'd like to know if having a nitrate reading of 40ppm will hurt my puffers in the long run? I bought some floating plants because I've heard that they can help alter nitrates. I've done testing on all my tanks and they are all coming out with zero ammonia and zero nitrites, the only issue is the nitrates.

Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Nitrate readings of 40ppm can actually cause brain damage, I think, and will definitely shorten lifespans. 50% w/c's should be happening every week for puffers, since they're so messy. Are any of your tanks overstocked?

[Agnate]

(Edit: sorry, didn't see that you already tested your tap water, I thought that was your tank test )

I've heard of a lot of people having higher Nitrate readings from their tap water in the UK. If this is the case, there's not much you can really do about it.

Keep the floating plants growing and just stick to your weekly water changes. If you do that, your Nitrate shouldn't get much higher than 40 ppm, which is okay for your fish in this situation (since the Nitrate is being introduced at that level, and not building up to that level from negligence).

If you're willing to, you can purchase buffered Vitamin C powder and dose your tank with it twice a day. Vitamin C seems to promote a lot of growth, and often eliminates Nitrate in aquariums. It also keeps your fish healthy! The problem is that Vitamin C's potency decreases very quickly, so you end up having to dose at least once a day (twice is best, though).

Here's the info about vitamin C (PufferPunk introduced it here, I think, so pay attention to her posts):
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=13501

Just keep an eye on your hardness and pH if you go with this option.

Alternatively, you could also build an algae scrubber (I'm in the process of finishing mine):
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16708

[Pufferpunk]

Definately check your tap's nitrate. If it's also 40, then try VC but be sure you get the pure form. The one I linked to is only available in the US, so you'll have to look around (online?) for something comparable for the UK. Are you using a Python for WC? Should help tremendously, if you are disabled.

[pufferpuggirl]

Yes, I am going to look into using Vitamin C, but I'm glad to hear that the high nitrate won't hurt my puffers. I was thinking, before I posted here, the advice I got was to do more water changes BUT if the high nitrate is coming straight from the tap, then doing water changes isn't going to lessen the nitrate any.

I do not use a 'Python' for doing my water changes, although I have heard other people talk about it. I will see what info I can find out about it, as anything that will help me would be great to have. As it is now, I just struggle through doing my water changes. I am currently doing 2 of my tanks a day, and if I feel really zippy, I might do 3 in one day!!

Thanks for your suggestions and help, very much appreciated.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Whups... yeah, if tap water is the problem... I have seen products that absord nitrates, but Idk how good they are. Here's one. I don't know whether you can find this product in the UK.

[Myaj]

Yes, it really sucks to have high nitrates out of the tap. Buying RO water or a RO unit is great, if you can afford it, but its not always possible.

The good news is that as was said, you're still doing water changes so its not a ton of gunk and dirty water building up that's causing it. Remember, one of the reasons we really watch our nitrates is because they are an indicater of OTHER organic things building up that we don't have simple, cheap tests for... We know if our nitrates are rising, so are those other bad things. Since you're doing your water changes, the nitrates are high, yes, but you're still diluting those other things that would have been building up.

What to do, don't overstock at all, if anything, understock. Floating plants can really help, some types work better than others at soaking up nitrates.. but they can also plug up your filters so watch out for that.

There's a third thing you might want to try.. I don't know if it will actually lower your nitrates but it might help a lot.. a friend of mine lives in a farming community and they have well water with a lot of "organics" in it. She bought an RV filter.. basically a little filter you screw into your hose line and it filters out the gunk. Made for people with campers/motorhomes that are refilling their water tanks at campgrounds with questionable water. She said it wasn't expensive, way cheaper than an RO unit and really made a difference in her water quality.

This is pretty much what she got:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018MXG2S

[edmlfc1]

Stop killing yourself with water changes. Get a python or make one yourself. Search diy python, you can usually make a really good one (better than purchasing one) for less than $25 us dollars. It will make your life so much easier!

[pufferpuggirl]

Wow, thanks for all the great info! I truly appreciate it.

Does anyone know if one of those filters that you put on your tap would work? Or something like that Britta filter? I know they are not as good as an RO unit would be, but I can't see me being able to afford an RO unit for quite some time.

[Myaj]

That's pretty much what the RV filter is, only its made to handle larger "loads" of water (where the brita ones are pretty slow) and screws right into your hose. So if you are filling with a python, you just screw it into the hose length somewhere and are all set for refilling.

[pufferpuggirl]

Excellent! Sounds just like what I need, thank you.

[lilacamy931]

hey schismy007 - let me know what you come up with as i am based uk also and would be interested!

[w00t]

You could run some Purigen media, that will help to reduce nitrates quite a bit before it needs recharged or replaced. As a added bonus it also removes proteins, nitrites, and ammonia. There is also the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals tap water filter that is about 40 bucks, it works like an RO unit but has a short lifespan. Buying RO water from your LFS or grocery store is another way if you have that option. RO units are quite affordable if you look in the right places, eBay has many that are pretty cheap. I did not read if you did check your tap water for nitrates, but like others said I would do that asap as it will give you a quick answer to your problem.

[Bogwoodbruce]

There are a few products on the market, we use phosguard and nitrate one in the shop and sell it. Another good seachem product. To be honest i do usually have nitrates in all my tanks dispite regular waterchanges and massive filteration just somthing that we do get from time to time in the UK, i have seen people on other boards with similar tapwater problems, i wonder what its like for me, im in Rotherham

[pufferpuggirl]

I will stop in Bruce and talk to you all this weekend about that.

I did test my tap water, that's what's coming out at 40ppm, right out of the tap! Apparently that's my entire problem. Hence me looking now for some sort of filter.