Lowest and Highest Nitrate levels

[Litespeed]

What are the lowest and highest nitrate levels you have had?

[Pr0eve]

0 up to 40ppm.

[NickFish]

I've had 0 ppm after water changes and up to 50ppm if I really neglect the filter.

[jbeining75]

Cycle spike usually goes off the chart but you need to keep it as close to zero as possible. 0-25 is normal. Fish tolerate upto around 100 ppm.

[shockshockshad]

after a cycle, 25, now its more like 0-8. I have plants though, so thats sorta cheating.

[Lady Hobbs]

Cycle spike usually goes off the chart but you need to keep it as close to zero as possible. 0-25 is normal. Fish tolerate upto around 100 ppm.

100 nitrates would kill them I think.

[~Erik3.8.07~]

ya i think 100 is a little too extreme. The highest mine has ever been after a cycle was about 16

[Lady Hobbs]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Here's a read about ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in excess and what happens to your fish.

[karbomb]

my test kit says that 40ppm is the highest amount of nitrate you want in a tank.

EDIT: yay! my 100th post!

[Fishguy2727]

They can tolerate higher, but it causes major issues down the road. What I call old tank syndrome is a tank that has never been maintained. It has usually been set up for 3-5 years and the filters may not have ever been touched. No water changes. They usually occur with people who just want fish and have an 'it ain't broke so don't fix it' attitude. As in, the fish aren't dying so they are doing very well. With this logic smoking is perfectly healthy. What ends up happening is all of a sudden all the fish start to get sick. At this point (really a LONG time ago) the nitrates are WAY off the chart.

As learned in my genetics class: nitrites cause genetic mutations. This is well known in humans with processed meats where nitrites and nitrates are used as preservatives. The body breaks down nitrates into nitrites as one step in getting rid of them. The nitrite can cause genetic mutations. In humans this can contribute to or cause cancer. I am not certain what it could cause in fish.

[jbeining75]

everywhere i have read they tolerate it for short periods of time but best keep under 25. If I ever seen my nitrates at 100 I would cry cause I would know what was coming.

[Fishalicious]

Emmmz 0 and again 0 - I can never measure any nitrate in any of my tanks so either I am overly extremely clean or the mass amount of plants use it all up non stop (actually it is both)... I have to add NO3 to the tanks for the plants.

[jbeining75]

I have two Aquaclear 110's on my 55 gallon for my Oscars 2 airstones and a powerhead pushing water. I also very rarely read any nitrate levels in my tank. I use stress zyme with water changes to. Helps bacterial bed.

[Fishguy2727]

Once you have the bacteria in there you shouldn't ever notice any benefit with those types of additives, which many believe don't work at all anyways.

Keep in mind that filtration never removes nitrates, only adds them, and nothing replaces water changes.

[jbeining75]

I do a 20% water change every week. That is something I never miss. There would have to be a Natural catastrophy for me not to change the water. Knock on wood. I hope I just didn't jinx myself.

[shockshockshad]

Switch to 40-50% water changes.

[Fishguy2727]

What is the nitrate concentration?

[NickFish]

Try and do 40-50% a week. Whether you do 20% twice a week or all 40% at once. I do 25% twice a week cause it stresses the fish less, in my fry tank I do 25% every day cause its so stocked up with cories.