Cycling Question—nitrates

[Blue-Green]

Hey all! So I am new to fishkeeping and I am still cycling my two tanks. I was puzzled over some high levels of nitrate in the tanks (like, 40-80+, kinda hard to tell the reds apart but it’s definitely up there) that weren’t going down with water changes, until I tested my tap water and realized the nitrate level is that high straight out of the tap.

So, how should I deal with this? I know there’s filter products like Nitra-zorb that get rid of nitrates, but that also absorbs ammonia and nitrite—won’t that make it impossible for the tank to cycle? What if I put the Nitra-zorb bag in a bucket of water beforehand to remove the excess nitrates, but not in the actual tank, so enough ammonia could be there to cycle? Would that work?

I could also use RO water, we already buy it for drinking, I’m just nervous about figuring out what-all I’d need to add back into it. Don’t want to forget something vital and kill fish/plants.

 

[Gourami36]

For ro water just buy a remineralizer like seachem equilibrium

 

[fjh]

Wow, that's a lot of nitrates in your tap!

I use RO water on my tanks. I don't do anything to remineralize except add cuttlebone to my shrimp tank. None of my fish show any ill effects. You might want to do 50/50 or 70/30 RO water to tap water, that way your nitrates are much lower but you still have some of the usual junk from the tap.

Also add lots of live plants to your tank and these will quickly absorb the remaining nitrates. Hornwort is one of my favorite nitrate absorbers because its super easy to care for, grows quickly, and absorbs nitrates quickly.

 

[CichlidTai]

Nitrates being high is part of the Cycle,It just needs more time to create more of the beneficial bacteria that’ll turn the ammonia into nitrite and so forth

 

[Rowan]

Live plants can help a lot with the nitrate level. Fast growing plants are the most help, especially floating plants since they can get carbon dioxide from the air and they're right at the surface where they'll get the most light.

I've never used RO water but many Fishlorians do, so I'm sure you can get some good advice on that front. I'm just guessing, but I think probably it would be helpful to know the KH, GH, and pH of your tap water. Do you have test kits for those?

 

[Blue-Green]

Wow, that's a lot of nitrates in your tap!

I use RO water on my tanks. I don't do anything to remineralize except add cuttlebone to my shrimp tank. None of my fish show any ill effects. You might want to do 50/50 or 70/30 RO water to tap water, that way your nitrates are much lower but you still have some of the usual junk from the tap.

Also add lots of live plants to your tank and these will quickly absorb the remaining nitrates. Hornwort is one of my favorite nitrate absorbers because its super easy to care for, grows quickly, and absorbs nitrates quickly.

Live plants can help a lot with the nitrate level. Fast growing plants are the most help, especially floating plants since they can get carbon dioxide from the air and they're right at the surface where they'll get the most light.

I've never used RO water but many Fishlorians do, so I'm sure you can get some good advice on that front. I'm just guessing, but I think probably it would be helpful to know the KH, GH, and pH of your tap water. Do you have test kits for those?

Thank you guys so much for the advice! Believe it or not, both tanks have plants already—moss balls, anubias nana petites, java moss, a couple others—the red ludwigia is growing particularly fast. I am actually having so much fun learning how to arrange the plants, it’s as much fun as the actual fish. Doesn’t seem to be denting the nitrate level though. ‍♀️ I haven’t tried hornwort, maybe I’ll get some!

The pH of my tap water is around 8.0. I don’t have a test kit for gH and kH. To be honest, I am having a lot harder time understanding those than the stuff about ammonia —> nitrite —> nitrate. I’m still reading about it, just having difficulty understanding what I’m supposed to do about it.

I will probably end up using part RO water and part tap water.

Thank you again for the advice, I’d be having a really hard time without this forum. The people here have been really nice so far!

 

[McFly]

My tap water is 15-20 ppm nitrates.

I cut my tank water with 1/3 RO water, and it does help, but after one week
I'm back to 40 ppm nitrates. I'm setting up a overhead sump with plants
to help fight 'the good fight' against nitrates.

Pothos is a very hearty house plant, but I'm going to add mint... Mint plants
are voracious nitrogen eaters, and will supplement my Moscow Mule addiction.

 

[Blue-Green]

My tap water is 15-20 ppm nitrates.

I cut my tank water with 1/3 RO water, and it does help, but after one week
I'm back to 40 ppm nitrates. I'm setting up a overhead sump with plants
to help fight 'the good fight' against nitrates.

Pothos is a very hearty house plant, but I'm going to add mint... Mint plants
are voracious nitrogen eaters, and will supplement my Moscow Mule addiction.

Mint, huh? That’s interesting! I hadn’t heard of that being used in aquariums before!

Since last updating this thread, I started using about half tap and half RO now for water changes. I also added frogbit to my tanks. It’s an INSANE grower. It keeps my nitrate level pretty much near zero!

 

[kallililly1973]

Nitrates being high is part of the Cycle,It just needs more time to create more of the beneficial bacteria that’ll turn the ammonia into nitrite and so forth

You have the 2 confused. Nitrites will rise to start taking care of the Ammonia which will eventually will turn it into the nontoxic nitrAtes. Nitrates don't usually show up till the tank is cycled.

 

[McFly]

You have the 2 confused. Nitrites will rise to start taking care of the Ammonia which will eventually will turn it into the nontoxic nitrAtes. Nitrates don't usually show up till the tank is cycled.

Yep... typo... missed it by one letter... good eye! Thanks!

Ummm. It wasn't me. Oops!

Mint, huh? That’s interesting! I hadn’t heard of that being used in aquariums before!

Since last updating this thread, I started using about half tap and half RO now for water changes. I also added frogbit to my tanks. It’s an INSANE grower. It keeps my nitrate level pretty much near zero!

I have the sump running too. After 1 day nitrates are under 10 ppm. Huge difference.
https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/aquaponic-filter-upgrade.401691/