Target Nitrate Level

[Sorg67]

I have read that water changes should keep Nitrates under 20 ppm. Is keeping it less than that a waste of time. Or is the less, the better? Is keeping down around 5 ppm beneficial? If I have a planted tank, is it possible to keep Nitrates too low? Or is there no such thing as too low?

 

[max h]

I guess I sorta answered this question in your water change thread. But I tend to maintain 20ppm in 2 of my 3 tanks, although the 3rd tank runs about 40ppm and higher sometimes, the fish in that tank have never shown any ill effects from the higher ppm. I am trying some potho's in that tank to help lower nitrate levels, I just haven't been home long enough in the last 3 weeks to do some water testing. This month has been a busy one.

 

[Decoy]

Anything between 5.0 and 20 is good, so 20 is also fine. It is considered safe between those amounts. From 40 down it can begin to become harmful to your fish. Plants cause ammonia which increase your nitrates. Yes there is a level that is too low for nitrate and that is 0, if you have zero nitrate your ammonia isn't being converted and there for stays in the water and can and most likely will harm your fish. So having a reading of nitrate is important.

 

[Cichlidude]

Nitrates of 40 and below are normal and safe.

 

[mbkemp]

I think the answer depends. If you are running a full blow high tech, EI tank then 30-40 ppm of nitrate at the end of the week is one thing. If you don’t clean your filters, remove dead stuff, and are lazy about changing water, that is something else

 

[Sorg67]

I think the answer depends. If you are running a full blow high tech, EI tank then 30-40 ppm of nitrate at the end of the week is one thing. If you don’t clean your filters, remove dead stuff, and are lazy about changing water, that is something else

In my primary tank (currently 12 days into fishless cycle) is currently moderately planted, planning heavily planted. Fertilizing twice a week, no CO2. Considering CO2 in the future.

I am currently cycling new tanks and in the manic over the top do everything perfect phase. Perhaps I will be lazy in the future, we will see.

My question is at the opposite end. If my water change protocol is keeping nitrates below 5 ppm am I doing too much? Am I keeping nitrates too low? Would it be too low for a planted tank but okay for a tank without plants.

My son has one two inch goldfish in a 10 gallon tanks. 25% weekly water changes keep nitrates under 5 ppm. Is that too low. Should that tank go with bi-weekly changes? Or maybe only 10% weekly changes?

 

[mbkemp]

Without considering plants 5% is beautiful

if you become more advanced with a planted tank then there is conversation about nitrogen uptake below certain ppm threshold and with in differing plant families. Competition between macros that affect uptake, lots of variables

establish a solid routine that delivers less than ten ppm of nitrogen post water change. Learn about the different types of algae and what they mean. Light duration. Trimming plants, substrate cleaning.
All of the little maintenance aspects will help keep nitrate consistent post water change. Stocking levels matter. How much and what is fed.

 

[max h]

I would say the nitrate levels that you feel comfortable maintaining in the tank would do as long as there is a nitrate level. The issue I would have is out of the 3 tanks I have running at this time a 75 gallon is the smallest tank in the house. In that case I would be going through a bunch of water changes and water a month. The wife wants me to setup the 55 gallon tank in the bedroom that I just tore down the other month to install the 75 gallon tank in the dinning room, so I have another project coming up sometime this week. Supposedly I had a buyer for the 55 gallon tank and haven't heard back from them in over a month, even after I tried to contact them.

 

[Sorg67]

Without considering plants 5% is beautiful

if you become more advanced with a planted tank then there is conversation about nitrogen uptake below certain ppm threshold and with in differing plant families. Competition between macros that affect uptake, lots of variables

establish a solid routine that delivers less than ten ppm of nitrogen post water change. Learn about the different types of algae and what they mean. Light duration. Trimming plants, substrate cleaning.
All of the little maintenance aspects will help keep nitrate consistent post water change. Stocking levels matter. How much and what is fed.

Helpful, thanks. I was thinking that my target nitrate level would be peak pre-change level rather than post change. If pre change level exceeds X then increase either amount or frequency to keep peak below X.

In the beginning, I will probably check water daily. I am already testing daily, sometimes twice a day while I am learning. Change when levels exceed X and develop my practice as needed to keep peak below X.

Sound reasonable? Target X = 20? I was thinking lower.

 

[Sorg67]

I would say the nitrate levels that you feel comfortable maintaining in the tank would do as long as there is a nitrate level. The issue I would have is out of the 3 tanks I have running at this time a 75 gallon is the smallest tank in the house. In that case I would be going through a bunch of water changes and water a month. The wife wants me to setup the 55 gallon tank in the bedroom that I just tore down the other month to install the 75 gallon tank in the dinning room, so I have another project coming up sometime this week. Supposedly I had a buyer for the 55 gallon tank and haven't heard back from them in over a month, even after I tried to contact them.

At the moment, I am trying to understand what is optimal. If I get constrained, I will begin looking at what is good enough.

 

[mbkemp]

Helpful, thanks. I was thinking that my target nitrate level would be peak pre-change level rather than post change. If pre change level exceeds X then increase either amount or frequency to keep peak below X.

In the beginning, I will probably check water daily. I am already testing daily, sometimes twice a day while I am learning. Change when levels exceed X and develop my practice as needed to keep peak below X.

Sound reasonable? Target X = 20? I was thinking lower.

That works too. In time, believe it or not, you will be able to look at the fish and know it is time. Allow your test to tell you how much to change

I have a heavily stocked 60 full of growing cichlids. When it gets to10 ppm I change half. Sometimes that is two times per week. Sometimes it is three times every two weeks