What level do you keep your nitrates under?

[goldiegirl]

Hi, all : ) I read all of the stickies, and I may have missed this... I know everyone's different, but I'd like to hear from others where they prefer to keep their nitrates. Both my tanks are fully cycled, I just have to decide how often to do water changes. I've read that anything below 40 is okay, some people say under 20, and I've even read articles doing my own research that say to keep them under 10. I have freshwater goldfish tanks. I've been changing the water weekly, even though the nitrates have never risen above about 15 in a week's time. I don't really mind it, but if I'm changing too frequently it would be nice to know it so I can save on conditioner and salt. What would you all recommend? Thanks!

 

[jerilovesfrogs]

i'd say 20 and below. you'd probably want to stick to weekly changes since goldfish are bigger waste producers....just to keep the water clean and them healthy

 

[Meenu]

Mine tend to be around 10. My goal is always 20 or less.

 

[Jaysee]

Hmmmm, I wonder what my nitrates are....

 

[bolivianbaby]

I keep mine under 20.

 

[midthought]

When I do my water changes, my nitrates are usually at 15ppm and 20ppm (for two tanks).

 

[Furallicah]

Hmmmm, I wonder what my nitrates are....

Lol if you have to ask it might be a good thing to check.... I keep mine under 30....I struggle with my 25gal sometimes it'll jump around but doesn't go out of the 30's.

 

[Jaysee]

Lol if you have to ask it might be a good thing to check....

I don't even know my pH

 

[Meenu]

Lol if you have to ask it might be a good thing to check.... I keep mine under 30....I struggle with my 25gal sometimes it'll jump around but doesn't go out of the 30's.

I did a poll a while ago about testing, and it turned out that a lot of the really experienced fishkeepers know their tanks so well that they don't test.

 

[Furallicah]

Call me the tank whisper! XD

 

[Jrobber]

Mine stay steady at 10. Not sure how, sometimes I feel like they should be higher.

 

[Meenu]

Mine stay steady at 10. Not sure how, sometimes I feel like they should be higher.

no, 10 is good...

 

[bass master]

Hmmmm, I wonder what my nitrates are....

sounds like you should taste test some more of your water then

I generally shoot for under 20, even if nitrates are fine I typically still change water weekly to keep water hardness steady and to eliminate phosphates and other chemicals that can build up in and aquarium

edit: "taste test" not "taste taste"...

 

[Meenu]

sounds like you should taste taste some more of your water then

so I wasn't the only one whose mind went there...

 

[jerilovesfrogs]

wait, why would he want to taste the water?

 

[Meenu]

wait, why would he want to taste the water?

we were just goofing off (well, until his fish died)

 

[Jaysee]

wait, why would he want to taste the water?

To test for nitrates it was a joke, and a good one! It's spread to other threads ;D

 

[Furallicah]

Jaysee has API certified taste buds...

 

[AlyeskaGirl]

You guys are funny! lol

I like to keep nitrAtes 10 or under but doesn't always happen though.

 

[jerilovesfrogs]

ohhh, I thought it was....but you never know! haha.