How can i get rid of nitrates?

[Vas]

Hey, guys
can someone help me out here. I check my water around ones in 2 weeks, and every time i check there are a lot of nitrates. So i change most of the water and clean the tank. Are there any alternatives to this.

I clean up after they eat, most of the times.

[Jennewt]

How high are the nitrates? Up to about 40 ppm is OK. Here are several suggestions.

• always clean up after feeding - leftover food can be a big contributor
• get a bigger tank (larger water volume)
• feed them less food
• choose foods that make minimal mess
• grow live plants, especially ones that grow above the water line
• do a partial water change every week

[Spudss]

There is no alternative to water changes, All the points Jennewt mentioned are big factors too but water changes are the most important.... if you have high nitrates after 2 weeks then change the water every week. I find 50% once a week is perfect for most tanks.

[imzunicorn]

You should check your tap water to make sure the tap isn't what is contributing to the nitrate levels.

Live plants use nitrates as food, so you should consider adding plants. i have Java Fern and anubius barteri varient nana. (I had to ask the boyfriend about that one, he's a botanist. Might as well be speaking Portuguese.) Anyway, they're low light plants and one of few that do well in low temperatures. Java fern also grows like crazy. We probably only do water changes on our tanks about two to three weeks.

Also, 50% is too much water to take out, especially when your tank is already established. Instead of large water changes, you should be doing them more often. Try doing 20-30% once a week, if the nitrate doesn't go down, do it twice a week.

Also, what kind of filter are you using?

[Spudss]

Even plants like water changes as they use up minerals in your tap water. My tank is packed with plants and i still do 50% weekly. Iv been doing it for years.

In an established tank you can never do a too large water change as long as you use dechlorinator.... If you dont regularly change the water you need to slowly build up to large water changes though.

Smaller ones twice a week is perfectly fine... but why do it twice when you can do it once . Honestly... it doesnt make a difference.

[imzunicorn]

The reason you would do it twice instead of once is to avoid shock and stress. Imagine how you feel when you walk outside from a nice dark, air conditioned room into a desert with the sun beating down on you and no breeze. You feel a big difference. I live in Las Vegas, there are times when I walk outside and I feel sick from the sudden change.

[Spudss]

That might be the case if you change a large amount of water in a tropical tank and use cold water.... Changing water in a cold water tank with cold water doesnt change the temp much.

[imzunicorn]

It's not just the water temperature, though, it's all the chemicals in the water too. It's not just ammonia and nitrates, it's the metals, the vitamins, the minerals. And anyway, temperature from cold to cold is still a big difference. When I lived in Colorado, the cold water from the tap came out 40 degrees Fahrenheit, when my axolotl tank was at 65. In Vegas, the cold water comes out 75 and I have to put ice in it bring the temp down before I can add the water.