Water parameters for Spanish ribbed newts

[Lilibugz]

Hello I’m tearing Spanish ribbed newts for the first time and I lost one today. I cleaned their tank up and did around a 25% water change and did a water test. And noticed nitrates are a bit high. What exactly are the ideal water parameters for these guys? I included a pic of the test strips I’m using.

 

[Lilibugz]

I’m also wondering the best way to get nitrates down? I have some live plants and leaf litter in their tank. I don’t sue a filter or air pump. I do daily 15-25% water changes and a deeper clean wiping down the leaves and sides once a week.

 

[frank beard]

I just do 100% water changes every day or two when I am feeding brine shrimp. The brine shrimp die so fast in fresh water that the water quality declines to a life threatening point pretty quick. Once the larvae are eating bigger things that don't cause the water quality issues I don't need to change the water so frequently. I just pour the newt larvae container into a net over another container. I use a net with holes that allow the dead brine shrimp and other debris to fall through the mesh but that retains the larvae, this is just the standard size aquarium net mesh (not one of the fine mesh nets). A quick wipe of the original container, refill with aged water and then invert the net into the clean container. I have raised hundreds of ribbed newt larvae this way.