What exactly is nitrate?
Do you understand what nitrates are? It is transported from nitrite, which is formed through the conversion of ammonia.
Because nitrates are both opaque and odourless, it is impossible to assess their concentrations directly. It will have a bad impact on your little fish if it accumulates. So, how can we reduce nitrate levels? Don’t be concerned. This guide will go over some of them!
Causes of nitrates in tanks
Before we discuss techniques to minimise nitrates in tanks, we’d want to discuss the causes of nitrates in tanks.
Overfeeding
The primary cause of elevated nitrate levels in tanks is overfeeding. Overfed fish waste more than normal, and when fed more food than they can absorb, the uneaten food rots, producing even more waste.
Overstocking
Too many fish in one tank can also lead to waste accumulation issues.
More fish, more waste. Most tanks contain far too many fish, and high nitrate levels are a regular issue. “One inch per gallon” is a handy rule of thumb supported by many tank lovers, and I consider it a universal rule for most tanks.
Dirty Filters
If you put a filter in your tank, time can make it an accomplice to high nitrate levels.
Keep in mind that the tank filter’s medium only catches waste, food, and debris. The waste is not apparent until the medium is cleaned or replaced, but it can still raise the nitrate load in the water.
Decaying Plant matter
Examine your tank for dead leaves. While plants can assist reduce nitrate levels, if dead leaves are not removed, they decay and generate more waste.
Nitrate concentrations in freshwater tanks
The nitrate concentration in fresh water tanks should be kept below 50 ppm, and the optimal nitrate content should be around 25 ppm.
Also, if you’re growing fry or fighting algae, keep the concentration under 10ppm. However, levels in brackish water and ponds should be higher than 50ppm.
How to Reduce Nitrates in a Fish Tank
I’ll go over a couple alternative strategies for reducing nitrate that are suited for beginners. Let’s get this party started!
Frequently Change Water
To avoid high nitrate levels, constant maintenance and water changes are required. If you disregard this, your tank’s nitrate levels will rise and your fish will perish.
Reduce feeding
Excessive fish food consumption can drastically contaminate the water and cause nitrate levels to skyrocket. Don’t overfeed them. Make sure they finish it in two minutes or less. Instead of feeding your fish a significant amount of food once a day, feed them tiny amounts two or three times a day.
Use a nitrate mover like ALGONE
ALGONE softly eliminates nitrates from tanks, completely averting all of the problems that are commonly linked with high nitrate levels. Furthermore, ALGONE eliminates pollutants and dissolved organic waste associated with growing nitrates and other frequent fish tank issues. To use the product to control the nitrite content, simply follow the product’s instructions.
Add live plants
Nitrates are naturally used by plants to obtain nutrients. This is why consistently high nitrate levels frequently cause algal blooms and green water problems. Water Lettuce, Hornwort, and Java ferns are all highly suggested for beginners.
Conclusions
Nitrate is a crucial part of the nitrogen cycle in the tank, but too much of it can be harmful to the fish.
Fortunately, the above method will make it simple for newcomers to deal with this issue.
