# Whats a max Nitrate level?



## DKRST (Jan 20, 2011)

What's the max recommended Nitrate level in a tank? 
I just checked and my nitrate is between 80 and 160ppm in my 55 gallon! I'm new to EI dosing, started recently with pressurized CO2 and can't seem to get everything balanced quite yet. The tank is "medium" planted and I think I'm probably going too heavy on the dry ferts. Opinions? What's a good "target" nitrate level?


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## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

I know that for the sensitive puffers that I'm getting, <20ppm is where I need to be. I can't say if the same holds true for other fish. If you do regular water changes, it should be safe to do a big one right now.

If you don't do regular water changes, then do a bunch of small ones over the next couple of days to get them down.

But, like I said... I'm not sure if this same rule applies to you and your fish.


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## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

Just Googled around and looked at as many different sources as I could find. The numbers vary, but it I would highly recommend changing enough water tonight to get yourself under 50ppm. As long as your tank is used to regular water changes, this should not shock the system.

(If you change the water regularly, go ahead and do a 50% change, at least. If you don't do regular changes, skim off about 25% or so.)

And then test again, of course!


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## livingword26 (Oct 28, 2010)

10 - 20 ppm Nitrate
1 - 3 ppm Phosphate.
10-20 ppm Potassium.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Unless you first calibrate your nitrate test kit, you can't tell how much nitrate you have. First, you need to calibrate to verify that you are using the test kit correctly. Then, you need to calibrate to be able to judge the colors correctly. And, finally, you need to calibrate to be sure the kit is working right. The best way to avoid all of that is to follow the dosing method in the sticky on fertilizing schemes, which includes 50% water changes every week. With that, you know you don't have too much nitrate.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

I've kept the NO3 at 160 ppm for 3 weeks, no issues, as long as it is from KNO3, not over fed fish, dead fish etc......

Typical NO3 is about 20-30ppm and I've bred numerous so called sensitive softwater fire and lots and lots and lots of shrimp, fires and CRS's.

So the answer is that the max level is actually quite high(over 100ppm NO3) if you are trying to kill fish with KNO3.

Likely much more for many species.

So when folks suggest a ppm for a certain species, this is hardly absolute, many are just basing this not on real experiences and test with say KNO3, rather, error on the safe side for what they think....is right. 

But if someone has added a lot of KNO3 over a long time frame on many tanks and bred fish and shrimp etc......it brings into the validity of the claim.
There are 101 ways to kill fish, but KNO3 dosing at say 50ppm or less ain't one of those. And 10-30ppm is a pretty big easy to hit range anyone can hit for the most part, even without a test kit.


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## DKRST (Jan 20, 2011)

Thanks for all the responses. I'm using the API FW master test kit, so is that a Nitrate reagent/test that needs to be calibrated against a known (I do shake the heck out of reagent #2)? I'm assuming it's good out-of-the-box. Is that an invalid assumption for the API reagents?

In any case, I'm cutting back the dry ferts some until my plants grow in better! Have a lot of root-feeders, few floaters and that may be part of the issue, too little nitrate uptake. Before starting dry ferts, my nitrates stayed below 20 easily and I haven't changed my feeding or added any fish. Might go with more frequent water changes also (already doing 60% once a week).


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## tlyons01 (Nov 23, 2011)

I found the same results in my case. My normal nitrate reading is usually around 10-20ppm. I noticed my fish were taking in alot of oxygen yesterday, its unusual to see the cories getting that much surface action. My ammonia was .25 and my nitrates were about 80ppm. I have also recently started dosing dry, EI method. I also change my water 50% once a week, and so I did a regular 50% WC to bring my levels down. I was more concerned about the ammonia, but I knew my nitrates were higher than what my tank is used to. I haven't done much to the tank as far as adding new fish, no one has died and I have a medium amount of plants. 

Just wanted to say you weren't alone in this case!


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

80ppm of nitrates should not cause ur cory to freak out.
the ammonia and probably nitrite reading as well are what are causing this.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

DKRST said:


> Thanks for all the responses. I'm using the API FW master test kit, so is that a Nitrate reagent/test that needs to be calibrated against a known (I do shake the heck out of reagent #2)? I'm assuming it's good out-of-the-box. Is that an invalid assumption for the API reagents?


Every test kit or testing device needs to be calibrated before using it, if you plan to rely on the readings for something significant. Any test kit can be out of date or prematurely aged due to conditions where it was stored. And, until you calibrate it you can't be sure you are using it or interpreting it correctly.

If you are just casually using a test kit, or just looking for changes in readings, calibration isn't essential. But, if you are basing your fertilizing on test kit readings you are literally guessing unless you first calibrate the kit. Suppose your test kit tells you you have less than 10 ppm of nitrates, when you really have 40 ppm. Do you want to be overdosing by that much, when you clearly think the ppm is important or you wouldn't be testing? Or, suppose your test kit says you have 50 ppm of nitrates, when you really have 10 ppm, do you want to cut way back on nitrates, possibly starving your plants? If you adopt the philosophy of the EI dosing method you don't need to be concerned with test kit accuracy.


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## tlyons01 (Nov 23, 2011)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> 80ppm of nitrates should not cause ur cory to freak out.
> the ammonia and probably nitrite reading as well are what are causing this.


I didn't mean to imply that I linked the behavior to the Nitrate readings, I knew the ammonia was the culprit and my Nitrite reading was 0. They weren't really freaking out, just casually taking in more surface air than what is normal. :bounce:


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

tlyons01 said:


> I didn't mean to imply that I linked the behavior to the Nitrate readings, I knew the ammonia was the culprit and my Nitrite reading was 0. They weren't really freaking out, just casually taking in more surface air than what is normal. :bounce:


 
it's ok. i guess i was more clarifying the obvious then


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

tlyons01 said:


> I didn't mean to imply that I linked the behavior to the Nitrate readings, I knew the ammonia was the culprit and my Nitrite reading was 0. They weren't really freaking out, just casually taking in more surface air than what is normal. :bounce:


If you have readings for NH4 or NO2, you got other issues........ and large frequent water changes(2-3x a week) should be done until those are no longer getting any readings.


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## DKRST (Jan 20, 2011)

Hoppy said:


> If you are just casually using a test kit, or just looking for changes in readings, calibration isn't essential. But, if you are basing your fertilizing on test kit readings you are literally guessing unless you first calibrate the kit. ........ If you adopt the philosophy of the EI dosing method you don't need to be concerned with test kit accuracy.


I certainly don't disagree with the need for calibration, just not certain where I'd pick up a known reference sample to compare with for nitrates! In my case, it's not a concern, I don't dose by the API test results. I took a reading more for the trend line than any other reason. Still think I'll back off the dry ferts just a little bit (I'm still in the EI dosing range either way for my tank size). Not overly concerned with my nitrate reading since I'm pretty certain it's from the ferts and no fish are showing signs of stress. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't a cause for concern. Thanks again to everyone who's taken the time to respond!


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