High nitrate from the tap

[Samsmobb]

Hey guys new here.
I had an annoying problem, I have high nitrate levels out of my well water source. Live at my parents so I don't have much control over it haha. So using an API drop test it seems to be around 40-50ish ppm nitrat or mg/L.
Everywhere I've read is keep it below 20mg/L but I have angels and cardinals in a 46 bowfront that's been cycled so no ammonia but high nitrates.
It bothers me day and night knowing it's there. My main concern is if I want to get discus how big of a problem is this. My angels are hungry lil monsters however and cardinals are fine.
2. Also how can I get it down? I'll consider any and every option as long as $ allows. Again I'm only 20 but a huge fish fanatic.

[Samsmobb]

My tank has 45lbs seachems flourite gravel many plants from swords to wisteria, java moss & fern, moss ball, cardinal plant, and a couple others.
Fish: 3 angels ( quarters ), 10 cardinals, and a couple other misc fish. T5 lights, marineland bio 200 , running for 4-5 months. Algea not a problem at all. All fish have good fins so I see mo I'll effects from the nitrates except cardinals aren't SUPER active, most stand around unless feeding is up.

[Darrell Ward]

It's common to have nitrates in well water, but that water is not safe for humans to drink! RO is really the only sure way to get rid of it.

[chrisb01]

Also, try using AmQuel Plus with every water change.

[Samsmobb]

Hoping it wasnt ro :/ parents don't want anymore electricity draining services :/ and ro units are somewhat expensive n ill try amquel but I been using prime it just seems to need alot to help. Will discus be fine in tgat nitrate level though?

[TURQ64]

RO units use no electricity, and aren't expensive compared to buying Discus...Stick with Prime or it's powdered form, Safe.(much cheaper to use) Amquel isn't a better product, only more expensive and will not take care of your nitrates, only help neutralize them as with any dechlorinator/ conditioner....

[Samsmobb]

Thank you turq and does ro get rid of nitrates? I've read it doesnt help witg it but some say it helps to eliminate some :/

[TURQ64]

very little can pass thru the membrane of an average RO unit....Dow chemical probably has a specific answer, since they manufacture membranes...

[Darrell Ward]

National standards indicate water with nitrate levels over 10 ppm is considered unfit to drink.

[ericatdallas]

Yeah, talk to your parents. Maybe they don't know it's that high or that it may be harmful...

Although government overprotects, so it might be okay for ADULT humans. Those standards are usually written to cover about every scenario the experts can think of and then made stricter by the politicians to cover their butt. So it's probably used to protect newborn babies and other 'vulnerable' segments of a population too...

That fact that most discus keepers like their nitrates in the low single digits, it's safe to say that you want to filter it :)

I suppose if it's really a problem, you could 'age' your water in a tank with fast growing plants. When I had a planted tank, I would deliberately dose my tank to 5ppm nitrates and after 24 hours, the nitrate would read zero. Not the most convenient thing to do, but it's an option...

[Samsmobb]

Ima just get an RO systems soon pretty soon. Thanks guys yeah public water caps at 10 but I'm on a well so not much I can do an we recently replaced the whole filter system for the well which helped ph go from 4-5 up to a stable 7.6.
I'm looking at the pure flo 2 as an RO system, I believe 50 gpd, sound good to you guys?