High Nitrates from my source water. Do I need to get an RO?

[BmoreBraap]

Hey guys. Still learning every single time I get on this site and I love it, even if the things I learn drive me nuts and create some stress, it's all for the benefit of these fish. So heres my issue:

After jumping off another thread I finally realized why I have been having Nitrate issues. When I first started all my API kits were showing 40-60 out of my faucet(well water). At first I literally thought my API kits were bunk until I tested it on deer park bottle water and it showed 0. Well before I did the deer park test, out of fear for my own familys health I had a water company come test it. Results were 8 ppm. So I stopped testing for Nitrates thinking my kits were bunk and my source water was good. And then I found the conversion below:

Interconverting Nitrate as Nitrate (Nitrate-NO3) and Nitrate as Nitrogen (Nitrate-N)
The atomic weight of nitrogen is 14.0067 and the molar mass of nitrate anion (NO3-) is 62.0049 g/mole

Therefore, to convert Nitrate-NO3 (mg/L) to Nitrate-N (mg/L):
Nitrate-N (mg/L) = 0.2259 x Nitrate-NO3 (mg/L)
And to convert Nitrate-N (mg/L) to Nitrate-NO3 (mg/L):
Nitrate-NO3 (mg/L) = 4.4268 x Nitrate-N (mg/L)

So, instead of having 8ppm out the tap I have 35ppm. Not good. With that said, I have had discus in this water for almost 3 months and they are thriving(not counting the ones with Hex, could the high Nitrates contribute to that??) as well as German blue rams, cories and cardinals.
I do 30% WC daily on my 125. Ive added a ton of chemical filtration to my Fx6 canister to try and help with the Nitrates(Matrix, Purigen, ceramic Rings, tons of sponges) and even run an additional ATI sponge filter with it.
What would you guys do?? Add an RO unit? Monitor the fish until there are issues? To be honest my water parameters are at the high limit of what they should be so RO has been in the back of my mind(PH 8.0, Nitrite & ammonia 0, Nitrate 35, TDS 445). I must have some damn hardy fish for them to be doing well and growing in this water...

[DJW]

With 35 ppm I would use RO. There are nitrate-removing resins that work in a system similar to a water softener, but they are expensive and they can cause pH fluctuations.

[BmoreBraap]

Man....really dont feel like shelling out another 200 right now for an RO but looks like I dont have much of a choice. My api kits are showing my tank levels at about 15-20. Is this going to wind up harming my fish? Ive already had 2 come down with Hex although no idea if that can be related.

On another note, anyone experienced with RO units, is there anyway to do nothing more than filter out Nitrates without affecting hardness and PH? I ask because my hard alkaline water is perfect for african cichlids minus the Nitrates...

[Akili]

Marine Depot has one for $100 ..............................http://www.marinedepot.com/Vertex_Pu...ROROSH-vi.html

[atlantadiscus]

Man....really dont feel like shelling out another 200 right now for an RO but looks like I dont have much of a choice. My api kits are showing my tank levels at about 15-20. Is this going to wind up harming my fish? Ive already had 2 come down with Hex although no idea if that can be related.

On another note, anyone experienced with RO units, is there anyway to do nothing more than filter out Nitrates without affecting hardness and PH? I ask because my hard alkaline water is perfect for african cichlids minus the Nitrates...

API test kit showing 15-20ppm nitrate in your aquarium water.is that correct? If so,I really do not see that as a problem,as long as you do enough water changes to keep it there,and not let it climb.Rinsing{replacing} mechanical filtering media at every water change will help in this quest,as will live plants in tank or sump.

[BmoreBraap]

API test kit showing 15-20ppm nitrate in your aquarium water.is that correct? If so,I really do not see that as a problem,as long as you do enough water changes to keep it there,and not let it climb.Rinsing{replacing} mechanical filtering media at every water change will help in this quest,as will live plants in tank or sump.

Correct, and my aged water on api kit shows around 20 also. But going by my water companies test a few months ago at 8ppm it would mean my source is actually more like 35ppm Nitrate on the api test. My fish seem to be doing well and are definitely growing, but 2 have gotten sick and Ive been at this less than 3 months so its way too early to say they are doing great in this water. Just rather be safe than sorry in the end, 1-200 for RO is a lot less expensive then treating or replacing 9 Discus...

Due to my current stand I only have room for a canister + sponge filter so Im somewhat limited on media and cant do plants.

[Akili]

Plants like Pothos are very good in consuming nitrates.

[Willie]

I would suggest that you do nothing. If your nitrate was really that high, then the city of Baltimore would have serious health issues. If you have young children at home, they should stop drinking tap water immediately...

Why don't you take a water sample and your kit, and go visit Discus Hans? You two can compare results and you'll learn a ton about discus as a bonus.

Willie

[BmoreBraap]

I would suggest that you do nothing. If your nitrate was really that high, then the city of Baltimore would have serious health issues. If you have young children at home, they should stop drinking tap water immediately...

Why don't you take a water sample and your kit, and go visit Discus Hans? You two can compare results and you'll learn a ton about discus as a bonus.

Willie

Im on a well so its a private water source. Also as I was saying above with the conversion chart, the way the water companies and EPA test Nitrates is NO3. The legal limit of NO3 in drinking water in 10ppm. My well tested at 8ppm. The API and other test kits we use in the aquarium hobby test for NO3-N, which is NO3 x 4.5(about) making my well water on my api kits actually at 35ppm. It took me a while to wrap my head around this myself which was why I got the water company involved in the first place.

[BmoreBraap]

Marine Depot has one for $100 ..............................http://www.marinedepot.com/Vertex_Pu...ROROSH-vi.html

Since I need to remove ALL Nitrates, Im going for an RO with DI also so that all TDS is removed. Then I can remix with some tap or add minerals.

[LizStreithorst]

You don't need the DI but it sounds like you need an RO. I have a working unit that I no longer use that I'll sell cheap if you want it. It's from Spectrapure. It puts out 90 gallons of RO daily. I have carbon filters and particle filters and an extra membrane. Shoot me a PM if you're interested.

[BmoreBraap]

You don't need the DI but it sounds like you need an RO. I have a working unit that I no longer use that I'll sell cheap if you want it. It's from Spectrapure. It puts out 90 gallons of RO daily. I have carbon filters and particle filters and an extra membrane. Shoot me a PM if you're interested.

Wish I saw this and thanks for the offer. I wound up grabbing this unit http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-4-...m-75gpd-1.html but for 15% off since I have been talking to them since a sale they had.

[Paul Sabucchi]

If you just need to remove the nitrates from your tapwater (that is otherwise suitable for your fish) there is a nitrate removing filter that folks in the UK have been using
https://www.pozzani.co.uk/water-filt...duct_info.html
I recomended it to a fellow in Alberta (on cichlidforum.net) with a similar issue, he got it and a few weeks later thanked me as it was working as advertised. The filter is £35 + shipping, the replacement cartridges £12, on some feedbacks they advise to also buy the connection kit, apparently makes it a lot easier to connect. Hope it helps

[BmoreBraap]

If you just need to remove the nitrates from your tapwater (that is otherwise suitable for your fish) there is a nitrate removing filter that folks in the UK have been using
https://www.pozzani.co.uk/water-filt...duct_info.html
I recomended it to a fellow in Alberta (on cichlidforum.net) with a similar issue, he got it and a few weeks later thanked me as it was working as advertised. The filter is £35 + shipping, the replacement cartridges £12, on some feedbacks they advise to also buy the connection kit, apparently makes it a lot easier to connect. Hope it helps

Nice find. It looks like this is basically an RO membrane unit, but just the single stage to remove Nitrates. Pretty cool. At this point though I already have the full RO/DI unit so I should be set. Thanks though

[DJW]

Its not reverse osmosis, it uses a nitrate-removing resin that has to be replaced or regenerated when it gets exhausted. It works like a water softener but with a different type of resin. I never tried it because it looks like it would be more expensive than RO if you use a lot of water.