nitrate problem?

[bsktrl]

hi all,
i just returned to discus a month ago after 5 years off. i have 7 babies in a 55 gal. with 2 sponge filters for angel tanks and a aqua filter 200 also from another angel tank. all tests on water are ok except nitrate. 50+mg/l out of tap. i was able to get nitrate in tank down to 12mg/l after 2 days with nitra-zorb and spider plant cuttings in tank. how can i get it out of water for WC? the babies are still skiddish. they eat very well but breath a little fast and hide when anyone walks in front of the tank.
the sides and back are covered. would nitrate have that effect or should i be looking for something different? i was doing a 25% WC every day untill monday when i checked for nitrate in the tap water. the ph is 7.2 kh 6deg gh 10deg amm. 0
thanks bob

[justathome]

Nitrate that high out of the tap, I would recommend R/O filter.
Your waste R/O should have most of the nitrates removed also, but I doubt it will remove all of it.
Than I guess you could do a 50% r/o 50% waste R/O mix for them..
Depends on the results after going through the filter.
Only other option and i'm not sure how effective they are, is a Nitrate Reactor/ converter. I now people that are testing them, but not sure of the results yet.
You could have a reactor in the holding tank for there water changes.

any idea's anybody else?!?

[aggie_67]

Not sure if I have the terms right, but a RO unit does not make the nitrates disappear, it concentrates them into the RO waste water stream.

[justathome]

My appologies, R/O's remove around 95% of Nitrates from tap, but will still be in the waste, reason for my confusion is that a contact of mine has an R/O that removes most of it including the watse, but that is because he runs a resin in an additional canister..

Sorry..

[aggie_67]

You are right, ion exchange removes everything.