Tap water nitrates

[ShadowMac]

If tap water nitrates are reported as being 80 ppm's is this a problem for flora or fauna health?

any examples of organisms that would struggle with this level of nitrates?


this question was posed to me and while i know that high nitrates shouldn't be much of an issue, ie. Tom's experience with "euthanizing" cherry shrimp I don't know what levels are considered "too high". So I do not want to answer the question without knowing a specific range.

Thank you for helping me help someone else

 

[Biollante]

Glad I Got That Out


Hi Shawn,

I think you have to get up over 700-ppm NO[SUB]3[/SUB] to see any significant problems.:gw


So the answer to your direct question is no, while 80-ppm NO[SUB]3[/SUB] is high for most modern water systems as long as it comes with out the intermediate products, it is fine.



***************From here on is the evil plant monster bloviating*******(how is this news, one may very-well ask)*****************


I have quasi-intentionally dosed over 100-ppm NO[SUB]3[/SUB] in the form of KNO[SUB]3[/SUB] and Ca(NO[SUB]3[/SUB])[SUB]2[/SUB] and saw no ill effects on my invertebrates. I have a couple of hydroponic set ups with shrimp living and obviously breeding in 220-250-ppm NO[SUB]3[/SUB].


I have heard many stories of alarm and danger over inverts and Nitrates.

• The most charitable I can be is to say the shrimp mortalities, if linked to Nitrates, would be the end of a cycle.
• The damage was done not by Nitrates from salts but as the result of intermediate organic processes (ammonia and Nitrite) that by the time the dim-witted keeper of the hapless shrimp, had not the wit or wisdom to understand what was happening and tests the water after the damage is done.

I absolutely believe most critter deaths in planted tanks are due CO[SUB]2[/SUB], NH[SUB]3[/SUB], or NO[SUB]2[/SUB]. The NH[SUB]3[/SUB] (NH[SUB]4[/SUB], maybe in very large amounts and/or at elevated pH) and NO[SUB]2[/SUB] are primarily a result of

• introducing sensitive critters, too early or
• too many of any critters at a time.
  
• Clogged, poorly maintained canister filters or
  
• over maintenance of canister filters.
  
• Allowing the build of organic material, in particular dissolved organic material, the result of the above and/or over feeding.
  
• Failing to remove dead critters or vegetation, especially in younger systems.

I feel better now…Whew...


Biollante

 

[Matsyendra]

700 ppm... wow ... people seem to worry way too much about ferts. I have always felt there was way too much hype surrounding how to keep critters alive. I never seem to have a problem keeping all sorts of critters alive. Except plants... and now even those are thriving.

I will confirm from my own observations - Cherry Shrimp do not like Seachem Excel. Not one little bit. For that matter neither does algae.

 

[ShadowMac]

I have said, or rather regurgitated from Tom, that people test nitrates after seeing deaths and link the higher nitrates to the deaths. They forget that most hobbyist kits do not distinguish between nitrites and nitrates. The nitrite could be the killer, but they fail to see that and blame the nitrates.