Bak2it's Nitrates Management Options

[Bak2it]

----Posts splitted from 'tank sizes'-----


I feel one of the biggest problems with western goldfish message boards is the fact that most of the people replying to posts are very young, have very little fish keeping experience, and are just reciting the dogma that has become accepted at each of the sites.

Sure, most western sites do have a few people who actually know what they're talking about and are trying to educate the novices, but you have to weed out the twelve year old kids with thousands of posts that are just reciting the dogma to find them.

Personally, although I don't do green water, I do believe in 100 liters per fish, 75% weekly water changes, and 5 PPM nitrate max.

This post has been edited by CP: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 9:49 am

[CP]

Personally, although I don't do green water, I do believe in 100 liters per fish, 75% weekly water changes, and 5 PPM nitrate max.

Hi,
I presume you meant 50ppm nitrates. Maintaining at 5ppm is virtually impossible.

[white horse T1]

Hi,
I presume you meant 50ppm nitrates. Maintaining at 5ppm is virtually impossible.

don be too fast on the keyboard,
in usa, it may be possible if maintain at 100 litre/fish and 75% water change subject to local water quality and condition.

[Bak2it]

The 5 PPM of nitrate concentration is true, and I've been able to maintain that level for over three years.

I am able to keep the nitrate levels this low because my 380 liter tank has sump style filtration with a built in overflow box and I change the pre-filter pads in the overflow box on a daily basis. This gets rid of a lot of the fish waste before it has a chance to be converted into nitrates.

It also helps that my water source contains no nitrates and I don't feed as much as you guys do.

[The Matrix]

the way u maintain the tank, those fishes cost u thousands of greenbacks ?

[CP]

The 5 PPM of nitrate concentration is true, and I've been able to maintain that level for over three years.

I am able to keep the nitrate levels this low because ............

This is surprising, considering the fact that you did not do a 100% water change, but rather only 75%.Your accumulation of nitrates cannot amount to 5ppm weekly otherwise the level will be breached,which I find it very hard to comprehend.Unless you have a denitrator in place.

From my observations,a stock level of 100L per fish with 3 feedings per day can accumulate up to 50ppm of nitrates per week.

I have written something over a year ago on nitrate levels;which may be of interest to you:
http://www.rafflesgold.com/forums/index.ph...wtopic=1431&hl=

[Bak2it]

Interesting link CP, I agree with the majority of the information contained in it.

But, in the case of my tank, I think I'm able to keep the nitrate levels so low because of changing the pre-filter pads daily. Doing this keeps the majority of solid fish waste from ever breaking down and being converted into nitrates.

That, and I only feed twice a day, not three times, and the majority of the food I do feed is vegetables. And besides that, I'm pretty sure my fish are smaller than yours. My biggest fish is only eight inches long from the tip of her nose to the end of her tail. The other two that live with her are about six inches

Also, my water source contains only chlorine, not chloramines, which eliminates the ammonia portion of the chloramine from being converted into nitrates. I also might be getting some denitrification effect while the water falls four feet through seven gallons of bio-balls (three gallons in the overflow box and four gallons in the sump) into the sump.

I check for nitrates using either a Hagen/Nutrafin or Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kit and both test kits give the same results.

The Matrix, maintaining the tank isn't expensive at all. I keep at least three sets of pre-filter pads on hand. When I take one set out, I wash it in tap water and leave it to dry and replace it with another set of pads. A set of pads last through about ten washings before they get too ragged to reuse. I buy bulk polyester filter material and cut it to fit the overflow box, so the cost only runs about $30 USD a
year.

Here's a couple of photos of the filtration system on my tank.

Right side of the filter


Left side of the filter

[CyberET]

ahh.. wet/dry.. i see..

[Bak2it]

Yep, with a 25 micron OceanClear modular filter and a 57 watt UV sterilizer, and the return pump is rated at 6800 liters per hour. After going through everything I get about 3000 liters per hour returned to the tank.

[stooeygee]

I dont have anywhere near a set up as bak2it....although I alway manage a nitrateppm of 5.

it would be interesting to start a threat detailing local/world readings of nitrates in local water.

If anyone can be bothered.

I have a 3 year old and a 8 month old boy......i can't be bothered/have the energy.


stuey

[stooeygee]

can we see pics of your fish Bak2it?

[The Matrix]

Yep, with a 25 micron OceanClear modular filter and a 57 watt UV sterilizer, and the return pump is rated at 6800 liters per hour. After going through everything I get about 3000 liters per hour returned to the tank.

WHOA ! Cool dude ! u r utilizing a partial marin tank setup for a fresh water tank.

Back to my same old question ... let's have a look at those fishes.


ET, not a wet/dry ... near to it.

[Bak2it]

Matrix... Yes, the tank was was designed to be a marine aquarium. It is an 350 liter acrylic tank with a built in overflow box, and came with a 57 liter acrylic sum. I run the filtration as a true wet/dry system. It contains 26.5 liters of bio-balls for biological filtration and has an OceanClear modular filter for mechanical filtration. I don't use any kind of chemical filtration.

Ok here's some photos of my fish. Please understand that these are just local pet store fish and are nothing special. Where I live, this grade of fish are the best I can buy. I can't get even get higher quality fish shipped to me because neither UPS or FedEx will deliver to my address in less than three days.

Biggest fish... She looks pretty beat up in this photo because she had just spawned


This is the male fish she spawned with


The other female

[Bak2it]

Here's an older photo of the entire tank and the filtration system. Any comments either for or against are welcome.

[Daryl]

There are at least 2 local shows in Illinois where quality fish can be had - and/or ordered from various breeders of note. These fish can be delivered to you in person at the shows. Your typical quality fish can be expected to run from $150. to $650 USA, but, since you are eliminatling shipping costs, this is a pretty good deal.