nitrites
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Dan D' Man
- Groupie
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:54 pm
- Location: Miami, Florida
nitrites
My Nitrite (not nitrates) level are high out of my tap water. Readings are 2.0 ppm. My biological filters do a decent job of bringing it down to .25 ppm, but isn't there a way to prepare my water to lower the nitrite level? I wouldn't like to use RO water, rather use some chemicals or filters. Thank you for any advice. Dan
RO is just a type of water filter.
Nitrites are dangerous and you should not subject your fish to them. I avoided getting an RO unit for a long time, but I gave in and got one eventually and it's made a big difference. I know they're expensive, but if you look around you can get a decent second hand unit. I got mine off ebay. It's brilliant. And it was a bargain.
Apart from allowing the water to cycle, I wouldn't know how else to get nitrites out. I do not know what chemicals are available or what other effect they might have on the water. I personally do not use such things.
Nitrites are dangerous and you should not subject your fish to them. I avoided getting an RO unit for a long time, but I gave in and got one eventually and it's made a big difference. I know they're expensive, but if you look around you can get a decent second hand unit. I got mine off ebay. It's brilliant. And it was a bargain.
Apart from allowing the water to cycle, I wouldn't know how else to get nitrites out. I do not know what chemicals are available or what other effect they might have on the water. I personally do not use such things.
This is the very first time I've ever heard of nitrites out of the tap! Dan are you on a well or a city water source?
RO/DI would be the only way to remove them prior to use, other than running a cycled filter on a pretreatment or aging barrel, prior to using it. Nitrites affect the bloods ability to uptake oxygen, so it's definitely important for fish that are in low dissolved oxygen water anyway to not have to deal with them.
If you DO use RO/DI water, you have to replace the trace minerals and buffering capacity for the water, also preferably in some form of holding tank. The buffers can cause swings in your pH, which are very stressful for your fish. The problem isn't as serious when you start with RO water, but the potential is still there.
If you know you're going to get an RO unit, pm me. I got a pretty good deal on mine.
Barbie
RO/DI would be the only way to remove them prior to use, other than running a cycled filter on a pretreatment or aging barrel, prior to using it. Nitrites affect the bloods ability to uptake oxygen, so it's definitely important for fish that are in low dissolved oxygen water anyway to not have to deal with them.
If you DO use RO/DI water, you have to replace the trace minerals and buffering capacity for the water, also preferably in some form of holding tank. The buffers can cause swings in your pH, which are very stressful for your fish. The problem isn't as serious when you start with RO water, but the potential is still there.
If you know you're going to get an RO unit, pm me. I got a pretty good deal on mine.
Barbie
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Dan D' Man
- Groupie
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:54 pm
- Location: Miami, Florida
I couldn't believe I had nitrite out of the tap either...city water. I think I'm going to complain to the county. I wonder is that stuff can be harmful to humans also. I moved here about a year ago & the thought never hit me. I thought it was overfeeding, something with my ph down solutins, etc, until I tested straight out of the faucet. Oh well, RO it shall be.
