Another sketchy sounding one to me on nitrates
- Thread starter jason longboard
- Start date
I have one installed from the previous home owners but I don’t know how to use it
This is more than just a problem for your fish, I would talk to your water provider; city, municipal, whoever for the sake of your own health. You are at 400% of the safe limit! Below are the E.P.A.'s National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for inorganic chemicals directly from their website. See Nitrate limits highlighted in yellow font. mg/L and ppm are essentially interchangeable as measures of concentration. Explanation for the acronyms in columns 2 and 3 are:
- Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) - The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety and are non-enforceable public health goals.
- Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology and taking cost into consideration. MCLs are enforceable standards.
- Treatment Technique (TT) - A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations| Contaminant | MCLG1 (mg/L)2 | MCL or TT1 (mg/L)2 | Potential Health Effects from Long-Term Exposure Above the MCL (unless specified as short-term) | Sources of Contaminant in Drinking Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antimony | 0.006 | 0.006 | Increase in blood cholesterol; decrease in blood sugar | Discharge from petroleum refineries; fire retardants; ceramics; electronics; solder |
| Arsenic | 0 | 0.010 as of 01/23/06 | Skin damage or problems with circulatory systems, and may have increased risk of getting cancer | Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards, runoff from glass and electronics production wastes |
| Asbestos (fiber > 10 micrometers) | 7 million fibers per liter (MFL) | 7 MFL | Increased risk of developing benign intestinal polyps | Decay of asbestos cement in water mains; erosion of natural deposits |
| Barium | 2 | 2 | Increase in blood pressure | Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits |
| Beryllium | 0.004 | 0.004 | Intestinal lesions | Discharge from metal refineries and coal-burning factories; discharge from electrical, aerospace, and defense industries |
| Cadmium | 0.005 | 0.005 | Kidney damage | Corrosion of galvanized pipes; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from metal refineries; runoff from waste batteries and paints |
| Chromium (total) | 0.1 | 0.1 | Allergic dermatitis | Discharge from steel and pulp mills; erosion of natural deposits |
| Copper | 1.3 | TT7; Action Level=1.3 | Short term exposure: Gastrointestinal distress Long term exposure: Liver or kidney damage People with Wilson's Disease should consult their personal doctor if the amount of copper in their water exceeds the action level | Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits |
| Cyanide (as free cyanide) | 0.2 | 0.2 | Nerve damage or thyroid problems | Discharge from steel/metal factories; discharge from plastic and fertilizer factories |
| Fluoride | 4.0 | 4.0 | Bone disease (pain and tenderness of the bones); Children may get mottled teeth | Water additive which promotes strong teeth; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories |
| Lead | zero | TT7; Action Level=0.015 | Infants and children: Delays in physical or mental development; children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities Adults: Kidney problems; high blood pressure | Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits |
| Mercury (inorganic) | 0.002 | 0.002 | Kidney damage | Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from refineries and factories; runoff from landfills and croplands |
| Nitrate (measured as Nitrogen) | 10 | 10 | Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome. | Runoff from fertilizer use; leaking from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits |
| Nitrite (measured as Nitrogen) | 1 | 1 | Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrite in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome. | Runoff from fertilizer use; leaking from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits |
| Selenium | 0.05 | 0.05 | Hair or fingernail loss; numbness in fingers or toes; circulatory problems | Discharge from petroleum refineries; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from mines |
| Thallium | 0.0005 | 0.002 | Hair loss; changes in blood; kidney, intestine, or liver problems | Leaching from ore-processing sites; discharge from electronics, glass, and drug factories |
Last edited:
There’s not much to it. You probably just need to swap out the filters. Wouldn’t hurt to run a little bleach through the system before replacing the filters. Watch some YouTube vids or call a plumber if needed. Good for you and the fish. 40ppm is quite a bit of nitrate out the tap. Perhaps you need to get a second test kit to verify
I would consider moving.
Not everyone is blessed with low nitrate values at the faucet. And the EPA only governs the USA. In the UK, and other parts of Europe, 40 ppm at the faucet is quite common. See below.
"The first legal standard for nitrate was set in 1980 and the current drinking water standard is 50 mg/L. The UK standard is based on the World Health Organisation’s guideline value for drinking water, which is also 50 mg/L. This level is intended as a safeguard against methaemoglobinaemia."
Nitrate - Drinking Water Inspectorate (dwi.gov.uk)
I've always blamed this on the Brits dental issues. lol
esoxlucius
"The first legal standard for nitrate was set in 1980 and the current drinking water standard is 50 mg/L. The UK standard is based on the World Health Organisation’s guideline value for drinking water, which is also 50 mg/L. This level is intended as a safeguard against methaemoglobinaemia."
Nitrate - Drinking Water Inspectorate (dwi.gov.uk)
I've always blamed this on the Brits dental issues. lol
esoxlucius
Up to 55% of the land in the UK is categorised as NVZ (nitrate vulnerable zones) but without digging into the actual nitrate levels in those zones I haven't a clue how up and down they are. It's all down to farming.
In my area we see no such thing though. My local water report is pretty much perfect for fish keeping. Nitrate levels no greater than 3.5ppm. Residual chlorine around 0.75ppm. PH pretty much neutral. TDS straight out of the tap is always around 50-100ppm.
For the record, although I'm not blessed follically, is that water related I wonder, lol, I am very well blessed in the gnasher department. I still have my own teeth and regularly receive a clean bill of health from the dental hygienist.
In my area we see no such thing though. My local water report is pretty much perfect for fish keeping. Nitrate levels no greater than 3.5ppm. Residual chlorine around 0.75ppm. PH pretty much neutral. TDS straight out of the tap is always around 50-100ppm.
For the record, although I'm not blessed follically, is that water related I wonder, lol, I am very well blessed in the gnasher department. I still have my own teeth and regularly receive a clean bill of health from the dental hygienist.
Agreed about the fertilizer, which goes back to a previous comment of mine. IMO nitrate toxicity is a misnomer. But in a glass box, when one sees higher nitrate levels, they typically also see higher levels of overall pollution, including dissolved organic compounds, along with elevated levels of bacteria. The latter is what weakens the fishes immune system, often triggering health issues, not the nitrates. Much of the nitrates found in UK tap water originate from fertilizers used in agriculture, which typically should not be as harmful to aquatic organisms found in a closed system, where high nitrate creep usually equates to higher dissolved organic levels, higher pathogenic bacteria levels, and a reduction in mineral content, which can cause pH and conductivity swings.
This scenario reminds me of pH being blamed when fish get sick, or die during imports and acclimation, which is another common misconception in this hobby. The "shock" is from a rapid shift in TDS, and has nothing to do with the pH. Of course it's easier to blame what the average hobbyist can easily measure.
Not to say nitrate toxicity can't be real in some instances, it can, but in the vast majority of tanks, I would be FAR more concerned with higher dissolved organic levels, and the higher pathogenic bacteria levels that typically come with higher nitrates.
As far as human drinking water, and the EPA, I would be far more concerned, or at the very least, just as concerned with the LEAD content in my drinking water. Something that many areas of the USA still have very serious issues with. Finding Lead Water Pipes: New NRDC Map Shows the Hot Spots in Every State
Which state has the most lead pipes? | 90.5 WESA
This scenario reminds me of pH being blamed when fish get sick, or die during imports and acclimation, which is another common misconception in this hobby. The "shock" is from a rapid shift in TDS, and has nothing to do with the pH. Of course it's easier to blame what the average hobbyist can easily measure.
Not to say nitrate toxicity can't be real in some instances, it can, but in the vast majority of tanks, I would be FAR more concerned with higher dissolved organic levels, and the higher pathogenic bacteria levels that typically come with higher nitrates.
As far as human drinking water, and the EPA, I would be far more concerned, or at the very least, just as concerned with the LEAD content in my drinking water. Something that many areas of the USA still have very serious issues with. Finding Lead Water Pipes: New NRDC Map Shows the Hot Spots in Every State
Which state has the most lead pipes? | 90.5 WESA
Last edited:
Before I broke my TDS meter I used to test my tap and tank water regularly to get a handle on the readings and try and understand what they meant.
After a water change my nitrate, typically, would be no more than 5ppm. Then on water change day a week later it would, typically, be 15-20ppm. A small rise really.
My TDS though? Now that was somewhat different, very different!
After a water change my TDS would be around 80-100ppm, but a week later could be 200ppm, sometimes less, sometimes more. I thought this was quite a rise, yet only a small fraction of it was down to the nitrate. This suggests, as you state, that there are "other" trace elements/chemicals whatever, adding to that increase in TDS.
What are they? Do we have a full understanding of all the "players" which add to the increased TDS? And more importantly, do we have an understanding on the impact on aquarium life that all these trace players have?
Nitrate is always the big bad wolf because it's easily measured with our test kits, so it gets the blame for all sorts of stuff.
I look on nitrate as nothing more that a measuring stick now. I'm more wary of the other stuff, stuff I don't know the first thing about, but we know it's there.
After a water change my nitrate, typically, would be no more than 5ppm. Then on water change day a week later it would, typically, be 15-20ppm. A small rise really.
My TDS though? Now that was somewhat different, very different!
After a water change my TDS would be around 80-100ppm, but a week later could be 200ppm, sometimes less, sometimes more. I thought this was quite a rise, yet only a small fraction of it was down to the nitrate. This suggests, as you state, that there are "other" trace elements/chemicals whatever, adding to that increase in TDS.
What are they? Do we have a full understanding of all the "players" which add to the increased TDS? And more importantly, do we have an understanding on the impact on aquarium life that all these trace players have?
Nitrate is always the big bad wolf because it's easily measured with our test kits, so it gets the blame for all sorts of stuff.
I look on nitrate as nothing more that a measuring stick now. I'm more wary of the other stuff, stuff I don't know the first thing about, but we know it's there.
