High nitrates in well water

[Steve Herje]

Howdy all, first time poster here.

My tap (well) water comes out of the ground  at 50 ppm nitrates, pH varying slightly between 8.0 and 8.5, 300ppm tds.

My first thought is to routinely mix my well water 50/50 with RO (I have an RO unit) or rain water.  That gives me 25 ppm nitrates; a planted tank and smallish water changes should work out for a community tank.

But... What about African cichlids, livebearers and other fish that like the high tds?. Or bare tanks?  I could go on...

I'd appreciate suggestions on dealing with my nitrate curse.  Maybe I'm coming at this from the wrong angle?  Thanks! Steve H

[Guppysnail]

Welcome. I have similar water and nitrate issues. 
I mix with distilled and actually pick up my RO unit Tuesday. 
 When tap is as hard as ours I can go 50% RO and my tap is still hard enough high kh enough and high ph enough to keep any fish including African cichlids. 

When I need much softer water I can get away with 1 cup tap per gallon of distilled and still have 7.4-7.6 ph with solid hardness and kh. 
 

I combat nitrates using A LOT of emergent plants. 

 

[Steve Herje]

Thanks for the thoughts.  I'm getting back into aquarium fishkeeping after forty years.  I've been working for with a 45,000 outdoor pond with native smaller fish and inverts.  I've recently started to work with smaller unheated tanks in my greenhouse--various rice fish, paradise fish, heterandria and goldfish. The tubs drop to at least 40°F.

Now it's back indoors for me. I love the emergent plant idea. Do any kind of fish chew off the roots? Steve H

[Guppysnail]

On 11/10/2023 at 8:22 AM, Steve Herje said:

Do any kind of fish chew off the roots

Only things like severums silver dollars and such. Some others may nibble but it is not harmful. Even chewed off I’ve not noticed it harming my plants.  I don’t keep root chewing fish but I routinely cut massive amounts of roots out of tanks so fish still have elbow room. 
Here is an article my friend did on the safety of roots in tanks dispelling the myths. 
 

 

Here is another article the same friend did in emergents to help with nitrate reduction 

 

[Matt B]

Hey this is just something I came across the other day at a little local pet store. Never heard of it before. So of course I  had to get it.  Has anyone ever tried this filter material before? 

[Guppysnail]

On 11/10/2023 at 7:02 PM, Matt B said:

Hey this is just something I came across the other day at a little local pet store. Never heard of it before. So of course I  had to get it.  Has anyone ever tried this filter material before? 

I’ve tried similar that was a nitrite pad. It did next to nothing. But I also tried Nitra-sorb bags. They work great but only for a short time. 
 

I would love to hear how this works for you on nitrate and how long it last before it slows considerably.