How high is 2 high?

[sean rand]

Hi, i have a 150 gallong FOWLR tank and my nitrates are 40ppm. I was wonderign how high can it go before i do a water change?

 

[Crabs McJones]

@HotRocks and @4FordFamily both have fowlr tanks that run very high nitrates. I think at one time they were up to 120PPM!
Fish can tolerate nitrates alot better than coral.

 

[HotRocks]

Hi, i have a 150 gallong FOWLR tank and my nitrates are 40ppm. I was wonderign how high can it go before i do a water change?

40ppm is nothing for fish. I wouldn't recommend going north of 100ppm in a FOWLR, but fish can tolerate several hundred ppm before it becomes an issue.

 

[sean rand]

So when should i do a water change? I have nopox is that a option to dose? I heard that if u missed a day or 2 dosing nopax ur nitrates jump up wayway high and can kill ur fish

 

[Mastiffsrule]

On fowlr tanks I never tested anything but ph, salinity and check ammonia. Like mentioning nitrate isn’t toxic until really high.

I personally would not mess with dosing in place of a good maintenance schedule.

The only thing I can think of is there chance of an algea issue with high nitrate if phosphate follows suit. If you don’t see an algea problem I would not worry (that is assuming and established tank).

I would do monthly about 30 to 50 gall. Anywhere in that range as longs as the parameters on fresh is same as tank it should be fine

 

[sean rand]

On fowlr tanks I never tested anything but ph, salinity and check ammonia. Like mentioning nitrate isn’t toxic until really high.

I personally would not mess with dosing in place of a good maintenance schedule.

The only thing I can think of is there chance of an algea issue with high nitrate if phosphate follows suit. If you don’t see an algea problem I would not worry (that is assuming and established tank).

I would do monthly about 30 to 50 gall. Anywhere in that range as longs as the parameters on fresh is same as tank it should be fine

Its a 4 month old tank not so much algea

 

[4FordFamily]

I’ve had tanks around 200PPM nitrate without issues with fish. I don’t recommend this, however.

 

[HotRocks]

Its a 4 month old tank not so much algea

I would recommend exceeding 100. If you have inverts it may need to be lower. Depending on what you have.

 

[Jesterrace]

Hi, i have a 150 gallong FOWLR tank and my nitrates are 40ppm. I was wonderign how high can it go before i do a water change?

40ppm won't hurt the fish, but it will cause algae issues for you in the long run. How often are you feeding and what is in the tank? Also do you have any biofiltration (ie Chaeto).

 

[sean rand]

40ppm won't hurt the fish, but it will cause algae issues for you in the long run. How often are you feeding and what is in the tank? Also do you have any biofiltration (ie Chaeto).

I about 100lbs of live rock, 80 lbs live sand and 2.5 cubic ft of marine pure.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi, i have a 150 gallong FOWLR tank and my nitrates are 40ppm. I was wonderign how high can it go before i do a water change?

if it were me, I'd try to not let it rise from there.

 

[sean rand]

if it were me, I'd try to not let it rise from there.

My plan is to do monthy 40 gallon water changes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My plan is to do monthy 40 gallon water changes.

That may be fine.

If it were me, I'd do more frequent smaller ones just because it is easier and has less need to match the new water to the tank parameters.

 

[sean rand]

That may be fine.

If it were me, I'd do more frequent smaller ones just because it is easier and has less need to match the new water to the tank parameters.

To times consuming. Lol