Filter meduim and nitrate levels

pete · Post by **pete** » 28 Oct 2003, 15:00

I changed over the sponge in the external filter to siporax sintered glass rings 6 weeks ago.
This is on my main tank which is a 40 gallon with a gibbiceps who is a messy feeder
I was very suprised to get an almost zero nitrite reading

My second tank, a 30 inch heavily planted set up with ottos ect is also zero using siporax but would expect that.
I will now change my third tank over from a sponge internal to an external with sintered glass too as that has a nitrate of10 mg per litre.
This tank has a clown plec and gold nugget plec.
Is 10 mg per litre OK for nitrate ?
I also test for phosphate and am getting .25 to .5 mg per litre in all the tanks.
Is phosphate harmless to plecs?

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 28 Oct 2003, 19:31

Is 10 mg per litre OK for nitrate ?

yes 10mg/l is good, for referance you want to try and keep it below 25mg/l.

I also test for phosphate and am getting .25 to .5 mg per litre in all the tanks.
Is phosphate harmless to plecs?

yes as far a research is concerned, suggestion is you don't let it exceed 1.0mg/l.