Freshwater Fish and Resources Home     High Prairie Farms    Fishing Stories    The Bug Farm Atchison Staffing    Betty and Beth Buttons    The Universe BLOG © 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, J. Atchison So...your nitrates are high and seem to be going up? How can this be so...you do 10 percent water changes every week like some sort of religious ritual. Well take a look at this chart and perhaps you can figure it out. Remember that the nitrates in the tank are the result of a measurable ammonia output by the inhabitants. Once the tank has become established, the nitrate production starts somewhat constant (remembering that fish grow, bla bla). So changing a certain amount of the water each week will have a measurable and somewhat constant effect on the nitrate levels...but...if your water change is too small or the frequency wrong, the nitrate level will continue to climb. Reading the following chart can be a little tricky. The first row is the size of the water change. The second row is the frequency of that water change. The first column on the left is the relative nitrate reading each day (changing to months). In the row that is labeled "Day 1" is the daily rate of nitrate production. If you were to have a reading taken every day just prior to a 100% water change, this would be the nitrate production per day. The daily production is somewhat relative because all the factors of nitrate production can not be accounted for in a straight-line calculation. However, the point being illustrated is still graphically demonstrated by the chart. If you look at the last row you can note that changing 25% of the water daily produces roughly the same result as changing 50% on a weekly basis. One task being infinitely less demanding than the other. Understanding that other issues play a role such as consistent water condition being important as opposed to periodic corrections and that some make their water changes based upon personal life style, the chart is meant as a guide. The only truly accurate schedule would be designed based upon proper testing for nitrate levels and adjusting those levels through water changes at appropriate intervals.   amount of change> 50% 25% 10% frequency of change> monthly weekly daily monthly weekly daily monthly weekly daily measures taken at: measured nitirate> Day 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 Day 2 . . 0.75 . . 1.125 . . 1.35 Day 3 .. . 0.875 . . 1.593 . . 2.115 Day 4 . . 0.937 . . 1.945 . . 2.803 Day 5 . . 0.968 . . 2.208 . . 3.423 Day 6 . . 0.984 . . 2.406 . . 3.980 Day 7 . 1.75 0.992 . 2.625 2.555 . 3.15 4.482 Day 8 . . 0.996 . . 2.666 . . 4.934 Day 9 . . 0.998 . . 2.749 . 5.706 5.341 Day 10 . . 0.999 . . 2.812 . . . Day 11 . . 0.999 . . 2.859 . . 6.036 Day 12 . . 0.999 . . 2.894 . . 6.332 Day 13 . . 0.999 . . 2.920 . . 6.599 Day 14 . 2.625 0.999 . 2.625 2.940 . 5.985 6.839 Day 15 . . 0.999 . . 2.955 . . 7.055 Day 16 . . 0.999 . . 2.966 . . 7.249 Day 17 . . 0.999 . . 2.974 . . 7.424 Day 18 . . 0.999 . . 2.981 . . 7.582 Day 19 . . 0.999 . . 2.985 . . 7.724 Day 20 0.999 2.989 7.851 Day 21 . 3.062 1 . 2.625 2.992 . 8.536 7.966 Day 22 . . 1 . . 2.994 . . 8.069 Day 23 . . 1 . . 2.995 . . 8.162 Day 24 . . 1 . . 2.996 . . 8.246 Day 25 . . 1 . . 2.997 . . 8.321 Day 26 . . 1 . . 2.998 . . 8.389 Day 27 . . 1 . . 2.998 . . 8.450 Month 1 7 3.281 1 10.5 2.625 2.998 12.6 10.832 8.505 Month 2 13.890 3.486 1 36.393 10.492 2.999 65.734 17.940 8.974 Month 3 13.945 3.499 1 37.795 10.497 3 71.761 22.603 8.998 Month 4 13.972 3.499 1 38.846 10.499 3 77.185 25.662 8.999 Month 5 13.986 3.499 1 39.634 10.499 3 82.066 27.670 8.999 Month 6 13.993 3.5 1 40.226 10.499 3 86.459 28.987 9 Home     High Prairie Farms    Fishing Stories    The Bug Farm Atchison Staffing    Betty and Beth Buttons    The Universe BLOG © 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008 , J. Atchison