"Newbie Bill" wrote in message
om...
|I know this is probably a controversial subject but I am still
trying to get
| a real grasp of what concerns I should have about nitrates. The
opinions
| seem to be diverse. Some say the number is not so significant so
long as
| the fish grow with it. Others say don't worry unless its almost
off the
| scale. Others say whoa 10ppm max, no 20 well no more than 30-50.

Most FW fish, in my experience, can tolerate very high levels of
nitrates, well over 100ppm. That is not to say they enjoy it, nor
that it lends to a long, healthy life. In the perfect world, keeping
the nitrates in your freshwater tank under 10 could not be called a
hazard by any means. Like you, however, I'm neither wealthy, nor
overloaded with spare time, likely the reason we're posting on USENET
at this time of night.
The thing to keep in mind is that it is not *necessarily* the
toxins that kill the fish. The worst thing for our fish is
inconsistency. Temp fluctuation. PH variance. Ammonia spikes because
of improper filter maintenance would, in many cases, be more
hazardous than a constant low level of ammonia. The amount of energy
required to handle the changes is enormous, and results in a weakened
fish, which is much more likely to succumb to other maladies.
All that said, I would agree, at least in part, with two of the
statements you related.
"Some say the number is not (necessarily) so significant so long as
the fish grow with it." and "well no more than 30-50". If there is a
maintenance regimen that you can establish and keep to, that will
maintain the water parameters within a small range, your fish should
be very well.

billy