Nitrates????

[orthofish]

Is it normal to have nitrates in a swimming pool?? I saw a thread where someone had a nitrate reading of 40. I don't even let my fish tanks get that high.
Just wondering :?: :?: :?:

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Nitrates do occur in pools, usually from runoff of fertilizer into the pool but sometimes for the same reason they occur in aquariums. In a closed and anerobic pool bactieria can break down CYA into ammonia and urea and other bacterial can then convert the ammonia into nitrite and nitrate.
The problem with nitrate is it is a primary algae food and can lead to algae blooms (which is why just eliminating phosphates doesn't always work).
To eliminate nitrate you have to remove water and replace it with nitrate free water, just like an aquarium.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I saw that post of 40 too. What is considered too high or unacceptable?

 

[orthofish]

So if ones chemistry is right in the pool,ie FC, then there should not be any nitrates in the water, correct???

 

[Guest]

I saw that post of 40 too. What is considered too high or unacceptable?

anytihing above 0! Nitrates are not normally found in pools but are a lot more common than people think. However, like phosphates, they are not a problem in most cases.
I must have missed that or didn't think anything of it since in most cases they are about as important as phosphates but I will make a wager that the post also had a borate listing since the only testing system that I know of that routinely tests for nitirates is the LaMotte WaterLink Express with the nitrate/borate upgrade. Aquacheck does make stand alone nitrate and nitrite test strips for pools but I doubt they would be used in a normal water test.

 

[Guest]

So if ones chemistry is right in the pool,ie FC, then there should not be any nitrates in the water, correct???

unless they have been added by fertilizer runoff or created under no chlorine anaerobic conditions such as a closed pool.

 

[orthofish]

Thank you Waterbear.