Nitrates
What are nitrates?
Nitrates are a specific form of nitrogen that are formed after nitrites have been exposed to nitrifying bacteria. Nitrates (NO3) are bioavailable, meaning that they are an important source of nitrogen for plants.
Why are nitrates important?
Algae and other aquatic plants use nitrates as an important source of food. However, excess levels of nitrates in water can make it difficult for aquatic insects or fish to survive. If we do not manage the levels and understand the nitrogen cycle, algae growth can go unchecked and reduce the dissolved oxygen of the water. This directly impacts aquatic life.
What do your measurements mean?
For Canada:
- Natural levels are usually less than 1 mg/L
- Concentrations over 10 mg/L will have an effect on the freshwater aquatic environment
- 10 mg/L is also the maximum concentration allowed in human drinking water
- For a sensitive fish, the recommended concentration is 0.06 mg/L
- High levels could be caused by agricultural run-off
For our testers in the UK using Kyutirsu packtest to measure nitrate-nitrogen:
- 0.2 – 0.5 ppm: Low/normal
- 0.5 – 1 ppm: Medium
- 2 – 5 ppm: High
- 5 – 10 ppm: Very high
For our testers in the UK using Kyutirsu packtest to measure nitrate:
- 1.0 – 2 ppm: Low/normal
- 2 – 4.5 ppm: Medium
- 4.5 – 20 ppm: High
- 20 – 45 ppm: Very high
Water Rangers Protocol
We do not currently include a test for this in our Canadian kits, since none we’ve tried read very low levels. If you know a test that is accurate, affordable and easy-to-use, let us know!
Contributing to the community!
Water Rangers is community-led. If you have any questions, ideas, or notice any errors in your measurements, please let us know!