Adding sponge to my filter question

[PaulVerrall]

Due to high nitrates coming from my tap, I'm having high nitrates in the tank.

To try and rectify the only solution I could lay my hands on today was a juwel nitrax nitrate removal sponge.

I just want to know if I've placed it right.

My filter is in the top of the tank, so it sucks water out of the tank and then filters through 2 sides before a spray bar puts the water back.

One side goes through black sponge followed by a wooly blanket then media.
The other goes through black sponge, wooly blanket then charcoal bags.

I've cut my nitrate removal sponge and put between black sponge and wooly blanket. The water is all flowing fine, just want to know if it'll be effective like that?

[fr499y]

in theory, it will be effective any where you put it. As long as water runs through it then all is good, unless they state it needs to be in fast or slow flow to work.

[PaulVerrall]

Cool thanks, it doesn't say anything about flow so fingers crossed it'll have some affect.
My tap water is coming out at around 20ppm on nitrates. So tank ends up between 40-60 which is higher than my liking, but with tap water as bad as that I'm fighting an uphill battle

[Gingerlove05]

20ppm isnt that bad mines around the same, a lot of uk supplies have 40ppm to start (50ppm is the legal limit).
Are you feeding a lot or have a lot of fish for your nitrates to rise? Or what sort of maintenance schedule do you have?
Either way the nitrate sponge should help

[plankton]

Rift Lake cichlids, isn't it Paul? Hence the nitrates.
The fish won't mind up to around 80ppm with them. Are you doing two changes a week? (I can't remember)

[PaulVerrall]

Yeah Malawi with a blood parrot. 4 fish in 220litres but quite big fish, I'm on the verge of ordering 600l tank though so will be moving them soon.
I've cut the feeding down, as cruel as I feel as my fish are very tame and bounce up and down like Labrador puppies everything I go near!

My schedule is I do two 50% water changes a week, mid week is purely a water change, at the weekend it's a full clean, Hoover substrate, clean glass and rinse the filter wool and sponge (in tank water already removed). I always add tap safe. Light is on for 4 hours in the morning. Off for 4 then on for 5 hours then off for the night.
Getting a bit of brown algae that I clean off as well which I attribute to the nitrates?
I didn't realise 50ppm would be ok, I always thought should be below 40ppm.
Hope I can get it down a bit, as I don't want all this once the new tank comes