Very High Nitrate levels

[Lincoln]

Hi guys

I have some very high nitrate levels in my 1000sq ft raft system,my nitrites and ammonia are fine though, I'm using test strips to measure my levels and the reading is off scale in 30sec(over 50ppm) I'm estimating in the 150ppm range. I know I have too many fish right now and working to reduce the numbers, but I read in somewhere that high nitrates can promote a bitter taste in lettuce, is that so, can anyone elaborate on this. As my lettuce are bitter from seedling to seed????

Another factor is my water temp it's 82F which is another major consideration for the taste, but cooling 11000gal of circulating water is extremely expensive.

Thanks

Lincoln Growgreen Aquaponics Trinidad.

[Kevin Gorham]

Nitrates of 150 ppm are not that high. Levels around 500-1000 are toxic to your fish. Nelson and Pade recommend Nitrate levels be in the 200-600 ppm range.

[George]

I'd like to see nitrate 150 ppm.