Where have my Nitrates gone?

Kana3 · Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 3:52 am Post subject: Where have my Nitrates gone?

Following on from Funky and Kristins losses, and Clunksters constant reminders, I've decided to do a water test. Nah, what really happened is, I got out the KH kit to read something off the brochure, and my Youngest got all hyper to run a test!

Arbitarily I gave her the Nitrate kit. She tested both tanks, neither of which have had a water change in 10 days. I'm completely satisfied that the test's were performed correctly.

Results were 0 and 0 ppm!

That strikes me as a bit low. I know the color scale is logarithmic or exponential or something, with 5.0 as the first increment. But there was absolutely no tinge in that direction. (I would accept an error of 2-3ppm).

I searched my posts. The last test was two months ago, at 10 and 15 ppm. And that's where I'd sort of expect to be. Now, I can comfirm quite a bit of recent plant growth (1/2" / day), but I'd still have thought a higher reading likely. This is akin to an uncycled tank...

Any thoughts on what I could expect, if I were to test for Ammonia and Nitrite, right now?

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Angels, Black Mollies, Bristlenose', Clown Loaches, Cory Aeneus, Gibby, Guppies, Hockey-stick Tetras, Keyhole Cichlids, Otocinclus.

clunkster · Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 4:12 am Post subject:

hard to say but i would test anyway you know me Wink

have you thought that the reason you have no reading is that you have no nitrates ? dont forget plants will keep your nitrates in check & as you say your plants are doing well this could be the reason for no nitrates check this link

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Monkeh · Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 4:20 am Post subject:

Its also possible the kit has gone off, which can give false readings. Depends how old the kit is.

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Current tanks: 2x 30" 18g with 2 Pairs of Angelfish

Kana3 · Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 4:50 am Post subject:

Monkeh wrote:

possible the kit has gone off

Clunkster wrote:

but i would test anyway you know me . . .is that you have no nitrates ?

I've no reason to doubt the Kit, at this point. And I readily accept the 'zero' reading to indicate I have 'No Nitrates'.

I find it odd, that I've not altered tank maintainence, and yet in a few weeks I gone from an almost 'half toxidity' level, to 'none'.

As to the other two tests, I'm treating all this like a School Lab experiment. Jot down your Hypothesis, what you think should occur, then do the experiment, and see if the results tie in.

I started with the arse end of this cycle, because I had a water change pending, and I expected to see 15ppm Nitrate, with buggar all Nitrite, and a tad of Ammonia. Now I'm wondering if one of these is going to be sky high!

Clunkster, you do weekly tests. Do you record or chart your results at all? Does anyone remember 'Bio-Rhythms' at all? Perhaps I'm in the low part of the Filters 'wave'.

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Angels, Black Mollies, Bristlenose', Clown Loaches, Cory Aeneus, Gibby, Guppies, Hockey-stick Tetras, Keyhole Cichlids, Otocinclus.