just tested my nitrate it is on 0 ppm

[piranhaman00]

Quote Originally Posted by piranhaman00 View Post
Readings of Nitrate 0 in the aquarium usually means your cycle has restarted=bad thing.

Well, what if I had a constant drip system, what if I did 75-80 per cent water changes like I did with my discus?

Usually*

Yup you probably could get 0 if you tried.

 

[jstehman]

API test kits are notorious for giving false low readings if you dont shake the living daylights out of the second bottle. The solution crystallizes at the bottom of the bottle.

So beat the **** out of the bottle and try it again.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[Redearsunfish]

Redearsunfish: the issue with having 0 nitrates is that the bacteria colony is only as large as the amount of nutrients available. In other words, if you constantly do water changes to keep nitrates at 0 (or almost 0) then you are removing the ammonia and nitrites before the bacteria converts them. As a result, there will not be a large colony of beneficial bacteria ready to convert ammonia to nitrites and then nitrites to nitrate (two different types of bacteria) in comparison to someone who allows their nitrates to build up to maybe 20ppm. In reality, this is not really an issue as long as you keep up with your water changes (or whatever else keeps your nitrates down) or make changes only gradually.

Now it is important to note that this would not be the same as having plants in the aquarium that utilize nitrates. They do utilize ammonia, but from what I have read and experienced they have a greater effect on nitrates.

In 30 years I've done A lot of water changes. I strive for as many water changes I can in a week. You know how many that adds up to? 1. If I shot for a more modest water change amount than "as much a I can", I'd probably rarely change my water.

You see what I mean?

 

[27woz27]

API test kits are notorious for giving false low readings if you dont shake the living daylights out of the second bottle. The solution crystallizes at the bottom of the bottle.

So beat the **** out of the bottle and try it again.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

ok thanks i will test tomorrow.and i will update.

 

[27woz27]

API test kits are notorious for giving false low readings if you dont shake the living daylights out of the second bottle. The solution crystallizes at the bottom of the bottle.

So beat the **** out of the bottle and try it again.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

looks like you was right,i shaked the bottle for about a min and look at the results now.first one ammonia second nitrate.nitrate really bad.like blood red.ammonia seems ok.

 

[27woz27]

just tested my tap water,and heres the results.still very red but not as dark.looks to be about 80ppm to 100ppm,is this api test kit giving me false readings ?

 

[pops]

that's your tap water? is this city water?

 

[27woz27]

that's your tap water? is this city water?

im from london.united kingdom.

 

[pops]

if that's nitrates in your city water I would contact your water department, those are not legal limits in us. and i sure would not drink it. I am guessing something wrong in the test kit or the testing.

 

[27woz27]

if that's nitrates in your city water I would contact your water department, those are not legal limits in us. and i sure would not drink it. I am guessing something wrong in the test kit or the testing.

i hope its the test kit,because i drink alot of this water every day.