Lid-less tank w/o nitrates

[AnDr3w]

I dropped my glass lids like an idiot and broke them all over. I have the tank open and had the tank going for three months. Not 1 nitrate. Its a 75g, but it also has two small-medium size amazon swords as plants. The inhabitants are a 7 inch channel cat, a 3 inch Pbass, A royal fallowella and a FW barracuda(Hujeta). Might the open lid have act as a mini denitrator, or what is this? Luck?

 

[johnptc]

maybe a new test kit to confirm your results....certainly the plants use nitrates but i am surprised given the tank load that the nitrates are zero....some additives like seachem prime effect some test results ............!!!

I dropped my glass lids like an idiot and broke them all over. I have the tank open and had the tank going for three months. Not 1 nitrate. Its a 75g, but it also has two small-medium size amazon swords as plants. The inhabitants are a 7 inch channel cat, a 3 inch Pbass, A royal fallowella and a FW barracuda(Hujeta). Might the open lid have act as a mini denitrator, or what is this? Luck?

 

[AnDr3w]

I no it is weird. The test kit is aquarium pharmaseuticals. They are reliable as far as I know. I havnt even done a w/c or anything

 

[Bderick67]

The Aquarium pharacuticals nitrate test has two solutions, did you add both solutions?

 

[WyldFya]

I dropped my glass lids like an idiot and broke them all over. I have the tank open and had the tank going for three months. Not 1 nitrate. Its a 75g, but it also has two small-medium size amazon swords as plants. The inhabitants are a 7 inch channel cat, a 3 inch Pbass, A royal fallowella and a FW barracuda(Hujeta). Might the open lid have act as a mini denitrator, or what is this? Luck?

After approximately 7 days you would see it in the plants if you truly had 0 nitrates. I'd bet your test kit isn't reading accurately.

 

[WyldFya]

I no it is weird. The test kit is aquarium pharmaseuticals. They are reliable as far as I know. I havnt even done a w/c or anything

API test kits are not that accurate IME. Try a seachem, LaMotte, or salifert test kit.

 

[AnDr3w]

"Id see it in the plants" Its been two months and no water changes. I tested it litterally 4 times. Tomorrow ill bring it to the LFS and get it tested and I will post it again.

 

[WyldFya]

If you had 0 nitrates the plants would show it after ~7 days, and would begin to die off. The fact that they have not, says that there are nitrates present.

 

[AnDr3w]

They werent in there the whole time. I added the plants maybe 3 weeks ago, but still its been past 7 days. They were really starting to look $H!TTY and then 3 days ago I got KENT FW plant and Now they have improved greatly.

 

[sandtiger]

I find it very difficult to believe you have nitrates that low, nitrates don't evaporate. Get a new test kit and make sure you follow the testing instructions EXACTLY as the directions say.

I feel it important to inform you (and anyone else who reads this) that tests kits can expire.

Is your kit expired?

Test Solutions Shelf Life from bottling date
Wide Range pH - 3 years
Ammonia #1 - 3 years
Ammonia #2 - 3 years
High Range pH - 3 years
Nitrate #1 - 3 years
Nitrate #2 - 3 years
GH - 3 years
KH - 4 years
Nitrite - 4 years
To determine bottling date check the lot # on the reagent bottle. The last 4 digits are the month and year of bottling.

Example: 33A1201 would = a bottling date of December 2001.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/test_kits_life.php