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	Nitrate Test Madness
mrlimpet Hobbyist Posts: 52 Kudos: 57 Votes: 3 Registered: 11-Dec-2004	My tank is about done cycling, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and then there's the nitrate dilemma. Tested for nitrates with my fast-test kit and it read next to nothing - maybe 5. Didn't make sense so I wnet and got an aquarium systems liquis test kit, and it told me I had about 20 ppm. I changed more than half the water, about 12 out of twenty gallons, and the aquarium systems test still says I have about 20 ppm, and the fast-test says I have nothing. I'm going insane. Ed
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:40
Week End Big Fish Posts: 414 Kudos: 436 Votes: 1 Registered: 16-May-2004	if your NH4 and NO2 are both zero...just few good water changes and u are ready....dun worry about too much about this mad reading
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:40
dthurs Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 4340 Kudos: 4170 Votes: 529 Registered: 18-Feb-2003	a 20 is not that bad. You migh also want to test your new water before it goes in to the tank. Or try another test kit. There could be a problem with the one giving a 20. Dan
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:40
mrlimpet Hobbyist Posts: 52 Kudos: 57 Votes: 3 Registered: 11-Dec-2004	Thanks so much. I retested my source water, which happens to be boxed Catalina Water Company ocean water, and the "liquid" test kit showed zero nitrates. So it must be what's going on in my tank...I'll keep an eye on it. If it goes above 20, I'll change out some of the water again. There are many things living in the tank right now - Things that came with the "live" rock. A brittle star, hermit crab some snails, several little feather dusters, and I even put it a cleaner shrimp. Everybody seems fine...Is it time to add a fish? Thanks again. Ed
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:40
dthurs Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 4340 Kudos: 4170 Votes: 529 Registered: 18-Feb-2003	How long has your tank been running? I would suggest 5 week sor more. Give the algea time to grow. And when you add fish, add only one at a time and then wait 2 to 4 weeks before adding another. Dan
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:40
mrlimpet Hobbyist Posts: 52 Kudos: 57 Votes: 3 Registered: 11-Dec-2004	I am on week five right now. Algae, (some green grassy, some light brown stuff), is starting to grow. Maybe I'll wait one more week. Then I think I'll add one clown. Ed
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:40
dthurs Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 4340 Kudos: 4170 Votes: 529 Registered: 18-Feb-2003	That would be a wise choice. Dan
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:40
ACIDRAIN Moderator Posts: 3162 Kudos: 1381 Votes: 416 Registered: 14-Jan-2002	What size tank do you have? And, just to add, 20 is fine. 20 is usually the point at which I do water changes in my reef especially. But 30 will not affect the fish either, anything higher though, needs a water change badly. _____________________________________________________________ There is always a bigger fish...
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:40
mrlimpet Hobbyist Posts: 52 Kudos: 57 Votes: 3 Registered: 11-Dec-2004	It's a twenty gallon tank, with about 16 lbs of rock.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:40


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