I just cannot record nitrates

[Caliban07]

Everytime i do the nitrate test it comes out as 0ppm on both tanks. This is a fresh test kit because I heard they can go faulty. Both tanks have been set up for months and cycled.

Ammonia is 0ppm and nitrite is 0ppm

Ph is 7.6 in tank and from tap.
I have been changing out half the tank volume twice a week and both tanks are 47 US gallon

I follow instructions to the letter Every time I do the test. I just don't understand. I worry that if these results are incorrect I could potentially have high nitrates.

 

[Brookster123]

Doing 2-50% wc's week? How stocked are the tanks? Planted?In a lightly stocked tank with that much wc.'s it's not all that crazy.. Or. (No offense) your not doing test correctly, but I'm guessing you are.

 

[Caliban07]

Doing 2-50% wc's week? How stocked are the tanks? Planted?In a lightly stocked tank with that much wc.'s it's not all that crazy..

1 has

10 neons
8 harle rasbora
3 swordtails
1GBR
1 pearl gourami

I also feed pretty lightly I guess. This is also planted but not heavily.

Other has 4 firemouth cichlids no plants again probably fed lightly.

Should I reduce water changes to 50% once a week. I upped it to combat columnaris and just continued.

 

[Brookster123]

Sounds like you just have lightly stocked tanks and great maintainance, I'm not an expert but I'm thinking your plants want some nitrates, maybe stick to one 50% a week in that tank, for the cichlids? I'm not sure super pristine is a problem, some fish prefer it!

 

[Caliban07]

Sounds like you just have lightly stocked tanks and great maintainance, I'm not an expert but I'm thinking your plants want some nitrates, maybe stick to one 50% a week in that tank, for the cichlids? I'm not sure super pristine is a problem, some fish prefer it!

Please have a look at my sickly fire mouth thread and you will see why I'm asking.

Thanks

 

[wildroseofky]

Two 50% water changes a week may be a bit much. I used to do that at first. My tanks looked great and the fish and shrimp bred like crazy. 0 nitrates are not a problem as long as the ammonia and nitrite stay at zero. It just means the plants you have are using what is made. You tank is balanced. You could slow down to one 50% water change and one smaller one during the week. I have been doing that and my plants are growing like crazy. I still have one tank with no nitrates and have to supplement that one. It has a ton of plants in it and one Betta. Nitrates just means the bacteria are doing their job. Nice to see them and know that it is working but, as long as everything else is fine, not really necessary.

 

[fishyfriends3]

I'd reduce to weekly water changes and see if you record any nitrates immediately prior to your next weekly water change.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Caliban07]

Two 50% water changes a week may be a bit much. I used to do that at first. My tanks looked great and the fish and shrimp bred like crazy. 0 nitrates are not a problem as long as the ammonia and nitrite stay at zero. It just means the plants you have are using what is made. You tank is balanced. You could slow down to one 50% water change and one smaller one during the week. I have been doing that and my plants are growing like crazy. I still have one tank with no nitrates and have to supplement that one. It has a ton of plants in it and one Betta. Nitrates just means the bacteria are doing their job. Nice to see them and know that it is working but, as long as everything else is fine, not really necessary.

Ok thanks but my cichlid tank has no plants. I know the bio filter is working because I had .25 ppm ammonia in until I placed some seeded media in.

 

[RackinRocky]

Are you doing the nitrate test properly? Reason I ask is, a lot of people don't. You need to shake the #2 bottle VIGOROUSLY for two minutes straight. Even bang it on something hard a few times to break up the crystals in there. When I started doing it correctly, I started reading nitrates.

 

[Caliban07]

Are you doing the nitrate test properly? Reason I ask is, a lot of people don't. You need to shake the #2 bottle VIGOROUSLY for two minutes straight. Even bang it on something hard a few times to break up the crystals in there. When I started doing it correctly, I started reading nitrates.

Yeh thanks. I bang it on my leg until it can't take anymore then on the wall. I used to do the same thing on my 15 gallon and i could get nitrates on that.

 

[wildroseofky]

It seems strange that you have no nitrates in the tank with no plants. It makes me wonder if the tank is cycled. However, no ammonia or nitrites says that it is. It may be one of those great mysteries that seem to show up from time to time in the aquarium world. Do you shake all the test bottles? Do you shake the test tube in between adding the 1st and 2nd ammonia test bottles?

 

[Caliban07]

It seems strange that you have no nitrates in the tank with no plants. It makes me wonder if the tank is cycled. However, no ammonia or nitrites says that it is. It may be one of those great mysteries that seem to show up from time to time in the aquarium world. Do you shake all the test bottles? Do you shake the test tube in between adding the 1st and 2nd ammonia test bottles?

Yes it's really strange. I have done the tests before on my old 15 gallon and always got some nitrates. That tank was slightly over stocked though and in viva lot smaller.

 

[threnjen]

That is really weird. But knowing you I'm confident you're doing it correctly.