Zero nitrates?

[Fishy monkey]

I have googled to try and find an answer, but it seems that other people's missing nitrates are being used by live plants. I only have fake plants in my aquarium.

It's a 43 gallon, went through a fish in cycle for 2 months, when the cycle was ending I regularly got 5ppm nitrate readings. Currently stocked with 5 pearl danios, 6 congo tetras and a young bristlenose pleco.

For the past 6-8 weeks it's been cycled, I've only done water changes of 30-50% once a week, using api liquid tests and not got any nitrate readings at all. Ammonia and nitrite have consistently been 0 too, the only issue I've had is when my pH rose from a steady 7.6 to 8, for which I still don't know the reason.

I'm shaking the bottles till my arms are about to fall off, doing the tests by the book and to the letter, even bought a second test kit in case the first bottles were dodgy. Still 0 nitrates. Should I be concerned or is it just that I'm under stocked and over filtered?

 

[ztigris]

Can you take it to a lfs and have them check it? Could be the liquid test kit is old.

 

[Chris J]

OP said he bought a new test kit, but having a LFS test couldn't hurt. Is there any noticeable algae growth that could be using the nitrates?

 

[Laser]

Over-filtration and being understocked would still not account for 0 nitrates without live plants. I think you still have nitrates, but the test kits out there are not accurate enough for the small amount of nitrates you have. Between your water changes and stock I think you are just keeping the nitrates low enough to not be detected by these kits.

 

[Fishy monkey]

Thanks for the replies, I do have an abundance of diatom algae, never thought of that as being the culprit! And as Chris said, I bought a 2nd test kit but I will take a sample into the LFS next time I go just to be sure. I just don't want to find that my cycles crashing and have to start again!

 

[ztigris]

Even with a newly purchased kit the liquid could be old. Just the reality of buying things. Manufacturer date isn't always om the box.

 

[ztigris]

If you have an abundance of algae it may be using what nitrates you have.

 

[Fishy monkey]

Even with a newly purchased kit the liquid could be old. Just the reality of buying things. Manufacturer date isn't always om the box.

It says its good till 2017, and was sealed til I opened it this morning. The other bottles I had didn't have a date on, and I opened them around May.

 

[stingrays4]

Hi if you know some one else with an aquarium who has got a nitrate reading you could test there set up to see if you test kit is accurate? Also have you tested your tapwater to see if that has nitrates? Also I have found that if you have a lot of sintered glass media then that can help?

 

[Fishy monkey]

Hi if you know some one else with an aquarium who has got a nitrate reading you could test there set up to see if you test kit is accurate? Also have you tested your tapwater to see if that has nitrates? Also I have found that if you have a lot of sintered glass media then that can help?

I don't know anyone else with a tank, a lot if my friends actually got put off setting an aquarium up after hearing of all the problems I've had! What is sintered glass media? I'm pretty sure the algae is the reason for my missing nitrates since I always had readings of 5-10 til the algae showed up.

 

[stingrays4]

Hi the algae certainly could be using up all your nitrates?
Sintered glass is a type of filter media used inside filters - basically its a kind of glass with an incredibly porous structure which allows for a HUGE area for bacteria to colonies. Most manufactures make there own version,it can be quite expensive to buy but worth it in my opinion.
Eheim call it Ehfisubstrate,some companies call it siporax and there are loads more but I've forgotten what they call it
The idea of it is simple - you place it near the end or where the water is almost clean before re-entering the aquarium so its as free of debris as possible.Then when it passes the sintered glass media the bacteria on the surface performs like normal bacteria but the porous nature of the sintered glass means there is an anaerobic area inside the sintered glass so in theory leads to a lower nitrate reading

 

[Scottyhorse]

Hi the algae certainly could be using up all your nitrates?
Sintered glass is a type of filter media used inside filters - basically its a kind of glass with an incredibly porous structure which allows for a HUGE area for bacteria to colonies. Most manufactures make there own version,it can be quite expensive to buy but worth it in my opinion.
Eheim call it Ehfisubstrate,some companies call it siporax and there are loads more but I've forgotten what they call it
The idea of it is simple - you place it near the end or where the water is almost clean before re-entering the aquarium so its as free of debris as possible.Then when it passes the sintered glass media the bacteria on the surface performs like normal bacteria but the porous nature of the sintered glass means there is an anaerobic area inside the sintered glass so in theory leads to a lower nitrate reading

Hmm I need one of those.... Haha

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Over-filtration and being understocked would still not account for 0 nitrates without live plants. I think you still have nitrates, but the test kits out there are not accurate enough for the small amount of nitrates you have. Between your water changes and stock I think you are just keeping the nitrates low enough to not be detected by these kits.

I do not agree at all. You can have zero nitrates, dont overthink things. It means the OP is being very responsible with weekly water changes and the tank is definitly understocked. I would not worry about a thing

 

[Convict2161]

I do not agree at all. You can have zero nitrates, dont overthink things. It means the OP is being very responsible with weekly water changes and the tank is definitly understocked. I would not worry about a thing

I agree. Relax and just enjoy your fish. Your doing everything right. I will say this. If it makes you feel better buy another nitrAte kit and check the results against it. But your fine.