No nitrates in cycled tank???t

[labpig]

Hi

My 20gal is 5 months old now
A month ago I got rid of all my plastic plants and planted live plants

I tested my water today and it's 0-0-0. No nitrates and it's a week since my pwc

I don't think my tank is that heavily planted (see photo) and it's quite heavily stocked (see 2nd photo)

Is it possible the plants are using ALL the nitrates up?

My PH looks slightly higher than 7.6 on the normal PH test. But the high PH test shows 7.4

Thanks

 

[Istrom]

Possibly. But having no nitrates is amazing, it basically means that your fully cycled and normal.

 

[labpig]

But I thought when I was fully cycled, I would still have to do PWCs to keep my nitrates down

It's a week since my last PWC and my nitrates are zero? I thought that a bit odd

 

[Istrom]

Sometimes you can wait a couple weeks. Most sources say weekly just for newer tanks.

 

[labpig]

So I don't have to do a PWC every week if my nitrates are zero?

I thought I had to do a weekly PWC anyway?

 

[Rivercats]

Most likely your plants are using the available nitrates which was covered in a similar thread you posted a few days ago. You need to start using ferts, preferably dry ferts which provide plants with all the macro and micro nutrients they require.

You still need to do weekly WC's as there are many other toxins and nutrients in a tank that need to be diluted. Nitrate levels do not determine when WC's need to be done.

 

[labpig]

Thanks rivercats. That's very helpful