[JasonC]

Okay... so I did a 25% PWC about 3 days ago... w/ gravel vac, and when I replaced the water, I got a huge cloud of detritus stirred back up. As I had just put a payment on some fish to be delivered soon, the next night I did a big 50%+ PWC with a *heavy* vac and removed *huge* ammounts of stuff... and by huge I mean my plastic plant holders were filled with crap.

Now based on what I have been reading, stirring up that much stuff, I should have seen an ammonia spike after doing this or something, but I have seen nothing.

In fact, I am awful confused as with all this rotting matter in the bottom of my tank (and I know I didnt get all of it), I would have though that I would be seeing high nitrAte levels also, but for the life of my tank, my nitrAtes have stayed below 10ppm.

My levels as of this morning are 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 5 Nitrate, pH 7.4, temp 75F.

Stocking list is in my sig, and I would like to emphasize that I have plastic plants and gravel substrate. I'm pretty sure I am testing correctly, even checked directions again. And test kit (ap master) is less than 6 months old.

Is this something I should be concerned about? is having too little Nitrate(vs ammount of detritius) even a problem? What is going on in my tank? Other than the chemicals, the only thing i see as "wrong" in my tank is a touch of diatoms around the tank... nothing major though.

Any ideas on this one?