Jferrante
Aquarium Advice Activist
Well the Ammonia reading tends to often read 0.25ppm despite being 0.0ppm but this is quite clear. The ammonia test spikes the PH to figure out the ammonia level and with Prime and many other dechlorinators this tends to cause a re-release of ammonium when this happens and the test reads both types at the same time. The API test is salicylate based as said in the manual so you need a something like Seachems ammonia test to measure both types.
The Nitrites for me have always been 0.0ppm but I assume this is normal as long as it's converted to Nitrates.
With nitrates it's the most confusing to me and the real reason I keep feeling I need reassurance on the matter. Plants consume nitrate and I assume newer plants in the tank are extra hungry for nitrates... especially with some form of Co2 and fertilizers present. Thus results in a pretty steady nitrate level for a good while. My tank has never really budged from 5.0ppm except when I did a large water change awhile ago and only then it dropped to like 2.5ppm. But since then it's been more subtle water changes and even after a week it still seems like 5.0ppm. it does seem like a slight shade darker but it's hard to tell after a week.. so I don't really know right now.
But I've also read that plants consume Nitrite and ammonia.. but I'm not sure which it is they consume. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate or all three... that could use some clarification as well.
The Nitrites for me have always been 0.0ppm but I assume this is normal as long as it's converted to Nitrates.
With nitrates it's the most confusing to me and the real reason I keep feeling I need reassurance on the matter. Plants consume nitrate and I assume newer plants in the tank are extra hungry for nitrates... especially with some form of Co2 and fertilizers present. Thus results in a pretty steady nitrate level for a good while. My tank has never really budged from 5.0ppm except when I did a large water change awhile ago and only then it dropped to like 2.5ppm. But since then it's been more subtle water changes and even after a week it still seems like 5.0ppm. it does seem like a slight shade darker but it's hard to tell after a week.. so I don't really know right now.
But I've also read that plants consume Nitrite and ammonia.. but I'm not sure which it is they consume. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate or all three... that could use some clarification as well.