Nitrate Question

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jimandjess3096

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jul 21, 2004
Messages
47
Location
MD
I have had my tank for about 2 1/2 months now, and am for the first time testing my nitrate. (I didn't know there was a test specifically for nitrate) The test kit I got doesn't say what the ideal range is for marine fish. I don't really understand what it means by "low" and "medium" range. This is the first test kit I've gotten that has used those terms. It gives me a color chart, but doesn't say the ideal number I should be looking for or what to do if it's too low or too high. From the looks of it, my results seem to be reading 25 in the medium range. I don't think in the medium range I was suppose to divide anything by another number. Can someone please help? Thanks, Jim and Jessica
 
Which test kit. The lower the better. For a FO tank, nitrates to a certain extent are not bothersome. But in a reef tank, different story.
25 doesn't sound bad for FO, but you should try and get that down through the use of a good protein skimmer, water changes and other methods.
Once again, which test kit?
 
It's called NO3 Profi Test: Nitrate, from Salifert. this test is different than any other test i've used. it uses powder instead of drops and has a low range and medium range. i don't really understand that. My last water change was 2 days ago before we bought 3 fish. It was about 20%
 
Thats a good test kit and stay with the powder test kits for sure. I used the drops for almost a year and the test kit started going bad on me and giving bad readings. If FO then nitrates SHOULD be 0 but from what most say less than 30-40 is ok...I would do another 20-30% in a day or so. Keep doing them until you knock it down OR a skimmer will do this for you....
 
The lower the better - in an established tank it should be practically undetectable. If you are getting a decently high reading for Nitrates you should also test for Nitrite which is very toxic. A little nitrate is OK but nitrite is NOT ok ...
 
my nitrite is 0 and so is the ammonia. here are my readings right now: \
ph 8.1 (only because i put in something called proper ph 8.2 - it was at 7.8 )
kh 15
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 25 (if i tested correctly)
calcium 350
alkalinity .34 (if i tested correctly)

so it seems the nitrate is high, and the calcium and alkalinity are too low.
 
jimandjess3096 said:
kh 15
alkalinity .34 (if i tested correctly)
What test are you using to measure the KH @ 15?

The alkalinity test should be reading close to the same. If the .34 is from a Salifert test, it's actually 10.6 DKH and not what I would consider low. You are actually on the higher side of NSW.

If you look at the chart provided by Salifert find the.34 and follow across to the right. It will give you the DKH in the middle column and mEq/l on the far right column, in this case 3.77 mEq/l. That is actually a good number. It's appearent that your Ca is quite low in comparison though. I think you posted earlier you where using Instant Ocean salts (?), if so this kind of chem seems common to their brand. The only thing you really need is a CaCl boost and a few additional water changes for NO3 reduction.

Cheers
Steve
 
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