Crazy nitrate reading

[Pleco11771]

High so I have a 20 gallon high with 7 tiger barbs, 4 cories a albino BN pleco and a Golden wonder killi juvenile. Tiger barbs are going into a species 30 gallon. My nitrates are reading 20ppm and ph is between 6.5 and 7. All fish are healthy no signs of bad water quality or anything. Nitrate test bad and get a new one or is this possible

 

[Impulse09]

Its not that high, test your tap water. My tap has some nitrates in it

 

[Pleco11771]

Its not that high, test your tap water. My tap has some nitrates in it

Yeah I am running 2 HOB filters on a bucket with straight tap to clean them out and they are ready 0ppm

 

[siva]

No, that's a hefty bio-load for a 20 gal and I'm surprised it's not testing higher than that. Ideally you want to keep nitrates from exceeding 20ppm so you're still in the clear.

 

[Pleco11771]

No, that's a hefty bio-load for a 20 gal and I'm surprised it's not testing higher than that. Ideally you want to keep nitrates from exceeding 20ppm so you're still in the clear.

Ok thanks. It's better to have zero nitrates though right?

 

[siva]

Well...it would be better...but it's not possible unless the tank is heavily planted. Plants eat up the nitrates so possibly if you planted the tank heavily enough you could keep it to zero, but most hobbyists shoot for keeping it under 20. For the average fish anyway...some more delicate fish need more frequent water changes and lower nitrates..but in general..under 20 is just fine. For the fish you have in the tank, 15ppm nitrates are nothing to worry about.

Were they 15ppm right before you were about to do a weekly water change? If they were already 15 like a couple days after your water change then they are probably climbing too high between changes.

 

[Pleco11771]

Well...it would be better...but it's not possible unless the tank is heavily planted. Plants eat up the nitrates so possibly if you planted the tank heavily enough you could keep it to zero, but most hobbyists shoot for keeping it under 20. For the average fish anyway...some more delicate fish need more frequent water changes and lower nitrates..but in general..under 20 is just fine. For the fish you have in the tank, 15ppm nitrates are nothing to worry about.

Were they 15ppm right before you were about to do a weekly water change? If they were already 15 like a couple days after your water change then they are probably climbing too high between changes.

It's been about a week since my last PWC I haven't had time, i'm doing a 30-40% tomorrow soo

 

[siva]

You're golden then, don't worry!