Nutrafin Nitrate test question

[Reaper216]

I just performed a Nitrate test, and the color comes up clear.

Followed the instructions to a T, 5 mL of tank water, 5 drops of solution 1, 5 drops of solution 2 cap and shake. 3 drops of solution 3, cap shake and wait 5 minutes. Shake again and compare to the color chart.

The chart starts at 5ppm and goes up to 110ppm, 5 being a very light pink. My water stayed clear, could this mean I've reached 0ppm?

 

[librarygirl]

I've never used the nutrafin test but my best guess is if it's clear, then yes you have 0 nitrate. In a cycled tank with fish you should have some though. Do you have fish? Are you currently cycling? What are the other parameters (Ph, ammonia, nitrite)? How long has the tank been set up?

 

[Oscarr19]

If it's clear it's 0

 

[BBradbury]

Nitrates

I just performed a Nitrate test, and the color comes up clear.

Followed the instructions to a T, 5 mL of tank water, 5 drops of solution 1, 5 drops of solution 2 cap and shake. 3 drops of solution 3, cap shake and wait 5 minutes. Shake again and compare to the color chart.

The chart starts at 5ppm and goes up to 110ppm, 5 being a very light pink. My water stayed clear, could this mean I've reached 0ppm?

Hello Reap...

Not knowing the specifics of your tank, it's difficult to provide much help. It's hard to believe you have no nitrates in the water. Nitrates build up at the end of the "nitrogen cycle", so even a high number like 75 ppm isn't going to hurt your fish. It's a reason for concern, but large, weekly water changes will fix this problem. Is your tank cycled?

If you change out half the water in the tank a couple of times a week for a small tank and once a week for the larger ones, you won't need to worry about testing. The reason is toxins from the wastes the fish produce take time to build to a toxic level. If you remove and replace large amounts of the tank water, there's no time for the toxins to build up before it's time to change the water again.

You're welcome to test. If you want to, then review the steps for testing. But, if you follow an aggressive water change routine, you can do it much less often, if at all.

B

 

[Reaper216]

Its a 40 gallon, that has been up for about a month. I got the nitrate test kit with the tank and other accessories and just wanted to try it out.

Just found (in the smallest of small print) that the test kit actually expired almost 4 years ago.
Im just gonna go over to my LFS until my test kit arrives.