wha happened???

[shawmutt]

OK, so for the past 12 days I've been cycling my tank, everything was going ok, now I hit a bump. My nitrAtes have gone to zero??? Did someone sneak in and do a water change while I was at work (if so, I hope they sneak in and change it every week ) My ammonia has gone to .5, my nitrIte is still at 1 but looks decidedly darker (meaning it's almost time to say there's less), so my cycle is still working. I did the test twice with the same result. Can a test go bad just like that? It's the two bottle type that you have to shake the crap out of.

 

[Allivymar]

I guess a test could go bad overnite, although I have my doubts. Is it possible to double check the results? Maybe bring a sample into a lfs and have them test it just to be sure? Heh, maybe you have discovered the thing which eats nitrates....you could be rich *grin*

 

[shawmutt]

Well, I went out and got a new test kit...same results. I don't get it. I must have done something wrong, but what? I tested my other tank, and the nitrAtes registered fine. Here's my specs: dgH 12 dkH 4 pH 7.6 Amm .5 Ites 1 Ates 0. What gives? If there was Ates before, and there are Ites now, shouldn't there still be Ates?

sigh...where's the bio spira?

P.S. I saw some cichlid salts in the store...should I get them to raise my kH or should I give the sand time to work?

 

[Allivymar]

Only other thing I can think of off the top of my head is plants...are there any in the tank? Cause plants will use the nitrates as fertilizer...

Another thought is (cause I don't remember) did you use ANY sort of cycling product? I ask because I had used Cycle the 1st two days of fishless cycling and I was getting nitrate readings! Turns out the Cycle registered around 100 ppm nitrates right from the bottle. Once I threw it away, nitrates didn't register till the tank cycled properly.

Not sure about the Kh question...how long has the sand been in there? Anyone have idea how long one is supposed to give it to have an effect?

 

[silvi-p]

hi guys,
about the sand: not every sand will harden up your water. you can test the sand with any acid you have (if you have), or, less hazardous, with vinegar essence (i.e. concentrated vinegar - should be more than 20% vinegar acid). just take out a bit, put substance on it and look whether it gives off some foam. if not, there is not enough calcium in it to harden up your water.
for the Ates... if your tap water comes with a relatively low level of Ates already, live plants will give it the rest so that they disappear. it's absolutely possible to have no2 spike without measurable Ates.

this biospira... seems to be ubiquituous (is that the word?)....

regards,
s. [/center]