0 Nitrates

[ravekiss]

For months now I've been getting a reading of 0 on my nitrate tests. Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0, PH 7.2. Is this a problem? I would think that I should be showing some trace of Nitrate in an established tank. The tank has been running for 9 months. Its inhabitants are guppies, platys, mollies, swords & corys. What are your opinions on this?

 

[Def]

Get a new test kit or get your LFS to test the water again.

 

[The-Wolf]

is it a planted tank?
if so zero nitrAtes is not a problem as the plants are absorbing the NitrAte, if not perhaps your test kit is as much use as a chocolate teapot for making tea with.

 

[ravekiss]

Its not a planted tank...I use the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Master test kit...I thought that was a good kit.

 

[Undawada]

I've heard they are good kits, but they also expire. How long has it been open? Look for an expiration date too.

 

[ravekiss]

Its been open about 3 months

 

[rdd1952]

The nitrate test in the API kits are complicated. I like their kits but that one drives me up the wall. If you don't do it exactly by the book, you won't get good results. YOu have to add the 10 (I think) drops of the first one, shake the bottle of the second one for at least 30 seconds, then add it and then shake the mixture for a full minute. And after all that, you have to wait 3 to 5 minutes for the color to finish stabilizing. If you're doing that all by the book, then I agree with the others that your test kit is old or faulty.

 

[Teelie]

My LFS told me my nitrates were at zero once but I think the truth is the kits only test to a certain level and anything under that level reads as zero. So you probably do have nitrates just at extremely low levels. Or maybe my LFS' kit was expired.