Getting On My Last Nerve

[Sweeden]

So i set up my tank etc, started cycling and now nearly 2-3 weeks later i have 0ppm on ammonia and nitrite but also 0ppm on nitrate.

There are plants in the tank could they be taking the nitrate and could someone tell me why

 

[Skeuer]

Isnt this a good thing?

 

[Sweeden]

I was told my nitrate would build up as the ammonia > nitrite > nitrate, which is end of N cycle and cannot be removed from water thus why water changes are needed.

 

[mattlee]

plants will use up some nitrates but i would have thought that a newly cycled tank will have too much to be absorbed by a few plants. if you are using the API test kit then give bottle 2 a really good shake before adding the solution into the tube.

 

[Sweeden]

plants will use up some nitrates but i would have thought that a newly cycled tank will have too much to be absorbed by a few plants. if you are using the API test kit then give bottle 2 a really good shake before adding the solution into the tube.

will go try again....

 

[hillmar77]

Did it ever have any ammonia present during your cycling? If not you gonna need ammonia or else nothing will happen.

 

[Bignose]

plants will use up some nitrates but i would have thought that a newly cycled tank will have too much to be absorbed by a few plants. if you are using the API test kit then give bottle 2 a really good shake before adding the solution into the tube.

A lot of aquatic plants will actually prefer to take up ammonia as their Nitrogen source -- many will actually expend energy to convert nitrate and nitrite into ammonia.

If the tank is has a lot of live plants that are healthy and growing, there many not be any ammonia available to go through cycling. All the ammonia may be taken up by the plants.

This is what a lot of "Natural" planted tank setups go through. They tanks are planted with soil, and the allowed to sit for just about a day or so to make sure that everything (heater, etc.) is running correctly. Then the fish are added. All the fish. If the plants are healthy and growing, they will readily consume a lot of ammonia.

 

[Sweeden]

Sooooo i shook the bottles for 5 minutes and i have Nitrate so topped it back up with ammonia to keep bacteria fed and will sort the rest out when i get back home