Nitrates

[the biffster]

nitrate is it just me
or do i keep seeing tank
readings from peoples tanks saying
they have zero nitrates


plus tell us your nitrate horror
stories and how you over come them

 

[ian]

this proves that the off the shelf nitrate test kits cannot be trusted.

 

[fluffycabbage]

ive almost always had low nitrates(5-10 generally), using a salifert kit.

 

[SlyPolak]

I think its just the crappy kits or if its liquid they dont shake enough......
I have NEVER seen nitrates below 20/30 on my planted tank besides at the beginning of the cycle process ages ago...

 

[the biffster]

noticed a few on here
that have zero readings
when i have asked for there stats
and nobody queried it

 

[Carlovel1]

I usually get low nitrates mostly 5
If they get too high, I do a WC

 

[fluttermoth]

Yeah; fluffycabbage and Carlovel (and me!) have some trace of nitrate, even though it's very low.

I wouldn't like to sound like I'm accusing anyone, because I'm not, but I do wonder if some people just say what they think sounds good rather than what their results actually are, or whether they've even tested it at all

I've never had a nitrate result of more than 60ppm (and I immediately did two 75% changes, one after the other!) but just out of interest, I tested mt LFS's water last time I bought fish and it was around 100!

 

[Bignose]

Healthy growing plants uptake the ammonia as their nitrogen source leaving no ammonia to be converted to nitrite and then nitrate. If the person has a tank with healthy plants, it is easy to have a tank with zero nitrates.

That said, I suspect ianho is on the right track in that nitrate test kits are often performed incorrectly, are inaccurate, and often the tests are performed incorrectly. The reagents are among the first to lose functionality after opening, too.

 

[the biffster]

Healthy growing plants uptake the ammonia as their nitrogen source leaving no ammonia to be converted to nitrite and then nitrate. If the person has a tank with healthy plants, it is easy to have a tank with zero nitrates.

That said, I suspect ianho is on the right track in that nitrate test kits are often performed incorrectly, are inaccurate, and often the tests are performed incorrectly. The reagents are among the first to lose functionality after opening, too.

i do agree but i must say
that the nitrate test is the
easiest of the tests to do

 

[james_fish]

Healthy growing plants uptake the ammonia as their nitrogen source leaving no ammonia to be converted to nitrite and then nitrate. If the person has a tank with healthy plants, it is easy to have a tank with zero nitrates.

That said, I suspect ianho is on the right track in that nitrate test kits are often performed incorrectly, are inaccurate, and often the tests are performed incorrectly. The reagents are among the first to lose functionality after opening, too.

i do agree but i must say
that the nitrate test is the
easiest of the tests to do

I disagree, 10 drops, intense shaking, 10 more drops. I JUST DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!

pH is the easiest... 1,2,3... Test complete

James.

 

[the biffster]

Healthy growing plants uptake the ammonia as their nitrogen source leaving no ammonia to be converted to nitrite and then nitrate. If the person has a tank with healthy plants, it is easy to have a tank with zero nitrates.

That said, I suspect ianho is on the right track in that nitrate test kits are often performed incorrectly, are inaccurate, and often the tests are performed incorrectly. The reagents are among the first to lose functionality after opening, too.

i do agree but i must say
that the nitrate test is the
easiest of the tests to do

I disagree, 10 drops, intense shaking, 10 more drops. I JUST DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!

pH is the easiest... 1,2,3... Test complete

James.

thats why i get our lass to
do my testing i shake far to much
mind you saying that she as got more
patience than me any way