Test Results Again

[Ps3Steveo]

Tested today, got ammonia 0.1ppm - good, nitrate 40ppm - ok, nitrite 2 ish ppm - not good, been doing daily water changes, filter is pretty mature. Do ferts raise nitrite or nitrate? Dunno what to do really or maybe the filter had a little struggle with the huge ammonia spike to start with from the florabase? Fish seem happy tho, still doing wTer changes till I get just nitrate readings, is this my only option?

 

[ZoddyZod]

some ferts do include phosphate and nitrate, some don't.

Should clearly state either way on the box/label.

 

[ian]

what are you dosing Steve?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Excel and TPN+

 

[RadaR]

still doing wTer changes till I get just nitrate readings, is this my only option?

Pretty much.
If you really wanted to, then you could get some zeolite to mop up small concentrations of ammonia. But by the time that arrives it will probably show up as "0" on test kit. Nitrite is a bit odd though. Maybe it's just the result of the bacteria converting the ammonia from the spike, like you said.
Water changes and good plant health. Keep it up

 

[ian]

It'll be the TPN+, it contains ammonium, which registers as Ammonia on the API and the cheaper of the shelf kits, the substrate won't be helping. Yep, agree with the water changes, to be on the safe side.


ps, how are you finding the Hydor?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Hydor is great, was a bit noisy to start with but I took out the carbon as its useless now anyway and as it was loose in the basket some was getting out and hitting the impeller lol, silent now tho and doing well.

Think I'll carry on with the water changes and once the nitrite is zero I'll only have nitrate which obv is fine, the ammonia was only 0.1ppm so microscopic.