edbond
New Member
I've been a little concerned recently that my Nitrate level normally tests at between 20-and 40 using a "Freshwater Master Test Kit" from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, INC.
So I thought to put my mind at rest I would get my local fish shop to test the water. They tested it differently to the way I did it, but using the same kit, and got a Nitrate of 0.
A mate does it differently to me, and the result using his method was 5.
I follow this procedure:
Take 5ml of tank water
Shake bottle 1
add 10 drops
Invert test tube (with lid on, not using finger) 4 ish times
then shake bottle 2 vigorously for 30 seconds.
Inver test tube a couple times again
Add 10 drops
then shake test tube vigorously for 1 min.
Wait 5 mins, take a reading (timed)
Out the tap the nitrate is 10 using my method.
Ammonia and Nitrite are 0 and we agree on this. The tank is planted with 6 plants (3 x 14” high 1x 10” 2x 8” high) with a Fluval 3 set on min in a 19 G tank.
The tank was started on 7/3/06 with 5 danios and 2 tropical red crab.
Ammonia and Nitrite became stable (0) on 17/3/06.
There was no ammonia spike when I added the Angelfish and rainbow shark, and returned the crab to the store.
Any thoughts on what I can do to help the Nitrates stay down would be appreciated, as I don't think I am over stocked. I have a CO2 system for the plants on order, along with nitrazorb for filter.
THanks
Ed
So I thought to put my mind at rest I would get my local fish shop to test the water. They tested it differently to the way I did it, but using the same kit, and got a Nitrate of 0.
A mate does it differently to me, and the result using his method was 5.
I follow this procedure:
Take 5ml of tank water
Shake bottle 1
add 10 drops
Invert test tube (with lid on, not using finger) 4 ish times
then shake bottle 2 vigorously for 30 seconds.
Inver test tube a couple times again
Add 10 drops
then shake test tube vigorously for 1 min.
Wait 5 mins, take a reading (timed)
Out the tap the nitrate is 10 using my method.
Ammonia and Nitrite are 0 and we agree on this. The tank is planted with 6 plants (3 x 14” high 1x 10” 2x 8” high) with a Fluval 3 set on min in a 19 G tank.
The tank was started on 7/3/06 with 5 danios and 2 tropical red crab.
Ammonia and Nitrite became stable (0) on 17/3/06.
There was no ammonia spike when I added the Angelfish and rainbow shark, and returned the crab to the store.
Any thoughts on what I can do to help the Nitrates stay down would be appreciated, as I don't think I am over stocked. I have a CO2 system for the plants on order, along with nitrazorb for filter.
THanks
Ed
