Weired Test!

[Katchan]

I finally got a master test kit I've been waiting for (from ebay) for over a month and have tested all our tanks, and I got a very strange in my opinion result


20 Gallon High bow front going nearly a year
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0 - this is whats worried
ph 7.2 (gotta get some peat tomorrow to lower it slightly for the chocolate gouramis in the tank)

last water change 4 or 5 days ago

there is 1 RTBS
1 bristlenose
3 panda corys
2 male guppies (& 3+ 5 week old fry)
3 khulie loaches
4 chocolate gouramis
snails
well planted

I have been very light in feeding them lately and have noticed most of the fronds on the ambulia/milfoil (they look the same to me ) eaten. Since all the fish seem happy enough, and the plants have recently taken a heavy eating (they were only slightly muched before the last water change) I was wondering if the lack of nirate may be due smaller amount of waste being produced (I figure I must be underfeading them sice they have attacked the plants when they havnt before) by the fish and resulting in smaller bioload and the plants being able to absorb ALL the nitrate


Katchan

 

[Katchan]

Almost forgot tank is cleaned every week-> week and a half

Katchan

 

[rdd1952]

If you have a heavily planted tank, a properly stocked tank and aren't feeding too heavily, then it is possible to have 0 nitrates as the plants are able to handle all the nitrate produced by your bacteria colony. The nitrate in my planted tank generally only runs around 5 ppm. It is generally so low, I have pretty much quit checking it.

 

[Katchan]

Thanks rdd

katchan