Matti
Member
Hi guys, do you really get your nitrite levels to zero? Mine are always at 0,05. Nitrates somewhere 10-20.
Last edited:
Just curious why you want zero nitrates?Hi guys, do you really get your nitrate levels to zero? Mine are always at 0,05. Nitrates somewhere 10-20.
I mean nitrites, I just read that they should be zero, but mine are never.Just curious why you want zero nitrates?
do you really get your nitrite levels to zero? Mine are always at 0,05.
Same for me, I'd guess it is an issue with the test kit, rather than an actual reading of any nitrite (NO2-).I never test for Nitrites, What about Test Kits ?, Plus 0.05 is for all our intents and purposes is 'Zero'
Is that with the API test kit? I don't think I actually ever saw a clear-cut "zero" reading for total ammonia (NH3+NH4) or Nitrite (NO2) in my tanks.... always appears a smidge above zero to me (greenish but not quite for Ammonia or purple'ish but not quite on the NO2). I haven't tested in an eternity though.Hi guys, do you really get your nitrite levels to zero? Mine are always at 0,05. Nitrates somewhere 10-20.
There might be, it would depend upon the sensitivity of the test kit and the nature of the <"microbial assemblage">. It looks like <"COMAMMOX Nitrospira"> area major component of the bacteria in aquarium filters and they oxidise ammonia (NH3/NH4+) directly to nitrate (NO3-).I'm starting to believe that as long as there is any organic matter in a tank: plants, fish, fish food , there will be nitrites.
McKnight, M & Neufeld, J. (2021) "Microbial community analysis of biofilters reveals a dominance of either comammox Nitrospira or archaea as ammonia oxidizers in freshwater aquaria" <"Microbial community analysis of biofilters reveals a dominance of either comammox Nitrospira or archaea as ammonia oxidizers in freshwater aquaria">........ Among nitrifiers, comammox Nitrospira amoA genes were detected in all 38 freshwater aquarium biofilter samples and were the most abundant ammonia oxidizer in 30 of these samples, with the remaining biofilters dominated by AOA, based on amoA gene abundances......
I'd say that is the important bit........ It's a heavily planted 55l tank with Oase Biomaster 250 .......