Nitrate levels what levels should be.

[Karen H]

Hi I am confused which isn't hard, . My tank has been running for 9 months now and I have readings
Ph7
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
I have just been told I should have a high nitrate reading.
Can anyone tell what I am doing wrong. I test every weeks and apart from during first month this are the levels I have.

Confused

 

[Ady34]

Hi Karen,
firstly how are you getting your results? Hobbyist test kits are notoriously inaccurate.
Secondly what fertilisers are you dosing to your tank? High nitrates in a planted fertilised tank are a direct result of adding nitrogen fertilisers. If you are not adding a complete macro fertiliser then your nitrate will remain low.
How heavily you need to fertilise will depend upon other factors such as what type of tank you are running, a high tech co2 injected tank or a low tech non co2 tank, so really we need to know more about your tank to determine what you should be adding.
Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[Andy Thurston]

I wouldn't worry too much!
If its planted and your not adding ferts it could well be zero but i wouldnt trust nitrate test kits to give an accurate or consistent reading.

 

[Karen H]

Substrate aqua grow nutra soil
64l tank
Fluval U2 filter
Led lighting

Frogbit
Water wisteria ,
Anubias,
Cabomba caoliniana,
Cryptocoryne wendtill green
Moss ball,
Taxiphyllum sp spiky
Stock
1 betta
15 neon tetras
2 otoclinclus
4 shrimp
This is set up. I have been ei dosing once a fortnight. Everything and one seems happy and no loses in over 6 months. But I am been told with no nitrates it will hurt fish as nothing there to remove ammonia and nitrite .

 

[Andy Thurston]

Who gave you this advice, probably some one who doesnt have plants
Carry on as you are and if your plans start looking unhealthy, add more ferts.

The filter converts ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate.
If you had an unplanted tank this would be a problem because no nitrate would indicate your filter wasn't doing its job but in a planted tank the plants will use these nutrients. If there was any ammonia in your tank the ottos and corries would probably have died

 

[Karen H]

Thanks that what I thought . But is insisting that my fish are not safe. I had thought otoclinclus were delicate in un cycled tanks and after all this time I would of thought it was cycled. I daren't tell him I don't always do weekly water changes. Or that my new tank has john Inness and cat litter in it . Think he would died from the shock. Lol

 

[Andy Thurston]

Tell him your going to add nitrate and phosphate to the tank three times a week too, then await his reaction

 

[Karen H]

Don't think he would cope .

 

[Andy Thurston]

My friend dan dosed full EI for 3 weeks without changing water. Then he took a sample to our lfs, who tested it and said it was very good, at which point he told him he hadn't changed any water and the poor guy looked very confused

 

[Karen H]

You've just made me laugh. I had started to doubt my self . A this came up as I mentioned in passing that I have a neon who is breathing heavily and losing colour. It's in qt tank on own and others look ok at the moment. So of cause he asked had I tested water. Then I was informed that's why fish is ill . It does look like ntd or similar . Nothing new in tank apart from sum shrimp 2 days ago.