UH OH. What Happened to the Nitrates?!!!

jere1558

jere1558

AC Members
Dec 14, 2006
354
1
0
Pennsylvania
This is a first for me. My 55g, fully cycled tank has had GREAT water params for 4 months (A-0, nI-0, nA 5-10). I have upped my water changes over the last 3 weeks from 10-15% to 30-40% per week. Before this water change params remained stable. Checked my water before water change, AOK, after water change.....A-0, nI-0, nA-0.

What happened to my nitrates? I did not clean the filter tonite. Why? My normal water change day is Friday....I am having Carpal Tunnel surgery tomorrow, so didn't want to miss my water change due to surgery. Figured I could put the filter clean off for a week (I have been diligent in filter cleaning with "waste" tank water every week till this one. I rinse the filter media and tank then put it all back).

55g
fluval 304
2 heaters (keep tank at 80)
2 12 inch bubble wands
1 medium driftwood
live and plastic plants
4 male guppies
7 female guppies
5 neon rainbows
8 glo fish
3 adult platy (1 m, 2 f)
5 platy fry
1 cory
1 clown pleco
 
How well are you "cleaning" the filter? I would only "swish" it around in water from the water change to remove the larger debris. If you "clean" the filter too much you could be losing your beneficial bacteria. Also are you dechlorinating your water that you add after the water change?
 
Have your plants gone thru a growth spurt recently?

Expired/old reagents on nitrate test?
 
Except for tonite "swishing" is my preferred method of filter media cleaning. I didn't clean any filter media tonite. Declor is added by full tank volume at new water intro. I mix dechlorinator/dechlomine agent in a 16 oz cup of tank water then run the flow of new water into the cup flowing out of the cup and into the tank for introduction.
 
plants seem to be fine. no unusual spike in growth. nitrAte test is new, date is good.
 
Have you tried another nitrate test after a good cleaning of the tubes?

Have you drastically changed the amount fed or increased the gravel vacs?

(just throwing out ideas.... :cool: :)
 
I actually was going to skip the gravel vac tonite, but couldn't help myself?:rolleyes: my husband says I'm OCD....:bowing: I vac the gravel every time i clean...too much?

I have been using this nitrAte test for 2 weeks with no probs. I actually thought it couldn't be right the first time, so did it again....same results....different clean tube for second test.
 
Can you run another test in the AM and post back..? This is interesting!

I feel since the Am/Ni are at zero, it is not a major short term worry.
 
Will check tomorrow. Can't promise AM, gotta be at the hospital at 7am for surgery. It's my lucky day!

Thanks for the help! you guys ROCK!
 
just noticed this from you in another thread....

hum....i started the cycle on my 55g with filter media and gravel from an established tank. ran fishless for 2 weeks. got a=0, nI=0, nA=5 without adding anything else. then added 2 inexpensive fish to complete the cycle too 3 weeks total. no water probs since then. (except tonite, see UH OH ....post).

Have all of these fish been in there for four months?
 
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