Do fertilizers raise the nitrate level?

[ppetropulo]

This morning I fertilized the plants in my little tank, and when I went to check the water this afternoon, the reading was through the roof!! I hadn't even completed adding all the chemicals yet, but it had already turned a deep purple. Could this be from the fertilizer? Normaly its just a nice light purply tint, that is barely noticable. Should I do a water change, or just let the plants take care of it? Thanks in advance!!

[Slappy*McFish]

Nitrogen is a macro nutrient required by all plants. If your fertilizer contains nitrate (usually KNO3), then yes, it will raise the nitrate levels. What fertilizer are you using?

[ppetropulo]

Its not really high tech. Its API Leaf Zone.

[nerdyrcdriver]

Leaf Zone
Soluble potash (K20) 3.00%, Iron (Fe) 0.10%, Chelated Iron (Fe) 0.10%. Derived from: Potassium sulfate and iron EDTA.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums...%20/t-227967.html

I dont know anything about ferts, but I think I found the chemical make up in the quote above from platytudes in the thread above.

[ppetropulo]

Hmm... Thanks for posting that! I did end up doing a water change, just because it was water changing day

[oo7genie]

Deep purple? What kind of test kit are you using? On the common API kit, it's the nitrItes that are blue-purple, like smoke on the water. The NitrAtes are orange-red, like fire in the sky.

[ppetropulo]

Oh, mine isn't a api test kit, its a (Hagen) Nutrafin test kit.

[oo7genie]

Ok, just making sure. Sounded like you may have been into a whole new problem if you were using an API kit, lol.

What's the actual level at by number? Both normally, and after the leaf zone?

[ppetropulo]

LOL! That would have been awful!!

[mesto]

Actually leaf zone shouldn't raise your nitrates at all, so you may have something else going on.