With that number of fish in 5gal of water, I'd have to question your nitrate reading. That doesn't seem right IMO. What test kit do you use? Very common to not do the test properly with the API master test kit nitrate test.
Sounds good! I was just asking because it's so easy to do wrong. Very cool that it is working for you with the 75% WWC. Just kind of unusual given 10 fish in 5g of water. Is the 10ppm nitrates you are reading being measured just before your WWC?FreshyFresh, I do use the liquid API test and I can understand how easy it would be to do it wrong since there are multiple steps. I'm kind of neurotic though and do it exactly as the card says, using my kitchen timer to make sure I mix and wait long enough. I think the results are correct -- I don't overfeed (at least I don't think I do), they are tiny fish except for the betta, I have big plants and I never slack on the water changes.
Sounds good! I was just asking because it's so easy to do wrong. Very cool that it is working for you with the 75% WWC. Just kind of unusual given 10 fish in 5g of water. Is the 10ppm nitrates you are reading being measured just before your WWC?FreshyFresh, I do use the liquid API test and I can understand how easy it would be to do it wrong since there are multiple steps. I'm kind of neurotic though and do it exactly as the card says, using my kitchen timer to make sure I mix and wait long enough. I think the results are correct -- I don't overfeed (at least I don't think I do), they are tiny fish except for the betta, I have big plants and I never slack on the water changes.