Nitrate not spiking!
- Thread starter wildgator25
- Start date
Ok, this doesn't make any sense. Went to the Petsmart just now. I had the girl in the fish department check the nitrAtes in my water. I told her that they should be off the charts based on what the ammonia and nitrItes are reading. She did the paper strip test and said that yes, it is way high. She even asked if I had anything alive in the tank right now. 
So, I told her that I must have a bad test kit, and I exchanged it for a new one. I looked on the bottom of the new test kit and it had the same manufactured date as the other set. I just got home and tested it, and guess what.............. 5PPM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I checked my tap water and it was 0ppm. I don't know what to do. I'm scared to do the water change and the cycle won't be complete and I kill the fish that will be put in. And I don't want to waste money buying more nitrate test kits if I'm actually showing 5ppm. Someone please help me???!!!!!!!:sad
So, I told her that I must have a bad test kit, and I exchanged it for a new one. I looked on the bottom of the new test kit and it had the same manufactured date as the other set. I just got home and tested it, and guess what.............. 5PPM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I checked my tap water and it was 0ppm. I don't know what to do. I'm scared to do the water change and the cycle won't be complete and I kill the fish that will be put in. And I don't want to waste money buying more nitrate test kits if I'm actually showing 5ppm. Someone please help me???!!!!!!!:sad
Sounds like a bad batch of test kits. Since your ammonia and nitrate are disappearing quickly and the LFS verified that your nitrates are off the charts (as they should be), you can go ahead with the massive water change and add fish. Your cycle is complete, congratulations.
What brand of test kit did you get?
What brand of test kit did you get?
Last edited:
Both the Freshwater Master Kit and the Nitrate Kit are Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. I've contacted them via e-mail to let them know what I've been experiencing, but I guess I'll have to wait until maybe Monday or Tuesday to hear from them if ever. I hope the cycle is complete, but I just don't like not knowing about the NitrAte level. I dosed the tank to 5ppm ammonia again today, just to see what will happen tomorrow. Who knows, maybe NitrAte will show good then. Also, gonna keep doing small ammonia adds until I get my fish so that I don't kill my bacteria. Thank you for replying.
Every piece of information points to bad test kits -- I'm pretty confident that the second opinion you got at the LFS is the correct one. I wouldn't hold out much hope that your kit will read correctly tomorrow. My bet is that the kits had been on the Petsmart shelf a little too long.
If Aquarium Pharmaceuticals does not offer to replace your reagents, you should ask. When I got bad reagents in a Seachem test kit, I e-mailed them and they sent out a replacement kit immediately.
And if/when you have to replace that nitrate kit, I would look for Seachem or Red Sea. I've had good experiences with both, and Seachem's customer service is really excellent. Another nice thing about Seachem's tests is that they include a reference solution so that if you suspect the test is not working, you have something to check it with.
Good luck -- I admire your diligence in making sure you create a safe home for your fish.
If Aquarium Pharmaceuticals does not offer to replace your reagents, you should ask. When I got bad reagents in a Seachem test kit, I e-mailed them and they sent out a replacement kit immediately.
And if/when you have to replace that nitrate kit, I would look for Seachem or Red Sea. I've had good experiences with both, and Seachem's customer service is really excellent. Another nice thing about Seachem's tests is that they include a reference solution so that if you suspect the test is not working, you have something to check it with.
Good luck -- I admire your diligence in making sure you create a safe home for your fish.
I agree that faulty test kits are suggested by all the information. (I would never advocate Red Sea tests though... I found them to be sub-par.)
I'd also try a different type/brand of tests, or take a sample to a different LFS, it that's an option.
HTH,
Jim
I'd also try a different type/brand of tests, or take a sample to a different LFS, it that's an option.
HTH,
Jim
