nitrate update

[Lady G]

Ok all, I finally received my liquid trate & trite test kit!!!! :clap: First I tested my tap water and the trites were 0, then I tested for trates and it reads around 10-20, the colors are so close its a little hard to tell. I then did a 30-40% water cange in my tank and the results came out nitrites-0, and nitrates- between 20 & 40 (again colors so close it was hard to tell which) I am going to give it a few hours and then test again just incase there is some kind of change, I am hoping once I get my plants and get them in maybe by some sort of miracle they will help bring it down some, but with the reading I got from my tap I don't think it will come down much more.

Thanks to everyone for all the advice and just listening (reading)to me go on and on!!
Gin

 

[Holly9937]

The plants should definately help, but between 20-40 is really not that high to worry about. At least you know whats going on!! Prime (I think) claims to detoxify nitrate, maybe you could try a water conditioner like that if the plants dont' seem to help enough??

 

[AlbinosRule]

Prime works GREAT for this applicaton.also de-toxifies the amonia caused by de-chlorinating tap water.

 

[Lady G]

Ok now this is weird, I just tested my water in my tank again and now it reads 5.0!! I am happy about this, just wondering how that happens if my tap is 10-20 maybe I will check my tap again, possibley the lighting when I did the first test was to dark? Or can somehow my tank water contain less trates then my tap?

 

[Lady G]

I just tested the tap again and it reads 5-10, it wasn't quite as dark as 10 but a little darker then 5.0, maybe I did something wrong on the first testing?