Where did my NitrAtes go?

flyinggig

flyinggig

AC Members
Jan 7, 2012
77
0
0
Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador
Real Name
Greg
I added a few plants last week to my 35g which had at least 60ppm nitrates. Did a 40% water change. Today it tests zero for nitrates!
With a total of 6 stems of bacopa, three stems of carolina fanwort, two small java ferns, a very small potted crypt, and a little java moss...... Is it possible that these very new plants have consumed all of the remaining nitrates from the tank is such a short period?

I have a 30 inch big tube florescent and two regular CFLs, no CO2, and the tank is not stocked....currently finishing a fishless cycle with ammonia. The ammonia had dropped off as well as the nitrites..... and I re-dosed with more ammonia to see if it would disappear in 24 hours....(more like 48 hours), Nitrites are 0.1 ppm, but my nitrates have dissapeared altogether!

The 40% water change last week couldn't have removed all of the nitrates.
If i hadn't seen the nitrate test at 60 ppm last week, I'd think I'm not cycled!


Any thoughts?
 
Liquid test kit?
 
Yes.....API. I swear last week I changed the water (40%) out of fear of causing an algae bloom, because when I tested it last week, my test kit was blood red at approx 60ppm maybe even 80!If the math suggested that after my 40% wc, the nitrates should have been around 35-40ppm..... I'm stumpted to think the very few juvenile plants that I added last week had much effect.Running a cycled sponge off of a 1140 penguin PH, and a new aqueon quietflow 30 (charcoal insert) also seeded with cycled sponge pieces.
 
calibrated test kit?
 
Tested again tonight......nitrates showing just a trace. Am doing the test by-the-book.... the kit is not that old. I still have both Amn and nitrites, so I'm not fully cycled yet, although very close.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom