0morrokh

I never get nitrate readings on any of my tanks. They're all way understocked still (20 w/ trio Platys, 20 w/ 5 dwarf cories and 2 Otos, 10 divided w/ 2 Bettas), but I still find it strange that I'm not registering any nitrate. They all have a couple live plants but not much. However since I don't have all my plants yet I'm letting algae grow pretty much wherever it wants, within reason (except on plants and the front panel of the tank). I figure until I get the tanks all fully planted I might as well let the algae help the water quality. But is it possible that it is eating up all of the nitrates in all my tanks? As much as I hate to admit this I have been skimping on water changes lately due to finals at school (my school goes by trimesters, not semesters), so I guess I was expecting the water quality to start going down.

I don't think the kit is the problem. I've registered nitrates with it before and it's not that old. Any thoughts?

jsalemi

Do you have any ammonia or nitrites in the tanks? Or is it 0 across the board?

And how are you measuring? Liquid test kit or test strips?

susitna-flower

It sounds like you do have nitrates if you have algae. So my suggestion would be that your test kit is not giving you an accruate reading. If it is a master test kit with liquid chemicals, you might not be shaking the second bottle enough. You really have to follow directions on that, even hitting the bottle on a hard surface, and shake for at least a minute, then the crystals in the liquid will be broken up enough to give a good reading.

0morrokh

All tanks have been cycled for a long time (0 amm. and n'ite)
I use API liquid tests.
I shake the 2nd bottle really well, a lot longer than they say to.

I'm thinking the algae is consuming the nitrate as it is produced? Or would the test kit read the nitrate anyway?

COBettaCouple

hmm.. well if the kit is less than a year old and you're shaking the 2nd bottle , then the test tube for the amount of time needed and checking it at exactly 5 minutes after that, then i'd go with the reading & not worry about it any.

Chief_waterchanger

If your tanks are that understocked the algae and plants are probably consuming the nitrates as fast as they are produced.

0morrokh

Thanks for the input everyone.

Ok, that's good. My first tank was overstocked and unplanted so the nitrates were always too high, I guess I'm still a bit surprised how easily they can be kept under control with a few plants (and not bothering to scrape the algae off of everything, lol)