CWO4GUNNER

Hi again. Yes its me with another question and this time I don't have a clue. Some of you who have completed more then a few cycles may be able to shed some light on since this is my first and I am getting an unexpected PPM number I did not expect. I mentioned in my last (yesterday) cycle report that I was not going to do water change that day because my test numbers had actually improved AMMO 0, Nitri 1 (down from 2), Nitra 20 (down from 40) the surprise being Nitrates which theoretically cannot come down without plant growth intervention or water change, so I attributed the drop in Nitrates in part to the bamboo and Hedera Ivy plants that are growing in my hang filter, that was yesterday.
Today before fully expecting to do a minor water change (10 Gallons) I take reading none of which changed except for Nitrates which I checked twice to be sure and are coming back at 10 PPM, and yes I did shake both bottles. I don't believe the house plants can be doing that good a job and the aquarium has all plastic ornaments and with Cristal clear water no algae as the sterilizer is on 12 hours a day.

Anyone out there with cycle experience ever see nitrates come down by half twice in a 48 hour period without a water change and with only two water plants, although my plants are house plants with roots only in the water? Im not trying to make a boastful claim here as I am genuinely puzzled that this cant possibly be right and that there is another explanation someone has.

Lucy

That is strange. One thing I've noticed here on the forum and cycling my tanks is that no 2 cycles seem to be alike.

With the #2 nitrate bottle, you not only have to shake it, you have to bang it on table a few times and I mean seriously whack it. It contains crystals unlike the rest of the bottles in the kits which are purely liquid.

There's a thread around here somewhere about it. A member contacted API about their nitrate readings and, if I remember correctly, that is what API recommended.

If that's not it, then, I haven't a clue. sorry.

Nate McFin

I am doing my first cycle (fishless) and I have noticed some ups and downs as well. One I know was caused by a false high. When I put the drops from bottle two in a few weeks ago, instead of having a gradual climb up the scale while you wait five minutes it went instantly bright red. The following day it was down 20 back to 10. I have two sword plants in the tank but I haven't noticed that they decrease the nitrates as much as yours did.
Long story short...maybe you first test was false and it was 10 all along??
Just a thought from a new guy. Take it for what its worth LOL

Lucy

Here's the link to thread I mentioned:
Important Information for API Freshwater Master Test Kit Users!

Nate McFin

The post states that the rep said "I have never heard of falsely high readings with Nitrate Kits"
As stated in my other post I have seen otherwise a couple time. I have found that the false highs show up instantly red rather than slowly changing color. After more shaking and banging then retesting the numbers aren't high. Anyone else seen this?

Regal

I had the same problem with that bottle till i read that thread. After shaking/banging the bottle I got accurate results.

Minnow

Same here. Now my #2 bottle is dented and banged out of shape, but I have accurate results. (is it possible to bang it too hard and break the bottle?)

Butterfly

Not a cycle but when I keep a tank that is going to be high in Nitrates (big, messy fish) I put terrestrial plants in the HOB filter to keep the nitrates down and they do an excellent job of it. Bamboo and Hedera Ivy,philodandron are excellent plants for the filter. Right now I have begonias growing in one. I would think your plants are doing a great job of sucking up the Nitrates. it's also an excellent way to root terrestrial plants.
Carol

CWO4GUNNER

Yes I know I read about the need to bang and forgot to include that I hit the base of both bottles repeatedly on the dining room table. I also repeatedly shake the test tube every minute or so as the test always starts out yellow hoping that after five minutes it isn't red and especially brown. last week when I finally reached 0 ammonia PPM my nitrates were at 80 PPM so I conducted daily water changes and it steadily decreased but remained at 40 for 3 days. Then suddenly yesterday morning my nitrate PPM only made it to 20 PPM after my last water change the day before with a reading of 40 PPM. Then this afternoon before planing to do a water change having not done one for 48 hours I tested out at nitrates 10 PPM, the test slowly going from yellow to orange and stopping there. So I repeated the test again and sure enough its at 10 PPM. I have a brand new Nitrate test kit I am goin to open and retest a 3rd time, back in a moment.

CWO4GUNNER

Appreciate the confirmation but its really seems a little too good to be true, I mean my results. Yes the Hedera Ivy and bamboo have sprouted new leafs and stems but still it cant be that easy, its not possible is it? Iv read it takes an aquarium full of plants to put a dent in nitrates. Well I took a picture of the results on the next post.

CWO4GUNNER

Since my old master test kit nitrate and ammonia bottles are almost depleted I picked up new test kits at PetSmart two days ago so as not to run out. So I broke out the new nitrate test bottles and read the instructions again. Shook and banged bot new bottles for 2 minutes then rinsed the test tube and cap out in the sink , then rinsed them both again in the aquarium, then took samples and retested. The results started out yellow and slowly changed to a peach orange not even orange-orange in person. In the photo below you can see its not red but look more orange in the picture but defiantly a 10 PPM.

Hay maybe everyone should be required to post test pic results LOL (just kidding) Anyway this blows my mind. In the mean time I decided to just do a 2 gallon water change today just to add the retreat with 20 mil of Prime against the 1 PPM nitrite which has been persistent at 1 PPM for 2 days now. Tomorrow afternoon I will do my weekly 75% water change and filter rinse with aqua water which has worked out very well for me. But when I do my API test first if the nitrates are 0, I am truly going to need a sedative LOL and will be bouncing off the walls like cocoa puff bird