Low Nitrate.

I haven't been testing nitrates regularly this past couple weeks, I started this tank 2 weeks ago with probably 15ppm Nitrate and now I'm down to 5ppm. It's my understanding that Nitrate acts like fertilizer for plants. I have only one little Betta producing it and lots of plants eating it up. Should I be concerned with the low nitrate levels?

 

what are your other readings? ammonia and nitrites?

Low nitrates are not bad at all... In a heavily planted tank nitrates can get quite low as the plants use the nitrates.

Keep a close eye on ALL the readings... 2 weeks is not an established tank... could be a quick cycle but don't trust it for a while...

 

So long as the tank is truly stabilized and cycled you don't need to worry.

Sent from my Motorola Electrify using Tapatalk

 

The tank is cycled and is fine, I was only concerned with the rapid consumption of the Nitrates. If I run out will my plants suffer or will it only inhibit new growth?

 

Before I moved my planted 10 gallon to a city with ammonia straight from the tap, it ran all 0's. As long as its consistent, and the ammonia and nitrites are 0, you're perfectly fine