dbestnindy
Member
I was just reading some problems that people have and they say 0 nitrates, 0 ammonia, etc. I really don't think mine has ever been 0, not much more, but never 0. If I should truly have 0, then I better step up my waterchanges.
do people really have 0 nitrates in their tanks
- Thread starter dbestnindy
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stanlalee
Active Member
well there's a difference between zero and immeasurable. the latter is nothing unusual. I doubt zero ever really happens. its being produced all the time. there has to be some transient time between being produced and processed however small that may be. If everything is healthy and looks good without excessive algae ect who cares if theres a small amount measurable nitrates. I wouldn't bother changing my water change schedule for 5ppm nor would anything less than drastic probably make any difference.
xcali1985
Active Member
Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/3165205
well there's a difference between zero and immeasurable. the latter is nothing unusual. I doubt zero ever really happens. its being produced all the time. there has to be some transient time between being produced and processed however small that may be. If everything is healthy and looks good without excessive algae ect who cares if theres a small amount measurable nitrates. I wouldn't bother changing my water change schedule for 5ppm nor would anything less than drastic probably make any difference.
I agree. anyways with 5ppm a 20% change technically would only lower 1ppm. Not worth the time, really.
I have chaeto in my fuge and it uses up the nitrates and phosphates, so there is only trace amounts in the water and won't show up on standard test kits, maybe an actual lab. Be aware, if you have algae problems you can/will read 0 nitrates due to the fact it is using it up. With macro algae you remove nitrates by simply trimming the algae plant.
http:///forum/post/3165205
well there's a difference between zero and immeasurable. the latter is nothing unusual. I doubt zero ever really happens. its being produced all the time. there has to be some transient time between being produced and processed however small that may be. If everything is healthy and looks good without excessive algae ect who cares if theres a small amount measurable nitrates. I wouldn't bother changing my water change schedule for 5ppm nor would anything less than drastic probably make any difference.
I agree. anyways with 5ppm a 20% change technically would only lower 1ppm. Not worth the time, really.
I have chaeto in my fuge and it uses up the nitrates and phosphates, so there is only trace amounts in the water and won't show up on standard test kits, maybe an actual lab. Be aware, if you have algae problems you can/will read 0 nitrates due to the fact it is using it up. With macro algae you remove nitrates by simply trimming the algae plant.
dbestnindy
Member
Thanks for both your answers. I guess I am not doing such a bad job after all.
aquaknight
Active Member
Yep.... Or very, very close
(my 125gal's nitrate test)
Agreed with above. On a running system, there is constant output, to it's really not possible to have absolutely zero nitrates. I think even with elevated nitrates I wouldn't worry much.
Agreed with above. On a running system, there is constant output, to it's really not possible to have absolutely zero nitrates. I think even with elevated nitrates I wouldn't worry much.
trouble93
Member
Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/3165205
well there's a difference between zero and immeasurable. the latter is nothing unusual. I doubt zero ever really happens. its being produced all the time. there has to be some transient time between being produced and processed however small that may be. If everything is healthy and looks good without excessive algae ect who cares if theres a small amount measurable nitrates. I wouldn't bother changing my water change schedule for 5ppm nor would anything less than drastic probably make any difference.
++1
http:///forum/post/3165205
well there's a difference between zero and immeasurable. the latter is nothing unusual. I doubt zero ever really happens. its being produced all the time. there has to be some transient time between being produced and processed however small that may be. If everything is healthy and looks good without excessive algae ect who cares if theres a small amount measurable nitrates. I wouldn't bother changing my water change schedule for 5ppm nor would anything less than drastic probably make any difference.
++1
oscar1129
Member
This thread caught my attention.
I've had my tank up for about a month now and it has read zero from day two. Really weird. Everything is living, although I do not have much. A clean up crew of about 15 snails and 8 hermits. 60lbs of live rock. Live sand. Sump setup with a refuge, skimmer, live sand, bio-balls, and micro algae (grape calupra). No problems so far at all...knock on wood.
Tell me if ya see anything wrong!!
Attachment 234090
Attachment 234091
I've had my tank up for about a month now and it has read zero from day two. Really weird. Everything is living, although I do not have much. A clean up crew of about 15 snails and 8 hermits. 60lbs of live rock. Live sand. Sump setup with a refuge, skimmer, live sand, bio-balls, and micro algae (grape calupra). No problems so far at all...knock on wood.
Tell me if ya see anything wrong!!
Attachment 234090
Attachment 234091
oscar1129
Member
Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3165919
Okay, new tanks can definitely have zero nitrates. It's the rest that are liars
I'm hoping this is perpetual! Prob not.
http:///forum/post/3165919
Okay, new tanks can definitely have zero nitrates. It's the rest that are liars
I'm hoping this is perpetual! Prob not.
geoj
Active Member
Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3165372
Yep.... Or very, very close
(my 125gal's nitrate test)
Agreed with above. On a running system, there is constant output, to it's really not possible to have absolutely zero nitrates. I think even with elevated nitrates I wouldn't worry much.
You know that if you use an API test it is easier to get a zero reading
http:///forum/post/3165372
Yep.... Or very, very close
Agreed with above. On a running system, there is constant output, to it's really not possible to have absolutely zero nitrates. I think even with elevated nitrates I wouldn't worry much.
You know that if you use an API test it is easier to get a zero reading
t316
Active Member
Originally Posted by GeoJ
http:///forum/post/3165931
You know that if you use an API test it is easier to get a zero reading
Somewhat true (although I don't use API), but the fact is....one fish could take a crap 5 min's before you test, and this could make the difference between somebody claiming "zero" or something slightly above.
http:///forum/post/3165931
You know that if you use an API test it is easier to get a zero reading
Somewhat true (although I don't use API), but the fact is....one fish could take a crap 5 min's before you test, and this could make the difference between somebody claiming "zero" or something slightly above.
geoj
Active Member
Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/3165939
Somewhat true (although I don't use API), but the fact is....one fish could take a crap 5 min's before you test, and this could make the difference between somebody claiming "zero" or something slightly above.
That would be a good way to know if your fish was having good bowel movements.
http:///forum/post/3165939
Somewhat true (although I don't use API), but the fact is....one fish could take a crap 5 min's before you test, and this could make the difference between somebody claiming "zero" or something slightly above.
That would be a good way to know if your fish was having good bowel movements.
aquaknight
Active Member
Originally Posted by GeoJ
http:///forum/post/3165931
You know that if you use an API test it is easier to get a zero reading
Of the course the facts that my 125gal had over 250lbs of live rock, over 300lbs of sand contributing to a 5" DSB, a separate 29gal refugium with additional DSB, a UV, a turf scrubber, and a skimmer some people use on their 240gals (EV240). All for 7 fish, only 3 medium size, a 6" Blueface angel, a 4.5" Naso tang, 3" Bluespot Puffer, and 4 smaller fish, 2" Rock Beauty, Leopard wrasse, and a pair of percula clowns.
But yea, with an API kit, it never changed from the original yellow. At least with the Seachem kit, I did get something
http:///forum/post/3165931
You know that if you use an API test it is easier to get a zero reading
Of the course the facts that my 125gal had over 250lbs of live rock, over 300lbs of sand contributing to a 5" DSB, a separate 29gal refugium with additional DSB, a UV, a turf scrubber, and a skimmer some people use on their 240gals (EV240). All for 7 fish, only 3 medium size, a 6" Blueface angel, a 4.5" Naso tang, 3" Bluespot Puffer, and 4 smaller fish, 2" Rock Beauty, Leopard wrasse, and a pair of percula clowns.
But yea, with an API kit, it never changed from the original yellow. At least with the Seachem kit, I did get something
srfisher17
Active Member
An interesting discussion; but what type of tank are we talking about? A reef tank with nitrates at 20ppm is trouble. A fish-only tank with nitrates at twice that level is absolutely nothing to be concerned about.
geoj
Active Member
Originally Posted by srfisher17
http:///forum/post/3166161
An interesting discussion; but what type of tank are we talking about? A reef tank with nitrates at 20ppm is trouble. A fish-only tank with nitrates at twice that level is absolutely nothing to be concerned about.
Yes
Were back to a balancing game.
It is easy to keep a reef at zero because the coral are the focus and you don’t need to feed the reef like many fish only.
http:///forum/post/3166161
An interesting discussion; but what type of tank are we talking about? A reef tank with nitrates at 20ppm is trouble. A fish-only tank with nitrates at twice that level is absolutely nothing to be concerned about.
Yes
Were back to a balancing game.
It is easy to keep a reef at zero because the coral are the focus and you don’t need to feed the reef like many fish only.
srfisher17
Active Member
Originally Posted by GeoJ
http:///forum/post/3166167
Yes
Were back to a balancing game.
It is easy to keep a reef at zero because the coral are the focus and you don’t need to feed the reef like many fish only.
....And I buy and do a lot of stuff for my reef that I don't for my other tanks. Zero nitrates is always a nice number but;
I'd like 10% of the money folks, who don't know that nitrates are pretty much harmless to fish, spend on various de-nitrating products.
http:///forum/post/3166167
Yes
Were back to a balancing game.
It is easy to keep a reef at zero because the coral are the focus and you don’t need to feed the reef like many fish only.
....And I buy and do a lot of stuff for my reef that I don't for my other tanks. Zero nitrates is always a nice number but;
I'd like 10% of the money folks, who don't know that nitrates are pretty much harmless to fish, spend on various de-nitrating products.
