Nitrate Test Kit Question

G

gatorfan84

Guest
I have had my tank set up for about 13 months. It is a 29g with 30 pds live sand, about 20 pounds lr, and a hob refuguim with about 2 pd live sand, some lr rubble, and chaeto. I also have a skimmer and powerhead for water circulation. I also have some chaeto in the display tank. I have housed a lionfish for about a year, but about a week ago I traded him for a false percula clownfish. Evertime I test my nitrates they are reading like 160 ppm. The clownfish is in great condition. He is very active and his color is perfect. Is it normal for test kits to be inaccurate. When I test the water I use for water changes it reads 0 ppm. My tank is full of pods and other hitchhikers. Would the pods be able to survive if my nitrate levels were 160ppm? Would my clownfish be as active and healthy as he looks if they were 160ppm? I used aquarium

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nitrate test kit. I have had the kit for a year. I just think my kit is inaccurate. My nitrates can't be that high. I also have had a hermit crab for about a year. Him and the clown are the only two inhabitants in the tank besides the hitchhikers.
Any thoughts anyone?
Thanks
Dustin
 
j-bird

j-bird

Member
Take a water sample to your LFS and have them test it to double check. It is VERY possible that your test can be off, testing 0 with tap water does not mean anything. Nitrates would not do anything to your fish though.
 
G

gatorfan84

Guest
I thought that high nitrates were bad for livestock, especially invertebrates? If my nitrates were really 160 ppm wouldn't my livestock catch some kind of disease?
 
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