Cycling And My Nitrates Are Dropping!

[pirate monkey]

I'm on day 14 of my cycle, everything is going well, but yesterday my nitrates were half what they were the day before, and this morning they have halved again!

Here's a link to my cycle log

Anyone got any ideas on what's going on?

Very confused!

 

[waterdrop]

I don't think it ever said in your log whether you have plants (?)

 

[pirate monkey]

nope no plants, just a piece of bogwood and sand as substrate. It's going to be a new world cichlid tank so wasn't going to bother with any plants at all.

 

[pastabake]

Just a thought - The nitrate could be being denitrified ... an anaerobic bacteria will convert it to N20 - N2 so it degasses.

edit - why this should be happening in your tank is a mystery because your tank should be an aerobic environment .. so maybe your substrate ... or your tanks not oxygenated enough ... or your filter isn't the right size for your tank ... or something else altogether.

edit 2 - just read your log, the bit where it mentions the power cut ... this might be the source of the anaerobic bacteria ... though the play sand substrate if it hasn't been disturbed may also be the cause.

 

[LionessN3cubs]

I'm on day 14 of my cycle, everything is going well, but yesterday my nitrates were half what they were the day before, and this morning they have halved again!

Here's a link to my cycle log

Anyone got any ideas on what's going on?

Very confused!

I have NO idea (Im so new I still squeak) but wouldnt it be just AWESOME if you could figure out how you got the nitrates to drop without doing a water change? Im sure lots of people would just LOVE to have that secret!! LOL

 

[pastabake]

I'm sure that you could have some cunning system with an anaerobic sump that would do the job ... though I hear that heavily planted tanks also need fewer water changes. I'm sure I also read somewhere someone claiming not to have changed their water for over a year. Personally I think a 10% per week water change is a minimum safety net whatever you do.

 

[Colin_T]

Nitrate test kits will read nitrite as well. Therefore if you have a nitrite reading it will show up as nitrate too.
If your nitrates are dropping during a cycle then it means your nitrites are dropping as well.

 

[pastabake]

I knew someone more knowledgeable would turn up with a more likely answer.

 

[pirate monkey]

Thanks for the replies!

So is it nothing to worry about then?

I was really thinking something had gone wrong...!

Feeling a bit happier now anyway cos went and got some wood roots and silk plants so the tank doesn't look so empty now

 

[waterdrop]

I think the amount of Nitrate measured is never something to worry about much either way. You have to stick to the strict test of whether the filter can drop both Ammonia and Nitrites from 4ppm (ammonia start) down to zero ammonia and zero nitrites withing 10 to 12 hours - that's the test.

 

[pastabake]

I was talking to a scientist today and they pointed out that there is no test for Nitrate. Apparently the tests are basically just nitrate tests with extra chemical(s) that convert the nitrate to nitrite ... you learn something new everyday.

 

[pirate monkey]

Waterdrop,

thanks for the reassurance, I was just really worried something had happened due to the loss of power... Like the cycle had reversed or something!

Nitrates are on the rise again this morning so all is well

Pastabake,

well now we know lol! Colin is always saying the nitrate tests show nitrites too, now we know why! Thanks for the info.


Just waiting for these nitrites to drop now, getting so impatient! Waterdrop, I wonder how you managed to keep going for so long! That must have been so frustrating for you... Have you got your first aquatic friends yet?


Thanks everyone for your help, much appreciated!