Disappearing Nitrates?

[Mr Melt]

Hey guys.

I've been doing water changes to remove ammonia in my tank (doing a fish-in cycle).

2 days ago was the last time I did a proper water test (it read 1ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrite and 10ppm nitrate)

Now after a 30% water change the water reads:

0ppm ammonia
0ppm nitrite
>2ppm nitrate

I foolishly forgot to test the water beforehand........

But my problem is - is my tank cycled? Did the water change remove all the nitrates?

- Tanks a 50ltr Fishbox
- My tanks been cycling for well over a month; its also been heavily planted along the back.
- Got 5 fish in it at present (betta, 2 platies and 2 endlers).

PS - I should add that I use tapsafe + ammonia remover in my water changes (the latters used to remove ammonia in my tapwater >_>) - that should account for the 0 ammonia reading. I'm just confused by the nitrate reading though - I thought nitrate levels would have at least stayed at 10 or even climbed at this point.......

 

[Geoff-]

presumably your tapwater doesn't have much nitrate in it, if that's the case then nitrate should drop with each water change. the normal process of events is ammonia->nitrite->nitrate. so a cycled tank you should see 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and then 10 nitrate.. a week later 20 nitrate... a week later 30 nitrate... water change back to 10 nitrate (or less). ammonia and nitrite should always be zero in a cycled tank.

your -2 day test of 1ppm ammonia means that either the tank hasn't cycled or your bioload is too great for the filter to handle. what filter are you using?

how much ammonia is in your tapwater?

what pH is your tapwater? (below pH 7, you have mostly ammonium which is not as toxic. above pH 7 you have mostly ammonia which will kill your fish in short order).

seachem prime will dechlorinate and also fix ammonia as ammonium, which is less toxic to fish. i expect prime's influence would last around 24 hours, maybe 48 at the outset.

once the tank is cycled, tap water ammonia will be rapidly consumed by the bacteria. i would still use a dechlor like prime to remove chlorine and fix it as ammonium, and then your fish will be safe from harm! long term use of ammonia remover (in a cycled tank) is not necessary if your filter is properly sized.

 

[twodoctors]

It is cycling. Personally I wouldn't add more fish yet. Give it another week before adding more.

Your nitrate is low because you have plants in it. Don't be surprised. That's what plants do, and one of the reasons for having plants.

Keep ammonia and nitrite low at all times as you cycle with water change. Ammonia remover converts ammonia to ammonium, and would still register as ammonia with most test kit.

Adrian

 

[Mr Melt]

Thanks for the replies.

My filters an Interpet PF1 Internal Power Filter (only details I can get)

And yes, my tapwater has NO nitrates. Made sure of that earlier =P