Am I reading this wrong ???

[Hilltopreef90]

When I use the seachem nitrate test and compare to the color chart it’s between 1-2 when I used my new Hanna checker I got 13.3 ppm isn’t that too high ? Am I reading it correctly?

 

[dvgyfresh]

Can’t read the color chart at all lol Hanna is more accurate and nitrate at 13 is fine

 

[vetteguy53081]

Its high but within acceptable high range.

 

[Hilltopreef90]

Can’t read the color chart at all lol Hanna is more accurate and nitrate at 13 is fine

Then why on the parameter chart it calls for
< 1.0 ppm ?
My other tank is reading 32.1
I’m wondering if I’m confusing my percentages ?
According to a Hanna checker what is a good nitrate to be at ?

 

[Pistondog]

< 10ppm

 

[dvgyfresh]

Then why on the parameter chart it calls for
< 1.0 ppm ?
My other tank is reading 32.1
I’m wondering if I’m confusing my percentages ?
According to a Hanna checker what is a good nitrate to be at ?

There is no one all be all rule for nitrate / phosphate I run my tank a little dirtier than most - 20ppm nitrate and .1 ppm phosphate you can check out my build thread , I keep a lot of softies / nems / macro algae so everything enjoys the dirtier water. Brittle starfish spawning like crazy I may have to sell soon because they aren’t the mini ones

 

[Hilltopreef90]

There is no one all be all rule for nitrate / phosphate I run my tank a little dirtier than most - 20ppm nitrate and .1 ppm phosphate you can check out my build thread , I keep a lot of softies / nems / macro algae so everything enjoys the dirtier water. Brittle starfish spawning like crazy I may have to sell soon because they aren’t the mini ones

So basically if my tank is looking good and the corals are happy and thriving I shouldn’t worry so much about the parameters unless they suddenly increase decrease or I start having algae issues ?

 

[flyingscampi]

I only started this year with a 15 gallon and I have learnt that if I keep NO3 around 15 and PO4 around 0.1 (through water changes), I get far less cyano and brown gunge which the CuC ignore, and more green stuff that they eat. Everything else seems to be thriving as well, the rocks are alive with tiny multi-legged creatures...

 

[dvgyfresh]

So basically if my tank is looking good and the corals are happy and thriving I shouldn’t worry so much about the parameters unless they suddenly increase decrease or I start having algae issues ?

Yes , obviously you should still test the parameters but this is how I run my tank less handling it makes it more stable