Nitrates not going up

CLYRIC · Jan 20, 2023

This might be a dumb post but, I cycled my 55 gallon tank recently and put in a banggai cardinal, red firefish, and 2 trochus snail. I was expecting the nitrates to go up a bit since I am increasing the bioload for the first time, but it hasn't gone up at all. (It's been a week since they are added and it's been about 10 days since the tank is cycled. Is this normal or is my test kit false? (I'm using a salifert test kit)

sixty_reefer · Jan 20, 2023

What’s you nitrite?

Duffer · Jan 20, 2023

What are your nitrates at?

Dave1993 · Jan 20, 2023

colour chart test kits r crap and don't work get hanna or don't bother testing

Dburr1014 · Jan 20, 2023

Bioload vs. Bacteria population.
3 fish vs. Pounds of rock (and skimmer).

What's the reading and how many pounds? Are you skimming?

CLYRIC · Jan 20, 2023

sixty_reefer said:
What’s you nitrite?

My nitrite is at 0

CLYRIC · Jan 20, 2023

Duffer said:
What are your nitrates at?

My nitrate is at 25 (I started adding fish at 25 as well)

CLYRIC · Jan 20, 2023

Dburr1014 said:
Bioload vs. Bacteria population.
3 fish vs. Pounds of rock (and skimmer).

What's the reading and how many pounds? Are you skimming?

I have 2 fish and 2 trochus with 40 pounds of rock that I used fritz turbostart 900 (meant for 100 gallons) and dr tim's all in one bacteria (meant for 60 gallons).
I started adding fish at 25 nitrate and it's still at 25 nitrate. I have a protein skimmer that's meant for up to 100 gallons and a HOB filter that's meant for 40-70 gallons and my tank is 55 gallons.

Dburr1014 · Jan 20, 2023

I think your output is in line with your input.
Water changes will lower your nitrate number.
Adding more input(fish +food) will raise your number.

vetteguy53081 · Jan 20, 2023

CLYRIC said:
My nitrite is at 0

Nitrite does not have any significance Unless about 100. If youre feeding small amounts, may not change number much.

Dburr1014 · Jan 20, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Nitrite does not have any significance Unless about 100. If youre feeding small amounts, may not change number much. Also if youre getting false test readings as with API which often shows nitrate and ammonia when theyre not- That will also explain it.
If using Api kit- take a water sample to a trusted LFS that does Not use Api anything and have them test for you and see what readings they come up with and to compare with yours then you will know where your number stands at

First post; using salifert nitrate kit. He's asking about nitrate. 60's was just asking if nitrite was 0.

vetteguy53081 · Jan 20, 2023

Dburr1014 said:
First post; using salifert nitrate kit. He's asking about nitrate. 60's was just asking if nitrite was 0.

I cleaned it up as reply was for both. It was sort of confusing

sixty_reefer · Jan 20, 2023

Dave1993 said:
colour chart test kits r crap and don't work get hanna or don't bother testing

Colour chart test kits serve their purpose well.

Dave1993 · Jan 20, 2023

sixty_reefer said:
Colour chart test kits serve their purpose well.

i disagree they r crap i have probs spent £600+ on hanna checkers but it was well worth it too get away from inaccurate colour charts

sixty_reefer · Jan 20, 2023

Dave1993 said:
i disagree they r crap i have probs spent £600+ on hanna checkers but it was well worth it too get away from inaccurate colour charts

it’s fine to disagree, I’m happy that you spend a bit extra for the accuracy that may be important in a more mature system. On a younger system we just need to know that we have nitrates and phosphates we not keeping acropora in those systems just yet, they still need to mature.
Not to mention that keeping acropora is everyone aim, some folks just like to keep fish and a few soft coral.