Nitrates

[Bobika]

Hi all, currently almost 4 weeks into my tank cycle. Used a bottle of Fritz Turbo Start and dosed with Ammonia. Ammonia now reads 0, and Nitrites spiked and now are also at 0, Nitrates spiked are reading at 15ppm so everything is going in the right direction but several days ago Nitrates were reading way higher like 45ppm. How did the Nitrates read lower today when a water change was not performed? I thought Nitrates were only exported via water change.

There is only pukani dry rock which was cured in saltwater, 80F, and in the dark for a month, Carib sea Agra-Alive special grade reef sand, and salt water made with rodi water and insta ocean reef crystals in the tank currently. 35 salinity, temp is 80 F.

Using Red Sea test kit to check parameters.

Thanks!

 

[Justfebreezeit]

did you redo the test?

My guess is either.

1. The nitrite test is wrong and you have more than 0 nitritis which leads to a false high reading on nitrates
2. One of the nitrate tests was errant.

 

[Bobika]

Thanks, noob mistake...test kit expired [emoji2363]