testing during the day vs night?

[jarviz]

So I'm getting ~0 nitrates with an API test. I have some diatoms (nothing too crazy), and small bushels of red graciliaria in a 10 gallon. I was wondering since diatoms consume nitrates and they are active only when the light is on... would it make sense to test at night to get a more accurate nitrate reading? or does it not make a difference?

 

[Ashish Patel]

Not going to make a difference.

 

[jarviz]

does thsi mean my diatoms are holding in my nitrates 24/7? so i'm not really at 0 nitrates... i was considering dosing or feeding more but my phosphates are a little high already.

 

[blasterman]

Diatoms dont care much about nitrate in my opinion. They thrive on silicate and phosphate.

 

[GoVols]

So I'm getting ~0 nitrates with an API test. I have some diatoms (nothing too crazy), and small bushels of red graciliaria in a 10 gallon. I was wondering since diatoms consume nitrates and they are active only when the light is on... would it make sense to test at night to get a more accurate nitrate reading? or does it not make a difference?

Most likely silicates that need to be burned off / fueling the diatoms

MultiTest - Silicate

MultiTest Silicate test measures silicates to less than 0.5 mg/L. Silicate is often overlooked, but excess silicate can contribute to certain chronic issues in reef tanks. If you are suffering from chronic issues with diatom algae or dinoflagellates, it's often worth taking a look at silicate as...

www.marinedepot.com

If it's a fairly new setup, then it's a normal stage.

Need to use pure RO/DI water for mixing new salt and for top-off water.

When you test cal, alk, and mag, always test those parameters at the same time, each day.

FWIW:
Test your nitrates and phosphates with the Saliert test kits.