[Donna & David]

For the past 3 wks I have been overjoyed that I have had a zero nitrate reading and then today when I tested again with the same result, I started to wonder if maybe I should be worried. Is having zero nitrAtes bad? (The API test shows readings in my other tanks so I know the tests are working.)

50G planted tank w/malaysian wood set up for 1 yr
0 ammonia
0 nitrate
0 nitrite
7.4 PH
79F temp
Current fish list in my sig
Rena XP3 filtration

 

[moto_master]

I'm not sure it'd be enough to eat all the nitrates, but the plants use the nitrates as food. I have vines growing out of my tank, and my nitrates never get over moderate. If your tank is heavily planted and / or a low bio load then I guess there's a possibility that you'd have 0 nitrates. If so, congratulations on the balanced bio-system!

 

[under_control]

How heavily planted is it, do you use high light/co2/ferts?

Water changes? How old is the test kit?

 

[Donna & David]

Life-Glo2 bulbs 8hrs a day, no ferts or co2. Don't know if it is considered heavily planted so I will attach a pic I just took. Had been doing weekly 20% w/c but since zero nitrate reading I have not done one. API test is approx 4 months old and other tanks which are not planted continue to have consistant readings.

 

[moto_master]

My fish like to eat those plants so I don't know how well they get rid of Nitrates, but that does look like a lot of plants, and not too many fish in there. I think that it might be possible that they are absorbing all your nitrates. I don't think it's your tester. You could test your tap water to see if there's any in there, and then do a 30% water change or so and test the tank. you could also ad ammonia, or just over feed the fish, and see if you get a nitrate spike. If you can get the nitrates to spike, keep testing the water to see if the plants eat up the nitrates. That's what I personally think is happening there.

Like your tank btw. Looks awesome!
:fish:

 

[Donna & David]

Thanks moto_master! I was just making sure that having zero nitrAtes was really a good thing. I have always tried to maintain a low nitrAte reading (which is normally around 10ppm) but am just shocked that it is now better than I had been trying for.

 

[moto_master]

Sure thing. I don't know why it wouldn't be a good thing to have 0 nitrates. I strive for it...

 

[punman]

Depending on your type of test kit - mine is two bottles of liquid - if so be sure to shake them well or results are not accurate.

 

[Donna & David]

As soon as I got a zero reading I tested and retested and even set timers to make sure I shook the vial for the correct amount of time.