# Nitrates STILL too low??



## LadyCichildLover (May 25, 2011)

I just tested my 55 gallon fish tank for the usual, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia and pH. Everything looked normal more or less, except my ammonia is ever so slightly higher than I would like (a .25) and I was literally SHOCKED to see that my nitrates were at a 0. Now, I know a good cycled tank would be around a 5ppm to 20ppm nothing more and NOTHING LESS. Which is really worrying me. WHY Has my tank not yet cycled? Did it get UNCycled somehow? I've had fish in it who seem to be doing great and they have been in the tank for a long long time now. I've had the tank set up for a year now, with more or less the same fish in it. Recently the water was getting low, and I added new water, per norm. I used to check everything at least once a week but it was driving me crazy because I almost could NEVER get the nitrates or ammonia right on point. I'm honestly afraid to do much to change the conditions my fish are in because I'm assuming its been this way for a while since I wasn't checking it, but I am not sure...I've not had any fish deaths in a long long time in this tank, and I certainly dont want any now! I just want to know what is going on?? and IS there anything I can do safely to fix this? If anyone knows. Thanks!


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

What measures are you using to remove nitrates, aside from PWC's? If you have live plants, I'm not surprised you have 0 nitrate - I do, and have to dose nitrate to keep the concentration at a decent level.


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## rtbob (Jul 18, 2010)

Either you have live plants like what was mentioned, you are using an expired nitrate test kit, your not following the instructions for the test kit or your using test strips instead of a liquid test kit.


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## Rohkey (Apr 25, 2011)

What test kit are you using and how long have you had it? The liquid kits usually only have around an 18-36 month shelf life and a lot of times when you buy them in the store they have already been sitting for a year or so. Also I've read with the API kits you need to vigorously shake the 2nd nitrate bottle for around 2 minutes (it says minimum 30 sec in manual) to avoid a false-low reading.


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## LadyCichildLover (May 25, 2011)

Yeah, I use the liquid test kit. It MAY be expired,I've had it quite a while.. or I may not have shaken the 2nd bottle enough, as you mentioned Roh. I'm going to check again in a little bit. I've not been taken any measures against nitrates....I USED to have live plants, but my fish destroyed them some time ago >_<"


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## rtbob (Jul 18, 2010)

If you have the API kit it is stamped with a lot number. The last four digits are the month and year it was made. It expires three years after this date. If bottle 2 has set for a period of time you must shake the heck out of it. It also helps is you hit it on the counter while shaking. Do this for at least one minute.


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## LadyCichildLover (May 25, 2011)

rtbob said:


> If you have the API kit it is stamped with a lot number. The last four digits are the month and year it was made. It expires three years after this date. If bottle 2 has set for a period of time you must shake the heck out of it. It also helps is you hit it on the counter while shaking. Do this for at least one minute.


Yeah Its the API kit...where do I check for the date at, the bottom of the bottles? And yeah the bottle was sitting for a while, I will certainly try again and shake the crap outta it :3


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## LadyCichildLover (May 25, 2011)

I looked on the bottom of the bottles, didn't see any numbers?


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## Copachick (Jun 7, 2011)

Is there anyone that could possibly tell me why my nitrates are TOO high? A month ago they were 5, now they are 40-80?


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Copachick said:


> Is there anyone that could possibly tell me why my nitrates are TOO high? A month ago they were 5, now they are 40-80?


Nitrates build up over time. The only way to get rid of them is with partial water changes and/or live plants.


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