DebSills Posted July 7, 2021 Share Posted July 7, 2021 So...first off, my fish are safe...but, I am confused... I started this cycle about three weeks ago in a 10g - Fluval Stratum, live plants (crypts, sword, chain sword) and two sponge filters (the 10g will be my quarantine tank, so I wanted to have multiple so I could swap back and forth from my main tank) I set up my 29g last week with new Stratum, driftwood and then added everything from the 10g (Stratum, three rocks, all of the plants and one of the sponge filters)...last weekend my Brother in Law hooked me up with a dirty sponge, an entire bag of cycled bio media for my canister (enough for a full tray of my Fluval 207) as well as a crypt, anubias, rotala and a dwarf lily bulb from his 55g tank (has been set up for well over two years and is currently handling ~80 fish...adults and apisto fry) - so I felt (mostly) comfortable putting a few fish in the tank. I have been testing everyday since I added the fish (8 Ember tetras) to make sure I didn't get an ammonia or nitrite spike (so far zeros on both), but here is my confusion - I still haven't seen any nitrates either...maybe a bit orange, but primarily yellow (API master test kit) Is it the plants (this is my first attempt at a planted tank)? Do I not have a big enough bio load? Just want to make sure I'm not missing something. Do I just need to have more patience? I'm happy with the numbers and that the fish are getting more and more active each day, but at the same time still confused at the zero nitrates 😐 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted July 7, 2021 Share Posted July 7, 2021 I know stratum does weird stuff through a cycle. I started a tank to try it with cycled media substrate and plants from my other tanks. It was crazy fluctuating ph,kh,gh and nitrates. I’m exceptionally impatient so I ended up gutting it and restarting. Hopefully someone with more experience has some answers for you. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GameCzar Posted July 7, 2021 Share Posted July 7, 2021 (edited) Are you using any fertilizers? It could very well be that your plants are just consuming all your nitrates. Edited July 7, 2021 by GameCzar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebSills Posted July 7, 2021 Author Share Posted July 7, 2021 @GameCzar I did put three pumps of Easy Green in when I set up the 29 and was using it in the 10 gallon as well - I haven't put in any this week yet. I think I love plants if they are consuming my nitrates! 🙂 More fish for me soon 😄 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott P. Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 Not sure how heavy it is planted, but I think the plants are using it all. Eight tetras in 29 gallons is a lite load. I bet if you fertilize it some more, nitrates will start showing up. Adding more fish will likely do the same. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudofish Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 Plants just make it so much easier. They're basically a cheat code during the cycle. I'd toss some floating plants in there as well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 (edited) Are you using the API liquid test kit? It’s easy to get a false negative on the Nitrate test if you don’t follow the directions exactly. Edited July 8, 2021 by Patrick_G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac M Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 @DebSills 3 pumps of easy green in a 29 gallon aquarium will get you around 3ppm of nitrates. Given that you only have 8 ember tetras which is a very light bioload, I think it is likely that you do have some nitrates but they are so low that they are not easily read on the test kit. Another thing to keep in mind is that it is important to shake the second bottle of the nitrate test kit as per the instructions (cannot remember off the top of my head but I think it is 30 seconds minimum). If you do not, you will get a false zero reading every time. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebSills Posted July 8, 2021 Author Share Posted July 8, 2021 I am using the API liquid test kit, following the directions exactly (shake 30 seconds after 1st, 1 min after second) fair question though, because until about 10 days ago, I was doing it wrong 🙂 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARMYVET Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 On 7/7/2021 at 9:36 PM, Isaac M said: If you do not, you will get a false zero reading every time. I can attest to that one!!! Between screwing up the nitrate test and my problems with the test strips I have overdosed 2 tanks…one with ferts and one with ammonia. now I check and read everything 3 times before I do it 🙄🙄🙄 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebSills Posted July 8, 2021 Author Share Posted July 8, 2021 @ARMYVET pretty much where I'm at right now...I tested twice yesterday just in case I had done it wrong in the morning...I read/re-read the directions even though I pretty much know them by heart at this point - I will definitely be interested to see what the levels are at after I dose Easy Green on Friday (also an Army Vet) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HH Morant Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 On 7/7/2021 at 8:47 PM, DebSills said: I am using the API liquid test kit, following the directions exactly (shake 30 seconds after 1st, 1 min after second) fair question though, because until about 10 days ago, I was doing it wrong 🙂 For nitrates, you shake Bottle 2 for 30 seconds before you use it. You don't shake the test tube for 30 seconds. Unclear what you meant. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARMYVET Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 On 7/7/2021 at 10:20 PM, HH Morant said: For nitrates, you shake Bottle 2 for 30 seconds before you use it. You don't shake the test tube for 30 seconds. Unclear what you meant. Yeah I screwed up that step a few….dozen times!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebSills Posted July 8, 2021 Author Share Posted July 8, 2021 well...at least I know how to do that test now 😐🙄 ta da - 5ppm nitrates! still loving the plants and still getting more embers though 🙂 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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