Samuel Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 Hi guys This is my Uaru tank that was cycled and running for 2 months. I've been routinely testing the water with Aquarium Co-op test stripes and am now finding that the aquarium is reading 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite and 0 Nitrates. Its been about 2 weeks with these 0 readings and the fish are happy and healthy! How do you think this has happened? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 If you use api liquid Are you shaking bottle number 2 vigorously for at least 30 seconds and the tube for a full minute? Also that is a very lightly stocked tank. It may just have nitrates too low to register on whatever test you use. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 @Samuelwhat is the filtration? its possible to just have 0nitrate too, that looks like a pretty big tank to me.for just fish there is nothing wrong with having 0nitrates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Posted February 21, 2023 Author Share Posted February 21, 2023 (edited) It's running an internal sump on the right. It was reading nitrates before and there is no nitrate export other than water changes which I've slowed down because no need. I guess it is possible that it's so lightly stocked. Another thing is the substrate may be growing anaerobic bacteria which eats nitrates apparently? I'm not sure if this is true or not Edited February 21, 2023 by Samuel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 @Samuelthis might not be a perfect solution but maybe get another reliable test kit and test the water with that. then compare your results to make sure your testing is accurate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Posted February 22, 2023 Author Share Posted February 22, 2023 I'm using the Aquarium Coop test stripes and Ammonia from API test kit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllFishNoBrakes Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 @Samuel ACO test strips read like 0-5 nitrates for me while the API liquid test will read 40. I use the strips more for pH, hardness, and buffer than I do for nitrates. Also, I agree with the others that the tank is super lightly stocked in my opinion. I wouldn’t worry about it much. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Posted February 22, 2023 Author Share Posted February 22, 2023 Fair enough. I trust Aquarium Coop strips more than API, no proof that API is an accurate measurer of nitrates, they're just what we're used to. I know that Cory and others hobbyists have tested the strips thousands of times and are happy with the results so thats enough for me! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllFishNoBrakes Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 @Samuel testing for me personally really just confirms that nothing has changed. My 13 tanks have been set up for coming up on 3 years so it’s more just, “yup, exactly what I expected”. I tend to focus more on consistency than trying to push the limits 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 On 2/21/2023 at 3:45 PM, Samuel said: It's running an internal sump on the right. what media is in the sump? You also have anaerobic pockets in the substrate given that you have sand and gravel mixed. There will be some ability for the "sandbed" to handle nitrates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Posted February 22, 2023 Author Share Posted February 22, 2023 I've got a few lays of sponge in the first section then coarse media sticks in the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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