nitrate levels 0 ppm

[PTJimmy]

I have 3 month old 37 gal tank, planted with some java fern, anubias, amazon sword.  Have been doing 20% water change weekly.  Fish are doing well (2 corys, 4 algae eaters Otos, 5 black neon, 2 honey gourami).  Ammonia, nitrite AND nitrate levels have always been zero.  pH 6.4, soft water.  

Plants : java fern producing lots of offshoots (not sure of proper term) at tips of leaves, anubias and swords look ok but not really growing much.

Should I be concerned that nitrate levels are zero?  Do I need for them to be higher? And advice on achieving that.

Thanks, newbie here

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/29/2024 at 8:10 AM, PTJimmy said:

I have 3 month old 37 gal tank, planted with some java fern, anubias, amazon sword.  Have been doing 20% water change weekly.  Fish are doing well (2 corys, 4 algae eaters Otos, 5 black neon, 2 honey gourami).  Ammonia, nitrite AND nitrate levels have always been zero.  pH 6.4, soft water.  

PH is pretty low.

What is your KH and GH at the tap?  Perhaps the KH is dropping over time and turning to 0, leading to a PH crash.

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/ph-gh-kh

Secondarily, you may not be changing enough water which exacerbates the KH issue (if it's on the margins of stable).

https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/EffectiveWaterChange.php

Edited February 29 by nabokovfan87

[bennyblee]

On 2/29/2024 at 11:10 AM, PTJimmy said:

I have 3 month old 37 gal tank, planted with some java fern, anubias, amazon sword.  Have been doing 20% water change weekly.  Fish are doing well (2 corys, 4 algae eaters Otos, 5 black neon, 2 honey gourami).  Ammonia, nitrite AND nitrate levels have always been zero.  pH 6.4, soft water.  

Plants : java fern producing lots of offshoots (not sure of proper term) at tips of leaves, anubias and swords look ok but not really growing much.

Should I be concerned that nitrate levels are zero?  Do I need for them to be higher? And advice on achieving that.

Thanks, newbie here

Hey,

Specific to your java ferns--if they are mass producing little plantlets along the leaves, that is usually a sign of stress--the mature leaves are sacrificing themselves to make babies that will hopefully float off and find better water. Usually, java ferns are very susceptible to potassium deficiency. If you are not supplementing potassium I would suggest it to see if your java ferns will start growing then instead of making babies. I had the same issue and potassium supplementation completely fixed it.

Also, are you using any liquid fertilizers?

[PTJimmy]

On 2/29/2024 at 12:36 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

PH is pretty low.

What is your KH and GH at the tap?  Perhaps the KH is dropping over time and turning to 0, leading to a PH crash.

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/ph-gh-kh

Secondarily, you may not be changing enough water which exacerbates the KH issue (if it's on the margins of stable).

https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/EffectiveWaterChange.php

GH same at tap and aquarium  25 mg/ml, low range of OK on my strip

KH again same at tap and aquarium, 40 mg/ml, low range of OK on my strip

pH is 6.4 from tap, slightly darker but still closest to 6.4 in aquarium

 

On 2/29/2024 at 3:19 PM, bennyblee said:

Hey,

Specific to your java ferns--if they are mass producing little plantlets along the leaves, that is usually a sign of stress--the mature leaves are sacrificing themselves to make babies that will hopefully float off and find better water. Usually, java ferns are very susceptible to potassium deficiency. If you are not supplementing potassium I would suggest it to see if your java ferns will start growing then instead of making babies. I had the same issue and potassium supplementation completely fixed it.

Also, are you using any liquid fertilizers?

Yes have plant tabs and dose once weekly with liquid API Leaf zone but which is potash 3.00% and iron 0.10%

[bennyblee]

 

Also to clarify, did you do a fishless or in-fish cycle initially to establish your filter?

On 2/29/2024 at 4:26 PM, PTJimmy said:

Yes have plant tabs and dose once weekly with liquid API Leaf zone but which is potash 3.00% and iron 0.10%

When you say plant tabs, are you referring to root tabs that you bury in the substrate? The anubias and java fern are column feeders so root tabs won't make much of a difference to them, and API leaf zone doesn't have the full complement of macronutrients. Your plants are probably converting all the available nitrate in the water column from the fish bioload, and it may not be enough for the java ferns if they are not growing well. Java ferns are very slow growing in general and get out competed easily, but making lots and lots of plantlets usually means they are unhappy for some reason or another. I would suggest getting some Aquarium Coop Easy Green all-in-1 liquid fertilizer and adding that to your regimen.

[PTJimmy]

On 2/29/2024 at 4:42 PM, bennyblee said:

 

Also to clarify, did you do a fishless or in-fish cycle initially to establish your filter?

When you say plant tabs, are you referring to root tabs that you bury in the substrate? The anubias and java fern are column feeders so root tabs won't make much of a difference to them, and API leaf zone doesn't have the full complement of macronutrients. Your plants are probably converting all the available nitrate in the water column from the fish bioload, and it may not be enough for the java ferns if they are not growing well. Java ferns are very slow growing in general and get out competed easily, but making lots and lots of plantlets usually means they are unhappy for some reason or another. I would suggest getting some Aquarium Coop Easy Green all-in-1 liquid fertilizer and adding that to your regimen.

Thanks.  I set up aquarium for about two weeks then gradually started adding fish every 2-3 weeks.

I will get Easy Green too, and take some water to local aquarium shop for testing and comparison with my strips.