Im having a hard time figuring out my tanks nitrate intake. For months now I have followed the EI method for my 60gal and use 2 tsp of KNO3 every other day. So I decided to test my water the other day with the aquarium pharmaceuticals nitrate test kit. To my surprise I was sitting at 0ppm according to the kit. As we all know unless we calibrate and so forth we can’t be 100% sure but when we are supposed to be near 20ppm I can’t see the test kit reading 0ppm if there was 20ppm. So I made a small stock solution and dissolved a very small amount of KNO3 and tested this water, sure enough the test kit registered 10ppm (so I know it’s able to register NO3 at least). So I started dosing 3tsp KNO3. Tank starts pearling at lights on, everything looks good.... A few days go by and I notice less pearling into the afternoon. So I dose as normal in the morning 3 tsp KNO3 and wait until the afternoon and test the water with the test kit. To my surprise it says 0PPM! My tank is filled with plants but I would not say heavily plated when compared to a ada contest tank (Every square inch is covered with plant).
So is it typical to have this high of a NO3 uptake if all other conditions are good? Is there something possibly removing it? Does dissolved NO3 sink to the bottom typically or stay in the water column? I’m not using any activated carbon so I know it’s nothing to do with that.
Tank specs:
Pressurized c02 with modified external pvc reactor.
4x65W Pc lights on 10hrs(2hrs 2x65, 8hrs 4x65)
EI dosing per 60gal
Large plant load
Only a few fish to clean up any algae (SAE’s, ottos)
Eheim 2026
Fluval 305
Koralia 1
No name 350gph pump
Thanks guys!
So is it typical to have this high of a NO3 uptake if all other conditions are good? Is there something possibly removing it? Does dissolved NO3 sink to the bottom typically or stay in the water column? I’m not using any activated carbon so I know it’s nothing to do with that.
Tank specs:
Pressurized c02 with modified external pvc reactor.
4x65W Pc lights on 10hrs(2hrs 2x65, 8hrs 4x65)
EI dosing per 60gal
Large plant load
Only a few fish to clean up any algae (SAE’s, ottos)
Eheim 2026
Fluval 305
Koralia 1
No name 350gph pump
Thanks guys!