Where is the nitrate?

Boredomb

Its been like this for 2weeks 0/0/0 for your results? This had been after all cleaning and adding fish? If so then it is possible that you tank is just balance I guess. Though I would still have to wonder. Sorry I missed that part about being that way for 2 weeks

Rayemond

Which test are you using? When I was cycling my tank I kept getting a 0 for nitrate too until someone told me that the API nitrate test can be a bit tricky. The liquid in bottle 2 separates and gets stuck in the bottom of the bottle, especially if it has been sat of the shelf of the shop for a long time. You need to shake it up really well and whack it on a hard surface to loosen it and mix all the liquid up. Shake the hell out of it! The follow the instructions, make sure you shake bottle 2 vigorously for at least 30 seconds before adding it to the test tube and after you add it shake the test tube vigorously for a minute, until it feels like your arm is going to fall off :P

After I followed this advice I finally got a nitrate reading! :D And after the enthusiastic table-whacking, the liquid in bottle 2 was visibly much thicker when it dripped out, whereas it had been quite watery before.

muse435

I did shake, but I will try and "wack" it next time and see if it changes, I have the API liquid test kit.

Tazman

It is best to shake for 2 minutes and not the 30 seconds as recommended on the bottle instructions.

It can be quite possible that the tank is in balance as Boredomb said and you wont get any nitrate.

muse435

but if I have only fake plants, how could it be in balance?

muse435

UPDATE: After shaking the ever loving stuff out of the bottle and lightly hitting it on the counter i got a nitrate reading of 3. also the ammonia test had the slightest bump, but i am assuming that is due to the four fish that were added yesterday.

quick question, i have done a lot of reading but extra advise is always appreciated, should i do water changes based on time (ie, weekly or every two weeks) or should i due water changes based on nitrate readings?

thanks for all of the help.

Boredomb

They should be done once a week in my opinion. There are things in the water that the filter and bacteria just simply can not take care of. Water changes are the only way to actually "clean" the water

Tazman

Based on the nitrate reading...you want to keep it below 40ppm.

Your change schedule would be based on what your readings are. Each water change should reduce the nitrates by half. Test before you do a change and then again after a day. If you find the readings still high then you will need to change more frequently.