# Ok Wow



## cduuuub (Oct 19, 2010)

just got back from 2 day trip checked params and are as follows:

ammonia 1.0ppm
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate 0ppm

before i left i check params and did a 35% water change/vac. params were:

ammonia 0 ppm
nitrite 0 ppm
ntrate 10-20ppm

my tank wasnt thrown into a cycle again was it? any advice please! 
im gonna do a small water change here in about a half hour. i have to unpack and get my sh*t going for work tomorrow.


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## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

is your tank planted? thats weird the nitrates went to 0 i would double check the results on that.


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## cduuuub (Oct 19, 2010)

has 2 amazon swords.

I did the tests twice thinking i mixed something up but got the same results each time.


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## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

double check for dead leaves or any leftover food that may cause the ammonia spike. bit of a stretch but possible i suppose. i cant imagine 2 swords suck up that much nitrates but again possible. hopefully someone else chimes in


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## cduuuub (Oct 19, 2010)

nitrates have never really ever been that high. never higher than 20ppm ever. before i left they were at 10-20 ppm. the swords have been in there for 2-3 weeks now, and i couldn't imagine them not really effecting nitrates to sucking them all up over 2 nights.

also before i left i did a gravel vac with a slightly larger w/c then normal. usually its about 20% but i had been slacking and the gravel was dirty so i did a 35ish%. i cleaned the gravel better then i usually do, not that i dont clean it good in the first place, and haven't feed them since. so im almost 100% theres no left over food in there. as far as the decaying plant go i pulled a few small pieces of them out when i got home, but they were still bright green and look as if they had just bitten it off the plant.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

I personally dont understand the numbers. A small ammonia spike can be cause by just about anything....could have been the gravel vac removing a lot of bacteria...or maybe some hidden food or decaying plants. Its the zero nitrates that doesnt really make much sense. I dont see two plants consuming that amount in two days...especially in a cycled tank where there should be a continual production of nitrates.

Might want to take a sample into a pet store to test....but I dont really trust their numbers either. I would just add a little salt to aid in the nitrite spike that you should be getting and continue to test the ammonia...as long as it doesnt continue to rise...you should be fine.


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## cduuuub (Oct 19, 2010)

lfs has a $5 service fee for testing water...

i guess its better to have another test done on it by a different test kit huh? oh well...

(sound of toilet flushing) good bye $5.35.

thanks gg and tensa for the quick replys

p.s. gg raiders are goin all the way next year brother!


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## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

wow 5 bucks is robbery!. i would call around to any fish store locally to try and get a free test.


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## cduuuub (Oct 19, 2010)

the next closest fish/pet store is 15 miles away so either way im flushing 5 bucks down the drain.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Well if it were me...I would probably just ride it out. Add a little salt to help with a nitrite spike and test the ammonia daily to see what his happening. If it continues to rise....I would do daily water changes to keep it somewhat in check. I would also really limit feeding until the tank is in balance.

I could see the Raiders winning the division in the next few years....I could also see them taking a few steps back though.


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