# Are these results good for established tank?



## svtcontour (Jun 25, 2006)

I assume for an established tank, 0 for the ammonia, NO2 and NO3 are normal? All seem happy but I dont know how accurate the test kit is. I assume this would be ok for the following fishies? Congo tetras, Clown Loach, Pleco, Kribensis ??

PH 6.6 - 6.8 (cant tell exactly but in there somewhere)
GH of around 120 (ppm?)
KH of around 40 (ppm?)
Ammonia 0
NO2 0 
NO3 0


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

Is it planted? And how big is it? I question the nitrate reading...


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## svtcontour (Jun 25, 2006)

Should the Nitrate be higher usually? According to the test kit, the water ended up pretty much clear so I couldnt really compare with any of the color bars. Clear was 0 according to the kit.

As for the tank, its a 120 gallon and it does have plants although they are not underwater plants. They are houseplants which I have sitting on top of the tank with the roots in the water. I figured they'd filter the water some and in the past few years I've seen that its always helped. As for filters, its got a pair of Eheim 2217 classic series filters and one Eheim 2260 classic filter (its like a huge trashcan)







Oh I also do about a 10% water change per week.

Anyway as far as the inhabitants go, i've got 20 congo tetra, 4 clown loach, one 12" pleco, pair of kribensis and 10 blackskirt tetra (I forgot to include it in my original post). Oh and one betta. I rarely see him but
he's around.












ChilDawg said:


> Is it planted? And how big is it? I question the nitrate reading...


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

That would explain not having nitrates, how long have you had this setup going?


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## Prez44203 (Oct 10, 2007)

I can't tell from the picture how many roots are actually in the tank, but I know that by having enough plants, you can, in theory, never have any nitrates. Plants do absorb nitrates, and I have heard in a few cases of people never actually building up nitrates because the plants use them up quicker than they can be produced.


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

That is true. I questioned the reading because I didn't know that the tank was planted that heavily (or at all). It looks like the test is correct now that I have all the info!







(You could take it to an LFS to be sure, I guess.)


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## svtcontour (Jun 25, 2006)

I've had this setup for a couple of years now but this was the first time I've done a test. My test in the past was opening the aquarium cover and smelling it. If I didnt smell anything bad, I'd guess it was good







It tends to smell like rain falling on a dirt field. Thats the best way I can describe the odor. Ya I guess it smells like wet soil.



maknwar said:


> That is true. I questioned the reading because I didn't know that the tank was planted that heavily (or at all). It looks like the test is correct now that I have all the info!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## hle_81 (Dec 3, 2003)

You're lucky to not have any nitrates in your tank. I need to do 50% weekly water changes just to keep nitrates below 20ppm in my tank.


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