[archer772]

I have a couple questions and I have been keeping fish for 35+ years. I have been doing 15% WC's every 10-14 days and decided to check a couple things before I did this one so here are my numbers.
Ammonia--------- 0
Nitrite------------- 0
Nitrates------------0
DKH---------------1.6
PH-----------------7.2
I have 47 fish in there rite now and they are small I have been feeding 4-5 times per day with flake and frozens. I have been told that I might not have enough filtration, I am running a Fluval 304 and a Magnum 350 so I guess my question is why dont I get a reading on Trates and I have checked them with another test kit. I do have close to 50 plants in the tank and they are Dwarf Sag, Amazon Sword, Jungle Val, Pennywort, Hornwart and Anacharis. I am not sure if the DKH is the same as KH so I guess that is my other question also is a WC needed at this time.
Thanks.

 

[bradac56]

For our purposes (planted tanks vs saltwater tanks) I always think of KH and DKH as being the same "carbonate hardness" measurement .. I'm sure the forum police will jump out of the woodwork now.

That sounds like allot of heavy plant feeders I'm betting they are sucking the trace's your testing for (?) out as fast as you put them in depending on if you water column fertilize or just rely on the food/poop ratio?

Why would they think you do not have enough filtration? Are you having any problems? As long as all of your plants as slightly waving in the tank from time to time (no dead spots) your fine. There's a tendency in this hobby for most people to want to add more and more light and filtration to every tank which gives diminishing returns quickly.

- Brad

 

[MarkMc]

I think most will agree that unless you calibrate your tests kits they are pretty useless. If do indeed have low nitrates it would be due to plants consuming it. Your low ammonia and nitrite readings indicate that your biological filter is adequate. This all hinges on whether you are getting accurate readings with your test kits. You'll never know unless you calibrate them. The real question is: How does your tank look? Fish growing, healthy, vibrantly colored? Plants healthy and growing? Any problems with algae? If things are great then your regiment is working for that tank right? Personally I stopped using test kits other than gh and dKH because I'm too lazy to calibrate them. I look to the flora and fauna to tell me what I need to do.