Nitrate overdose

[Chris A.]

I just did a nitrate test ( I think I messed up somewhere ) and read over 100 ppm
Going to let the vial dry and try again. I don't think it's right since I've been been carbon dosing for 3 weeks now.
Anyone else have issues reading nitrate?

 

[dz6t]

How is the skimmer pulling? The skimmer should pull out a ton of stuff when doing carbon dosing.


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[Chris A.]

Its a nano skimmer ,but dose ok . I need to empty every other day. I know it was probably me , I hate using powder in test kits. I never get the damn thing right

 

[Nixperience]

I think if it was that high, you would have visual cues in your tank. If everything looks good, you probably did something wrong with the test.

 

[Chris A.]

The only reason I think they're kinda high is because of my acros not coloring up

 

[luu78]

Does the water look very yellowish when placed in a white container? Sometimes that is an indication of high nitrates. At least thats what I have observed in the past. Or you can bring water sample to me this weekend when we meet up and we will test with my cheapo API nitrate test kit to verify your findings


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[Chris A.]

Haven't looked but it's pretty clear. I can come by in around a hour if that works for you


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[luu78]

Im working today. Wont be home until 8


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[Chris A.]

If not this weekend we can do Monday


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[Chris A.]

I'm back on a normal schedule


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[luu78]

Ok


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[Chris A.]

Just retested and I came up with less than 50ppm with the salifert kit ( between 50 and 25 on the color chart )

 

[Nixperience]

Still high, but not like the crazy high you had before.

 

[Chris A.]

I knew it was my error. Every test I do that involves powder is never consistent. They need a better system or I need to find a product with no powders

 

[Chris A.]

So I just took my skimmer out to clean
And found my nitrate factory.
I dropped the magnet that holds the skimmer down the chamber ( it's a biocube 29 ) so I go fishing for it and I see a cloud of crud come out of the bottom slits under the overall. I start waving my hand in there and my tank is now completely blurry with crud. Guess I need to do this once a week instead of every month

 

[Nixperience]

Woah! Do you use floss behind the overflow? I find that keeps the back chambers clean for a while.

 

[Chris A.]

It's collecting under my skimmer in the first chamber


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[Nixperience]

So skimmer in first chamber means you can't block incoming detritus with floss. Any way skimmer can fit in other chamber?

 

[Chris A.]

I could put the skimmer on the second chamber but I still don't get where you'd put the floss on the first chamber?