Nitrate Reading ???

[pink66]

Hi everyone, I have been puzzled for sometime at my Nitrate readings.. ZERO all the time, no exceptions - Having a planted tank I am sure I am meant to have some to help the plants Below is the tank history. My question is that with everything I do as listed below.... does it really matter that my nitrate will not show a reading (p.s new test kit) or is there something simple I am missing.. I know that zero is ace for the fishies, maybe not so good for the plants (and CO2 is not an option)

571 ltr with sump (30 ltrs) - set up in July 08.. Used prawns to cycle.. Even on setting up when ammonia was sky high, only just registered Nitrate..

- Tank holds six discus (from 5cm to 13cm), 13 tetras, 5 rummy,
6 cardinals, 4 cory, 5 koulie, 1 B butterfly.
- Full tests done twice a week - ph 7.4 (never below 7.2) - nitrate, nitrite
& ammonia 0 (water very very soft)
- 7-9 days 50% water change (use prime)
- Food fed at least 3 times per day (bh mix, bs, fdbw, tetra bits)

Plants - Amazon Swords (potted into eco complete) & crypts in gravel (sides of the tank are planted out middle is sand and not planted) anubias on timber

swords - fert tabs every 2 weeks (looking a bit sad though)
crypts - fert tabs every 2 weeks (going OK just a bit of algae)
lace plant - no fert tabs..
anubias - flourish 1 per week (having a bit of trouble with algae so have started dosing with excel after each water change)

lighting T8's (2 rows)

thanks in advance for your thoughts

[waitaki]

try a different brand testing kit. I have been using one brand but when Dr Loh came to visit my place he used the sera brand - got a different reading altogether

[pink66]

thanks waitaki, have tried 2 different brands.. I also test my african tank at the same time and the test kit gives readings :?

[stormhenge]

try a different brand testing kit. I have been using one brand but when Dr Loh came to visit my place he used the sera brand - got a different reading altogether

it all depends on what the kit is testing for, like ammonia, youll get different results depending on how the kit tests for ammonia.
i dont think its the same way for nitrate, but if nitrate shows up in your african tank and not your discus tank than your good.
because it obviously isnt the test kit.

i think you just have an ace setup. my tank almost never has a nitrite reading but i can regularly pickup trace amounts of ammonia and i do get a very low nitrate reading before i do my water change.

keep chugging along i say =]