Hey guys I know I have posted many questions about cycling, I apologize. But I have been using dr tims ammonia and I just dosed my tank again as my ammonia and nitrites have both dropped to 0 ppm. My nitrates on the other hand have been at 40 ppm at times, then dropped to 5 ppm, then 0 ppm. So before I added my ammonia again my ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates were all at 0 ppm. From my understanding I thought the nitrates were supposed to be up. Am I doing anything wrong ? Or is this the course it has to take? Thanks guys very much appreciated!
Cycling
- Thread starter bobbyg04
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Brew12
Electrical Gru
Most aquariums don't have enough of the right conditions for bacteria to remove nitrates. That doesn't mean they don't get removed. Algae uses nitrates to grow. It gets removed by skimmers. It can feed coral. While 0ppm nitrates is unusual in a new tank, it doesn't mean you are doing anything wrong.
bobbyg04
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I'm pretty new to the whole saltwater aquariums, the nitrates are needed right ? Should I turn my skimmer off or would the nitrates just get removed when I turn it back on? I currently have very very little hair algae growth and only dry rock and live sand .
Brew12
Electrical Gru
Yes, they are needed, but I wouldn't worry about it yet. Not unless you have already started adding coral and have no or little algae. Until then I would keep the skimmer running just like you are doing.
bobbyg04
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Yeah I have a couple of strands of hair algae on the rocks that I've been trying to take off little by little lol. It's so little I couldn't imagine that it would be taking the nitrates.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
It can be a combination of a lot of things so I would just stay with the course you are on. Most people fight high nitrates. Very few have to deal with low nitrates.
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