Is there something wrong with my test kit??!!

My nitrates are in the red!! or My nitrates are in the red??

I have over a 100 pounds of LR, was sugar dosing 1/4 tsp a day and a fuge w/ chaeto and gracilaria. I bought the nitrate test kit a week ago and its constantly been in the red and I have tested four time over a week. My fish are doing just fine and healthy and my monti has even shown growth. My phosphates are 0 and my chaeto doesnt grow too fast but grows. I dont get how my nitrates can be so high and everything still doing so well. I admit I hadnt tested for it in quite some time but I cant think of any nitrate source either, i keep up with cleaning and dont overfeed IMO. Is there something wrong with my test kit?

 

I don't have a clue, but I do have a question if you don't mind. What is the sugar for?

 

Carbon dosing. Same concept as vodka dosing or VSV (vodka, sugar, vinegar). The idea is to provide a carbon source for denitrifying bacteria biomass. Heres a good link explaining the vodka thing Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com

 

Wow, that's very interesting. You learn something new every day, if you don't, what's the point? Thank you.

 

I did a 10% w/c today, is it safe to do another 20% w/c tommorow or even a 50%?????

 

i wouldnt do a 50 keep doing 10 to 20% WC everyday until nitrates down. Is there anyway the sugar is adding nitrates?? Also how old is your system and how large?

 

After displacement and including the fuge its about 50g total water volume, the tank is over a year old. The sugar should of lowered my nitrates if anything and the test was showing this readin when I initially started dosing last week. I did a 10% percent today as stated, do you think I will be ok if I do a 20% tommorow then another 20% the next day. It wont be as effective due to dilution but would cause less stress from any rapid change in parameters.

 

Most species of fish that are already in a system can handle substantial nitrates. As the nitrates rise, they adjust. When you would have a problem would be if you bought a new fish that was used to 10ppm and put them into a tank that was very high in nitrate. That fish probably won't make it.

 

hmm. no wonder that new pair of percs is breathing a bit heavy. If I do 20% then 20% more, will I be ok or should i give more gap between. My corals and inverts are fine as well. I will have them check my nitrates at the LFS tommorow. I checked them today after doing the 10% and its still in the red (API test kit).

I mean I would think that all that live rock and chaeto and filtration would keep it a little low.

 

If you match your salinity and temperature and the water is aerated to push up pH, then I wouldn't have a problem doing a 40 percent water change all at once.