Koi-Lo wrote:

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...

I've been doing endless massive water changes as often as possible would

like to know exactly what the readings are nonetheless. I ordered the
Flourish products. The should be here in less than a week.


Then I'd suspect you have a sewage bed in your gravel that is continuosly
leeching stuff into the water. There's absolutly no way fish can make
nitrates spike that high quickly by themselves.

===========================
I know. The gravel bed is thoroughly vacuumed several times a month and
the gravel isn't that deep. That's why I believe James at the water co.
that the nitrates are .34 as the leave the plant, and *not* 20ppm as the
sticks say it is. According to the Quick-Sticks the nitrates stay at
20ppm until the next water change.

I've been pouring nitrate into my plant aquarium on Mr Sexton's advice
(fighting BGA) and have yet to see 20 ppm nitrate. The plants seem to
soak it up .

I use a SeaTest nitrate test kit that's many years old, and it uses dry
cadmium powder reagent. It seems very accurate, but I haven't seen this
type in the stores recently. Apparently cadmium is a suspected carcinogen.

Steve