Nitrate problems

[Limming]

Hi,
I'm having problems with nitrate problems. I have a 20 gallon tall stocked with 7 bloodfin tetra that were introduced today. I did a 75% W/C before adding the fish, a couple hours after adding fish I tested my levels again. Ammonia and nitrites were both 0 and things were looking good...
I checked the nitrates and they were between 20 and 40 ppm (can't really tell the differences of the shades using the api master test kit. I waited 2 more hours and it was 30 or 40 ppm. I did another 50% W/C waited a hour tested again and same results... I did another W/C and just tested still the same level. I've tried cleaning the gravel (about 60% of the tank gravel is open) and the filter in old tank water. The tank is lightly planted with a Penguin biowheel 150 (going to upgrade soon). I have no idea what to do since water changes had no effect. My tap is 0 nitrates and I'm following the directions for testing exactly. I got the kit about a month and half ago new so its not a case of expired kit
Thanks in advance.

[genocidex]

TBH just cause u got the kit a month ago doesnt mean the reagents are bad, but there could be a miss reading on the tests. give it a night to settle then test in the morning. if there is still this jump of mystery nitrates i would recheck your tap water (dechlorinate it and let it sit for an hour or 2). possibly the dechlorinater is causing a miss reading with the test kit. if you had nitrates in the tap then filtering those out isnt too hard. horn wort and duck weed both suck up nitrates like crazy

[Lady Hobbs]

I have the same kit for sometimes a year since I don't test much. Yours did not go bad this soon but I suspect you did not rinse the glass beakers out well enough. Any residue will mess up the next test.

[genocidex]

im sorry LH but i have to disagree, depending on where limming bought his kit its possible its allready bad. i had to return an api master test kit 3 times before i got reagents less than a year old... last time i shop at the place tho....

[Honey Badger 1]

I'm sorry genocidex but reagents are good for 3 or 4 years after the date printed on the bottle depending on which reagent we are talking about. If you don't shake the bottles for the nitrate tests really well you will get higher and higher readings each time you test and I suspect this is the reason. Especially because they are new tests you need to shake the hell out of the reagent before you use it because the crystals in the bottle are settled on the bottom and need to be broken up and mixed back into solution.

[genocidex]

I guess i stand corrected i thoight api nitrate and ph where only good 1 yr after print

[Goes to 11!]

I guess i stand corrected i thoight api nitrate and ph where only good 1 yr after print

Here's the entire run down:
The final four digits of the lot numbers on the bottles indicate the production date in a mm/yy format, IE: 0410 = Produced in April 2010.

API Freshwater Master Test Kit Solutions Expiration dates [Timeframe from the date of manufacture] are as follows:

PondCare Wide Range pH Test Solution - 3 Years
Ammonia Test Solution # 1 - 3 Years
Ammonia Test Solution # 2 - 3 Years
High Range pH Indicator Solution - 3 Years
Nitrate Test Solution # 1 - 3 Years
Nitrate Test Solution # 2 - 3 years
GH Test Solution - 3 Years
Calcium Test Solution #1 - 3 Years
Calcium Test Solution #2 - 3 Years
Phosphate Test Solution #1 - 3 Years
Phosphate Test Solution #2 - 3 Years
Copper Test Solution - 3 Years
KH Test Solution - 4 Years
Nitrite Test Solution - 4 Years
Fresh Water pH Indicator Solution - 5 Years

[KingFisher]

Are you using any fertilizer for the plants?

[Lady Hobbs]

Whenever someone has odd test readings, they automatically assume their test kits must have expired. Kind of like when a neon tetra dies, they assume it's neon tetra disease. LOL

From what I have read, which is a lot, a faulty test kit will not give a high reading but a low reading. But if you did a 75% water change and then another 50% water change and still have high nitrates, I would have to suspect pilot error.

Rinse those glass vials out very, very well after each use. Shake the regents, add exactly as directed, let the mixture sit for 5 minutes and you should have what you have.

There's just no way you can change that much water, add water with 0 nitrates and end up with those results.

[scotchbonneteater]

can't really tell the differences of the shades using the api master test kit.

If you're colour blind that could be the problem