nitrite or nitrate

[Palue]

Which is the main one that you should be testing for Nitrite or Nitrate??

What is the difference between the two??

:angel:

[judy]

Read the sticky on the nitrogen cycle; that will explain it to you.

[calihawker]

Nitrites are what are harmful to fish so those should always be zero. Nitrate should exist <5ppm in properly cycled tanks and around 10 ppm for planted tanks.

Both exist in the aquarium as part of the nitrogen cycle:
Ammonia to nitrite, nitrite to nitrate, nitrate to free nitrogen.

Ammonia and nitrite should be at or near zero.,


HTH
Steve

[Don Trinko]

both; also ammonia and ph. In the sticky part there is imfo abought the nitrogen cycle. It will explain in detail.
Basicly the fish give off amminia, it is converted to nitrites by bacteia, the nitrites are converted to nitrates by a different bacteria. This happens once the tank has "cycled". After a tank has cycled the ammonia should be 0, the nitrites should be 0, and the nitrates will gradualy build up. The nitrates are removed by water changes. Most cosider that the nitrates should be kept low for discus. I keep mine at 5 or less but some cosider lower than 20 to be acceptable. Don T.

[Graham]

Nitrites are what are harmful to fish so those should always be zero. Nitrate should exist <5ppm in properly cycled tanks and around 10 ppm for planted tanks.

Both exist in the aquarium as part of the nitrogen cycle:
Ammonia to nitrite, nitrite to nitrate, nitrate to free nitrogen.

Ammonia and nitrite should be at or near zero.,


HTH
Steve

Steve for nitrate to be converted to free nitrogen then de-nitrification needs to happen by anaerobic bacteria. This is not something that happens with 99.9% of all freshwater aquariums.

Graham ...back in the land of cold:(

[calihawker]

Ahhh. Thank's for the clarification Graham :)


Steve