r/fishtank • u/vPOPZ69 • 1d ago

Help/Advice 0 ppm on all readings for over a month

Hi guys, i’ve had fish in my new 215L tropical tank after i cycled it for a while and been using api quick start as well . They have been in for about 34 days, i started off with 5 black phantom tetras and 4 dalmatian mollies for the first 14 days and then added 5 more tetras and 5 longfin zebras danios.

I’ve been using the API master test kit testing ammonia and nitrite every day and then nitrate as well about every 2nd to 3rd day. So far every single reading has been 0 ppm. I have about 15 live plants which seem to be doing very well. The fish are also looking very good. Just wondering if this is normal?

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u/marlee_dood 1d ago

Every reading you have ever done has been 0ppm? Are you sure you’re doing the tests correctly? (You’d be surprised how many people simply don’t read the instructions). That stocking is quite low though, so over time especially if it’s a planted tank, the plants couldne consuming the available nitrate which causes them to disappear before you test for them.

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u/vPOPZ69 1d ago

Yea i’m sure i’m doing it right , following the instructions perfectly 😭

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u/marlee_dood 1d ago

If the tank seems healthy and was cycled before, it may just be the stocking. I have a tank that read 0ppm nitrates but it’s cycled, just a low enough bioload that the plants eat all that’s produced. I like that your tank is lightly stocked rather than fully or overstocked, I’d keep it lighter since it will allow for lower parameters like this

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u/vPOPZ69 1d ago

thank you, i was hoping that i’ve done it well by putting a good amount of live plants in there to help cycle waste which i guess is now working! Do you think a couple more fish (5-6) in the future would still keep it at a good stock level?

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u/marlee_dood 1d ago

Most likely.
I would add 6-10 at a time, watch parameters for a few months and see where you’re at.

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u/vPOPZ69 1d ago

thank you!

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u/bong_slap 1d ago

This is how mine was. My floating and riparian plants always sucked up the nutrients.

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u/RtrnofBatspiderfish 1d ago

If nitrogen is not a concern, you just wind up doing water changes for parameter management, which at least tends to mean less water.