NO2 or NO3 test?

Cirith Ungol

Ministry of Fluffy Bunnies
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Dec 22, 2004
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I want to buy a water testing kit for the aquarium. It's NOT a newly started aquarium but one that has been running for years. I know one of the two kits is only for newly started aquariums, I need the other one. Which of the two is it?
 

blazetown

Arachnodemon
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Apr 18, 2008
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I would think it would be ur NO3 (nitrate)...because nitrate levels tend to steadily climb from zero after an initial setup. From what I remember about testing our tanks start loaded with nitrite that is converted into less dangerous nitrate by bacteria.
 

Mack&Cass

Arachnoprince
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Oct 14, 2007
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Blazetown is right. NO2 is more prevalent in new setups while NO3 is a problem in established tanks. NO2 can become an issue if something crashes, such as a filter or if you heavily medicate and you lose your Nitrobacter bacteria responsible for converting NO2 into NO3. I didn't (when I had fish) use NO2 tests on my established systems and since I had multiple filters and quarantined all new arrivals (and therefore never had to medicate my main setups), my bacteria populations would remain relatively stable, to my knowledge.
Mackenzie
 

sean-820

Arachnobaron
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Jun 15, 2008
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I want to buy a water testing kit for the aquarium. It's NOT a newly started aquarium but one that has been running for years. I know one of the two kits is only for newly started aquariums, I need the other one. Which of the two is it?
You need both. No2 should be at 0 always except during a cylcle, but no3 should be below 40 at all times the lower the better. No2 is more toxic so thats why you still want to monitor for it as well as the even more toxic ammonia.
 
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