Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

You have to do all your diluting before the test- adding water afterwards isn't the correct way to do it.

Try adding 45ml of clean water to your 5ml AP sample, mix well and take 5ml of that, test, then multiply the result by 10.

This is what my graph looks like so far:

I suspect nitrate tests on Feb 13 and 14 possibly the result of not enough bottle #2 shaking, there needs to be a whole lotta shakin' going on!

What I did was put 15ml clean water in a shot glass, add 5ml AP water, take out 5ml, test the 5ml and then throw the test result away.
Then I added 15ml clean water to the shot glass (which by now contained about 15ml diluted AP water)

I guess I didn't allow for the 5ml that went down the drain. I will try again following your instructions above.



Nope - definitely did the test right. I shake Bottle #2 whilst counting slowly to 60. (Since the instructions say to shake for a minute.

I was doubting today's test results for nitrates but I tested twice and got the same results.

I shook my #2 solution bottle for 60 mins the other night, the regular 1 minute violent shakes don't seem to be enough to stop lumps of precipitate forming in the bottle, and those lumps can lead to overstated NO3 levels in the results. I had that happen to me in my last test kit, and even with the new one, I'm not sure I entirely believe the 600ppm result it gives (I have to dilute to 1/20).

IMHO it is unlikely that a few small seedlings could use up 140ppm of nitrates in one day, I think the levels would tend to come down more slowly. Some people struggle to get nitrates down with plants and do water changes to speed the process up.

Strange that the nitrate test would give me nothing for the first few days and then supposedly "inflated" nitrate readings and then suddenly drop today.

And each time I have tested I have shaken for the same amount of time. Just shook the 2nd bottle for 60 mins while walking around the house doing stuff and then tested nitrates for the 3rd time today. Exact same result.

I also just tested 5ml AP water diluted in 45ml clean water and got readings of 5plus ppm for nitrites.

See photo below:

OK, looking at 50ppm or more nitrites, I reckon another week or more until they drop to zero, although it will happen faster at higher temps. In my small system in winter the time from when nitrites went high to when they were back to zero was about 2 weeks.

Same NO2 result, ie 20ppm? 20ppm is entirely reasonable I think- the 160ppm days were the odd ones.

Just reading through your recent entries on the rollercoaster of cycling took me back to this time last year with my first system. I was water testing daily or more, and trawling BYAP threads for information while cycling, then it got even more exciting when I got trout and nitrite spikes! They all survived until we ate them, and I haven't done a water test in months now...

Enjoy the journey Sophia. I look forward to seeing your first fish plated up. Great job on your system.

Jo

Hi Jo,

Still worth testing the water from time time. Post cycling I found it all very stable - but the pH eventually crashed - took a long time but not before 2 fish died pH I test every now and then. Tend to leave the others (Am, Ni, Na) a bit longer between tests pending how everything is going

Sorry still laughing.

Photos of the fish waving out the window would be great

It was beautiful wasn't it!?

So yesterday I had to add around 400L of tap water very quickly as I discovered my sump pits were about to run dry and my pump was struggling.

I treated it with Aqua One water Ager to remove Chlorine and chloramines.

Today's test results:

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate around 100ppm

I'm going to assume my negative Nitrite reading is simply because of the diluting effect of all that tap water.

ammonia reading zero as well?

Add more ammonia and see if it appears as a reading them disappears.

Ok so yesterday I added a small handful of fish food as my children and "donors" for wee have had chest infections and been put on antibiotics.

Hubby kindly stepped in as "donor" after some convincing and I added 500mL wee this morning.

So I'll expect an ammonia spike in the next few days as the fish food breaks down and the wee as well.

Today's test results:

pH = 7.2
Ammonia = 0.25ppm
Nitrites = 0.25ppm
Nitrates = 160ppm

Here's some progress shots of the GBs. Still some cladding and painting to do and then I have to find a safe option for the capping... But we are slowly getting there.

Grow cover is tucked up to allow pollinators to reach our eggplants.