Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok...reading from yesterday to this morning went from:

Yesterday
PH 7.2
Ammonia .25
Nitrite .50
Nitrate 0.0

Today
PH 7.2
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrite 0.0
Nitrate 0.0

The only thing I changed was to add the salt to water for the fish on the nitrite spike yesterday. Is this normal for Ammonia and Nitrite readings to disappear overnight? I'm thinking no Nitrite = no nitrate production .

Do you have much in the way of plants in there? It isn't so uncommon for ammonia and nitrite to vanish overnight as a system finishes cycling but one usually sees some nitrate unless you have lots of plants suddenly sucking down the nutrients. (Occasionally adding some micro-nutrients or something like iron or potassium when plants are deficient in those things can cause the plants to suddenly use more of the nitrate quickly.)

So no water changes or topping up of water?

0 is good for all but the plants.

Just 3 small tomato and basil cuttings ( 3 about 4" tall) in a 48" by 84" grow bed that have been there for over a week. So nothing significant. I re-tested three times to make sure it wasn't just a mistake. Nope...no water change or anything except the added salt treatment for 100 gallons. Beats me.....I guess I'll just watch for a few days.

what TCL said. Ur system is cycled and if ur fish density is low, plants will be taking up all the nutes. No need to worry, start feeding a little more heavily and test a couple times a week.

0 wont hurt the plants too much either, just slows them down a bit, I still havnt got nitrate readings

That's good to know that nothings wrong. I just thought that it was odd that the nitites would show up for only one day and disappear the next during start up. Especially with just 3 little spindly cuttings with no roots yet. Well, I guess you learn something new every day. Much appreciated...


"The grass is always greener on the other side...but their water bill is higher too"