# Dose dosing EI fertilization effect Nitrates (NO3) readings?



## Zak Rafik (23 Sep 2014)

Hi guys,

I'm dosing EI fertilization for my planted tank for the past few weeks. Before I started EI dosing, whenever I check my tank's water parameters, it would be:
Ammonia : 0 ppm
Nitrites (NO2) : 0 ppm
Nitrates (NO3) : 0 ppm

However, after I started on EI, I noticed that apart from Ammonia and No2 showing as 0 ppm, my No2 is showing 10 ppm.

Is this due to the Potassium nitrate(KNO3) in the EI fertilizer?

If so, how or when does one go about taking a accurate reading for Nitrates?

Thanks in advance.
Raffik

p.s. My test kit is an API master test kit.


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## ltsai (23 Sep 2014)

The guys here will say don't ever test because test kits are not reliable.


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## Zak Rafik (23 Sep 2014)

ltsai said:


> The guys here will say don't ever test because test kits are not reliable.



Hi,
Yeah I know and sometimes its true from personal experience. 
OK now,  WITH or WITHOUT testing, is it safe to say that adding Potassium nitrate(KNO3) via EI fertilizer does raise the tank's No3 level?

Note to experienced members: sorry if the above question sounds silly. 

Cheers
Raffik


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## ltsai (23 Sep 2014)

KNO3 is meant to meet the K and NO3 requirements for EI, so it does raise the NO3 level but weekly water change helps to reset the amount.

Look under wet's calculator (http://rota.la/ei/) for long time effect of dosing.


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## Edvet (23 Sep 2014)

Yes, if you add X, the levels of X will rise
But don't be afraid of nitrogen, in planted tanks all forms of nitrogen will be used by plants to grow that's why we add it. Add plenty and remove excess with waterchanges thats the theory behind EI.


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## ian_m (23 Sep 2014)

Why are you worried about NO3 levels ? Needed as plant fertiliser and harmless to fish.

Due to a pump failure (actually timer failure) I dumped 1litre of NO3 solution into my tank giving over 350ppm. Were fish bothered, not a bit, just carried one shoaling and food searching as per normal. No change to plants either, just kept on growing as per normal. Would never have noticed anything from looking at the tank, just noticed the faint whirring of the pump.


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## Zak Rafik (23 Sep 2014)

Hi
Thanks for all the info.
The reason I raised this issue was because I lost a fish during quarantine process this morning. I had used the water from the main tank. After the death of the fish, I tested the water parameters in the quarantine tank and I got a reading of 10ppm for No3.

So is it safe to say that one can never achieve 0ppm for No3 due to EI dosing?

Regards
Raffik


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## Edvet (23 Sep 2014)

True.
Did your quarantine tank have a "run in"filter?
Quarantine is good, but you will have deaths in there, transport is stressfull for the fish.


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## Zak Rafik (23 Sep 2014)

Hi Edvet,
I have  few doubts about the quarantine process. Please take a look at the post I just posted. Would appreciate your input.
Thank you so much.
Raffik



Edvet said:


> Did your quarantine tank have a "run in"filter?
> Quarantine is good, but you will have deaths in there, transport is stressfull for the fish.


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