Here's a stumper for you...

[sparks]

What brand of test kits are you using.
I found Salifert excellent and far more accurate than many others.
I would be concerned of any nitrite reading in a mature tank, should always be zero.
PS I'd love a tank with no algea, SWAP.

-- DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY --

 

[Anonymous]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by sparks:
<strong>What brand of test kits are you using.
I found Salifert excellent and far more accurate than many others.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Thanks for the info! I was actually going to post today and ask what the most accurate test kit was. After the 140+ ppm nitrate reading at the lfs (which was using Drytab test kit, btw), I did a 50% water change, which should have helped, but not totally eliminated the problem, right? Well I went to a buddy of mine's place and tested with one of the dip-strips (I don't remember what brand those are off the top of my head), and nitrates read 0. Totally undetectable. Hmmmmm, methinks the first lfs has some expired test kits.

A false reading would certainly explain why the corals look so good.

I also picked up a fresh batch of caulerpa and a new kind of additive that I'm going to give a trial run. I'll report back with how things are going.

-John