About water parameters

[flukeone]

Help me oh fresh water gurus

After toying around with less-than-reliable water testing stripes I've bite the bullet and got an api master test kit (despite costing $50 here ?)

So my query :
what should I look for?
What are good levels for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?
What's the difference between pH and high range pH?
What else should I know?

Thanks?

 

[tcav88]

Help me oh fresh water gurus

After toying around with less-than-reliable water testing stripes I've bite the bullet and got an api master test kit (despite costing $50 here ?)

So my query :
what should I look for?
What are good levels for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?
What's the difference between pH and high range pH?
What else should I know?

Thanks?

Ammonia nitrites should be 0 and nitrates most aim for 10-20ppm the high ph dropper is just for ph above the regular ph droppers listed ph range.

 

[TwoHedWlf]

What are good levels for ammonia,

zero.

nitrites

zero

and nitrates?

Depends who you ask. Lower the better. Between zero and 40 or so would be fine. 0-20 better.

What's the difference between pH and high range pH?

Low range tests lower PH about 6-8, high range 7-9 or somewhere around there. It will say.

 

[duanes]

Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, less toxic nitrate, I shoot for less than 5 ppm ("most" natural waters are around 0, unless its a rice paddy or pond that's drying up).
pH tells you if your water is neutral at 7, ....acidic (below 7)...... or basic (above 7).
If your tap water has an average pH of 7, but in a week between water changes in your tank, pH drops to pH 5, it means you need to spend less time between water changes.
Some fish prefer low pH water (those fish from the Amazon basin, certain Asian species, those that live in black water, among leaf litter).
Some such as African rift lake fish , or Central American species prefer high pH water. The pH in most large mezzotrophic lakes is often 8 or above (lakes like Malawi, Nicaragua, Gatun and lake Michigan)
Rather than try to alter or adjust pH of your tap water to suit fish, its better to get fish that prefer the pH of your regular tap water.
If your tap water is pH 8, trying to keep Altum angelfish or cardinal tetras, could be difficult, as they would be prone to disease, especially if you have high nitrate (above 10)
On the other hand, if your water has a low pH (ex. 6), and is soft (low pH and soft often go hand in hand) Tanganykan cichlids might go the same fate as soft water fish, in hard water.

 

[flukeone]

What's a good ph for silver arowanas? My tank looks like it's between 6.0 and 6.4.

Nitrates are at 40ppm but Saturday is my waterchange day anyway

Ammonia and nitrites are 0 ?

 

[flukeone]

This is the ph test. Same tank tested twice

 

[FINWIN]

Odd you had some issues with the strips...I've used both strips and liquid API and found no real difference in the readings. I stopped using the liquid because I didn't like the hazard warnings. Surprised this never came up before.

 

[MrsE88]

Have you tested your tap ph?

 

[tlindsey]

What's a good ph for silver arowanas? My tank looks like it's between 6.0 and 6.4.

Nitrates are at 40ppm but Saturday is my waterchange day anyway

Ammonia and nitrites are 0 ?

Stay consistent with wc's and the Silver Arowana will be fine. https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/help-with-my-ph-gh-and-kh.645530/

 

[flukeone]

Odd you had some issues with the strips...I've used both strips and liquid API and found no real difference in the readings. I stopped using the liquid because I didn't like the hazard warnings. Surprised this never came up before.

To be fair: cheap amazon test strips....

Have you tested your tap ph?

Tap water looks 6.4-ish