I need a water testing kit what is a good one to get that isnt too expensive and will last awhlie
Best water testing kit
- Thread starter AnthonyFish20
- Start date
API Test kit but buy on Amazon. In store price high but test kit is worth it. They have expiration dates of atleast 2 yrs.
Tbh I test my aquariums occasionally when adding new fish to one of them or if I notice a change of behavior of fish. I do consistent water changes and filter maintenance. Also test more If setting up a new aquarium and waiting for cycle to complete.
It's also very important too to test aquarium when you have fry to raise or juvenile fish that are still growing. I personally test frequently in either of those situations.
Yeah, the API test kit is the kit that most of us have. Initial outlay can seem a bit steep but don't forget, those test liquids can literally last year's, depending on how often you test your water. Once you get confident with your maintainance regime you'll find you very rarely need to get the test kit out, in fact the chances are that the expiry date on the bottles will be up before you run out!!
As mentioned, follow the instructions to the letter. Especially the nitrate test where bottle 2 can crystallise. You really need to shake and bang it to death to bring it back to liquid form. Make sure your vials are cleaned out thoroughly between tests and when matching the test vial colour up to the chart, make sure you hold it right up against the white background on the test card to get the true colour reading.
As mentioned, follow the instructions to the letter. Especially the nitrate test where bottle 2 can crystallise. You really need to shake and bang it to death to bring it back to liquid form. Make sure your vials are cleaned out thoroughly between tests and when matching the test vial colour up to the chart, make sure you hold it right up against the white background on the test card to get the true colour reading.
After your tank has sufficiently cycled, testing can help you determine what your water change schedule should be when setting up a new tank, or after adding new fish.
You test your tap water to determine a barometer of what you have to work with,
lets say your tap water has a pH of 7.8, and 0 ppm nitrate, this is your best case scenario, but....
A) You do a water change, take a sample, and your tanks pH is 7.6, nitrate 5 ppm, that may be your normal reality.
B) You "believe" the next water change of 30% will be fine in two weeks because somebody says every 2 weeks is sufficient, so just before that water change, you test.
Your results are pH 6.4, and nitrate of 25 ppm.
To me this means waiting two weeks between water changes is probably too long, and 30% may be too little, because the difference between the results of your pH and nitrate are too great, between A and B.
So you decides to change your water change schedule, instead of waiting 2 weeks, after 1 week. you test, your tanks water has a pH of 7.2, and nitrate and nitrate of 15.
This is a more reasonable drop, but significant enough to warrant a water change.
Test again in a week, if pH and nitrate are similar, this could be a normal schedule.
But then, you go to a LFS and see a few new fish you want, add them, and with the new fish after a week, you pH again drops to 6.6 and nitrate of 20.
To me this means the addition of new fish means, maybe instead of waiting 1 week, you may need to change that water change schedule to every 4 days, instead of every 7.
You also might test your tap water to determine what are the proper fish for your tank.
Lets say your tap water has a pH of 8.2 (Normal in some parts of the US), with hardness of 350 ppm and your tank water has an average of 7.8, and similar water hardness (it hardly ever changes).
When you go to the LFS you see some beautiful wild caught Chocolate gouramis, or Cardinal Tetrasand want them badly .
Google them to see what they need.
A normal pH of somewhere between 4-6, and water hardness of 50ppm for the Chocolate, same parameters for the cardinals.
If you buy them, they may be dead in a few days, and it won't be the LFSs fault.(they may have been keeping them in RO water). A good LFS would warn you though about their needs.
For those water conditions, live bearers and other fish of Central America, and cichlids from the rift lakes of Africa, Rainbows of Australia (not Papua New Guinea) would be better choices.
You test your tap water to determine a barometer of what you have to work with,
lets say your tap water has a pH of 7.8, and 0 ppm nitrate, this is your best case scenario, but....
A) You do a water change, take a sample, and your tanks pH is 7.6, nitrate 5 ppm, that may be your normal reality.
B) You "believe" the next water change of 30% will be fine in two weeks because somebody says every 2 weeks is sufficient, so just before that water change, you test.
Your results are pH 6.4, and nitrate of 25 ppm.
To me this means waiting two weeks between water changes is probably too long, and 30% may be too little, because the difference between the results of your pH and nitrate are too great, between A and B.
So you decides to change your water change schedule, instead of waiting 2 weeks, after 1 week. you test, your tanks water has a pH of 7.2, and nitrate and nitrate of 15.
This is a more reasonable drop, but significant enough to warrant a water change.
Test again in a week, if pH and nitrate are similar, this could be a normal schedule.
But then, you go to a LFS and see a few new fish you want, add them, and with the new fish after a week, you pH again drops to 6.6 and nitrate of 20.
To me this means the addition of new fish means, maybe instead of waiting 1 week, you may need to change that water change schedule to every 4 days, instead of every 7.
You also might test your tap water to determine what are the proper fish for your tank.
Lets say your tap water has a pH of 8.2 (Normal in some parts of the US), with hardness of 350 ppm and your tank water has an average of 7.8, and similar water hardness (it hardly ever changes).
When you go to the LFS you see some beautiful wild caught Chocolate gouramis, or Cardinal Tetrasand want them badly .
Google them to see what they need.
A normal pH of somewhere between 4-6, and water hardness of 50ppm for the Chocolate, same parameters for the cardinals.
If you buy them, they may be dead in a few days, and it won't be the LFSs fault.(they may have been keeping them in RO water). A good LFS would warn you though about their needs.
For those water conditions, live bearers and other fish of Central America, and cichlids from the rift lakes of Africa, Rainbows of Australia (not Papua New Guinea) would be better choices.
