I test my tank weekly for pH and nitrate.
Once a tank is cycled, I figure there is no need to test for ammonia and nitrite, unless some unforseen event occurs.
But both pH and nitrate are the real instantaneous indicators if something is amiss.
If pH quickly drops, this could a number of anaomolies.
Nitrate testing is always telling, I base water changes, in any elevated nitrate results.
My normal pH hovers areound 8, and nitrates always averages undetectable- (below tests from today)
If either of these varies much, figure its a call for action.
And because I test every river where I collect for at least these 2 parameters, I go thru a lot of these 2 reagents.
Above and below the Rio Plantaneros
Below the Rio Mamoni
Luckily on-line I can buy just the pH and nitrate reagents at about 1/3rd the cost of a full API kit sent
Once a tank is cycled, I figure there is no need to test for ammonia and nitrite, unless some unforseen event occurs.
But both pH and nitrate are the real instantaneous indicators if something is amiss.
If pH quickly drops, this could a number of anaomolies.
Nitrate testing is always telling, I base water changes, in any elevated nitrate results.
My normal pH hovers areound 8, and nitrates always averages undetectable- (below tests from today)
If either of these varies much, figure its a call for action.
And because I test every river where I collect for at least these 2 parameters, I go thru a lot of these 2 reagents.
Above and below the Rio Plantaneros
Below the Rio Mamoni
Luckily on-line I can buy just the pH and nitrate reagents at about 1/3rd the cost of a full API kit sent
