Calling Other Londoner's

[fry_lover]

Curious to know if there are LFS that give "proper" readings with the right equipment, i am mostly interested in Nitrate and pH

Just curious really to how it relates to the test kit readings

I have not tried at Wildwoods yet actually, but i know Maidenhead dont do it

Anyone know of a place in London that does? I know one peep i met got computer print outs of his readings, really precise ones, cant remember where?

Or does anyone here have the equipment and fancy coming to mine for tea & biscuits?

Or shall i phone Thames Water and tell them i drank out the tap and vomited 1 minute later and get them round for a full reading

 

[SJ2K]

Dont fancy trusting the old API test kit yourself? Alot of fish stores just use that

 

[WILDER]

Api test kits are good apart from the nitrate, it meant to be abit dodgy with the nitrate reading.
I use tetra test kit in nitrate.

 

[fry_lover]

Dont fancy trusting the old API test kit yourself? Alot of fish stores just use that

yeh i use API sometimes, i am just curious about the pH and nitrate exact readings (although i know they will fluctuate anyway), i guess i was also interested to see how accurate the kits were to a more advanced testing mechanism (even if its just one ocassion)

And lets face it (or is it just me), if you have Nitrate over 40ppm, and you do a test, going by every single Nitrate Kit chart i have seen, you might as well write down 50,60,70,80,90,100 on 6 bits of paper, put them in a hat, and pull one out, and Bobs Your Uncle thats your reading

 

[SJ2K]

Lol, very true although realisticly, 99% of the time it doesnt make any real difference what your nitrate is in FW aslong as its not stupidly high.

 

[fry_lover]

I am not hugely concerned with Nitrate readings, i have about 20-30ppm from the tap consistently, regardless of year, i test it quite a bit, and i do 30-40% w/c per week mostly.

Just fed up of playing guessing games with the colour charts.

I'd mostly like more precise nitrate readings so if i try to lower them through various "items" you can get even as an experiment, i want top be able to know the bleeding results as accurately as i can lol

 

[WILDER]

Tetra chart good in nitrate as you can tell the colours apart.

 

[fry_lover]

Api test kits are good apart from the nitrate, it meant to be abit dodgy with the nitrate reading.
I use tetra test kit in nitrate.

Hi Wilder, even the Tetra one, i dont find the colour chart great all the colours are virtually the same, and i am not colour blind i am sure!

I admit a nitrate kit can tell you roughly the levels, but i find the only true reading you can get is, either your nitrate is 40 or below or its above 40 lol

Have you ever seen the Nutrafin Nitrate Chart? That's really taking the pi$$, i bet they were having a good giggle when they made that colour chart. They didnt even bother going for slightly different shades of purple once it got past a certain ppm level

I know it's really neither here nor there for a lot of fish whether your nitrate is 40 or 60, but i would like to know, if only so i know what makes a difference to reducing it

Tetra chart good in nitrate as you can tell the colours apart.

maybe its just me Wilder, i want what i cant have LOL, or i just find it difficult to tell the colours apart.

There's two ways i was thinking of going about it with the test kits

1. Take digital pics of the results and make then larger on my PC screen to compare them with each other and then the chart.

2. Use 50% Evian Water (2.5 ml) when testing, i know Evian has about 4mg/l or something Nitrate and comes up 0.0 on test kits. This would mean my results would be a little more sensitive if that makes sense. There is some logic there somewhere, even if helps me just to test my x4 tanks against each other to see whats doing best in terms of nitrate levels. I can then tailor my water change routine accordingly

 

[WILDER]

Only used the nutrafin nitrite one.
colours were all pink, I agree they do take the ****.
As for getting a true reading don't know.

 

[MermaidMel]

Woodford Aquatics in South Woodford, London E18, they used to do it, dunno if they still do but no reason why they shouldn't
Some stores charge to do it

 

[fry_lover]

Thanks Mermaid Mel, i will get in touch with them, its easy to get there from where i live

 

[MermaidMel]

Thanks Mermaid Mel, i will get in touch with them, its easy to get there from where i live

Where do you live out of interest?

 

[fry_lover]

Oh thats very forward

ha ha just kidding

Wood Green, N22 and you?

 

[MermaidMel]

Thanks Mermaid Mel, i will get in touch with them, its easy to get there from where i live

Where do you live out of interest?

Oh thats very forward

ha ha just kidding

Wood Green, N22 and you?

LOL just being nosey! I'm up near Stansted now but I did live down the same road as Woodford Aquatics for a few years, hence I know they do the water testing.

Do you know the Jolly Anglers pub in Wood Green?

 

[fry_lover]

Yeh! Station Road right by the tube station, been there only once or twice, it's about 5 mins from my flat. So you have experience of Wood Green then?