Can Somebody Tell Me What These Mean Please?

[bellabean]

Ok after my last thread I bought the test strips. Athough everone suggested the master test kit. I went in for it but 119.99 was a bit pricey to me ... So I bought the API 5 in 1 aquarium test strips.

Here's the readings ...
GH - 30
KH - 40/80 (it looked in between the two colours)
PH - 7
No2 - 0.5
No3 - 20

I know nothing about what those numbers mean. Help

We also picked up a female dalmation lyretail
As well as a 5.5gal for the babies.


Current tank (the reading was from)
15gal
currently have a male mickey mouse and 2 female platys

 

[CezzaXV]

Your nitrite is above zero, which is very bad and will be doing damage to your fish as we speak. Did you cycle your tank?

You need to do an immediate water change, big enough to bring the nitrite as close to 0 as possible (although you'll need to be careful not to shock your fish), and you'll need to keep doing them until the nitrite stays at 0 of its own accord. If you didnt cycle your tank, it could take months.

Also, did you mean to type 19.99? That's more the sort of price range you'd be looking at. In any case, you get alot more tests out of a liquid kit than with the strips, and they're much more accurate too.

 

[bellabean]

ok will do now ...
nope it was $119.99 + 12% tax

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Check ebay or petsmart/petco. The API Master kit shouldnt be more that $40.

 

[Asteria]

Check ebay or petsmart/petco. The API Master kit shouldnt be more that $40.

that really depends where you are as those kinda of test kits cost way over 60 euros here

 

[fishguy2727]

Strips are worthless, you might as well guess.

That may be an incorrect nitrite reading.

IMO the only thing you have to worry about once the tank is cycled is nitrate. This allows you to double check that your water change schedule is adequate. Other than that I wouldn't worry about anything, no need for a master test kit.

Generally the only thing to do if your water is off in any way is a water change. Is the nitrite detectable? Do a water change. Is the ammonia detectable? Do a water change. Are the fish clamping their fins? Do a water change (and maybe add a little salt). Are the fish lethargic? Do a water change (and maybe add a little salt).

As you can see the other numbers don't matter. Getting caught up with hardness, pH, etc. will cause you to over-analyze things, start buying products like pH Up, screw with the chemistry so it isn't stable. Stability and water quality are a thousand times more important than exact pH, hardness, etc.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Yeah, unfortunately the test strips are pretty worthless. And even at the ridiculously overpriced feed store where I get my supplies sometimes, the API Master Kit is $38. Where were you looking at kits for over $100???

 

[Asteria]

Yeah, unfortunately the test strips are pretty worthless. And even at the ridiculously overpriced feed store where I get my supplies sometimes, the API Master Kit is $38. Where were you looking at kits for over $100???

Interent sites and pet shops and fish shops, its very expensive around here
even the strips cost you 20 euros - 40 euros

 

[bellabean]

It was at petsmart for that price ....
As it was the satrips were 24.99 +tax

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Check ebay or petsmart/petco. The API Master kit shouldnt be more that $40.

that really depends where you are as those kinda of test kits cost way over 60 euros here

She was speaking dollars...so I assume she is in the states.

 

[bellabean]

Check ebay or petsmart/petco. The API Master kit shouldnt be more that $40.

that really depends where you are as those kinda of test kits cost way over 60 euros here

She was speaking dollars...so I assume she is in the states.

Canada, on a small island that everything is brought in .....
Anyways. Did the water change. I did 30% just to make sure. Will test water again in the am. I will also check out ebay for that test kit. But will need to still try to find someone selling from Canada or customs will nail me on taxes.

 

[Man of fish]

Try amazon I bought my API test kit on there for $23.95 and got 2 out of it! product showed up damaged so really less than $12 a kit. :c
30% isn't all that big. I would do at least a 50% and maybe a 70%.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Agreed. Whenever I see even a hint of a problem, I do a water change of at least 60% and closer to 90%.

 

[CezzaXV]

Agreed on the size of the water change. If you do a 50% change, your nitrite is going to be 0.25, which is still far too high.

 

[fishguy2727]

If people are not used to doing large water changes like that jumping in to one is a good way to screw things up even worse. If done right they are great, but if someone isn't used to doing them very minor things are amplified with large water changes like that.

This is assuming that the trashworthy test strip is even close to accurate on that test, which I don't think it is.

Watch the fish. If they are not stressed don't jump in to huge water changes. Adding salt can also help a lot.