How To Test Properly

[quantumnerd]

Is there anything needed to do a proper test?

I get the symptoms of NoAmmoniaNoNitriteNoNitrateInMyCyclingTankItis whenever I test my water.

And yes. I have the API master test kit.

Would I be doing anything wrong, making my results show nil contaminants?

 

[smegforbrains]

Have you got a filter running with media?


Have you any substrate?


Any plants or stock?


Are you leaving the test tubes for 5 minutes to develop before taking readings?

 

[OzeN]

and are you adding the exact amount of drops required.. as each test requires a different amount...

if you read the instructions and refear to them whils you are don the test you should b fine..

 

[Pleccy]

Also check the use by dates on the bottles.

 

[Schmill]

As no one else has mentioned it, is this 'fish in' testing, or are you doing a fishless cycle?
If you are doing a fishless cycle, perhaps you aren't seeding the ammonia correctly? What Literage is your tank?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

This is a fish-in cycle, yesterday the OP said no water changes so far, fish exhibiting common symptoms of ammonia poisoning and one platys has died

it's clear that there is ammonia in the tank but the test readings all come back as 0.

My advice is still the same, for now forget the test readings, I absolutely guarantee that you have ammonia in your tank, you need to do daily water changes at lkeast 50% a day until you can get a confirmed test reading.

Any manufacturing process is open to occasional flaws, it could be that a duff test kit has slipped through the quality control somehow at the factory and you've been unlucky enough to get it. First and foremost concern is the welfare of the fish, get the water changes done ASAP, then take a sample of water for testing at your lfs, if they're readings are different to yours then call up API and tell them the kit you have is faulty, they should be able to replace it.

important thing is to start doing daily water changes immediately.

 

[waterdrop]

Yup, agree.

 

[quantumnerd]

The one platy that died... It was showing symptoms of tuberculosis
Yes, I know it maybe wouldn't have been, but the platy was...
Discolored, and acting funny. One of my fish books said that was tuberculosis.


Well, I have been waiting five minutes and adding amounts like the instructions said.
Since I only have three tiny sub one inch fish in a 30 gallon tank, do you think that I should, ya know, add a couple more platys or something?


Meanwhile, until the lfs can test my water, I'll just care for them with the usual water changes.

 

[waterdrop]

Take a look at Lana's thread if you want to see some water changes.