These are some kinds of chemicals you may want to test for.
Ammonia
What it is: A chemical found in fish waste or produced by rotting stuff (food, plants, fish)
Why should I care? Ammonia is poisonous to fish
Nitrite
What it is: A chemical produced by bacteria that consume Ammonia as part of the nitrification process (See this article on cycling)
Why should I care? Nitrite is poisonous to fish
Nitrate
What it is: A chemical produced by another type of bacteria that consume Nitrite as part of the nitrification process. Plants also will absorb this.
Why should I care? Too much can be poisonous to fish, can also cause algae blooms.
PH
What it is: A measure of how acidic / basic your water is
Why should I care? Fluctuations can kill fish. Some fish also have specific requirements for PH.
KH
What it is: How much acid your water can absorb before the PH changes
Why should I care? Too little and your PH will fluctuate
GH
What it is: How hard your water is
Why should I care? Some fish has specific requirements for hardness. GH also affects the PH.
Iron
What it is: A metal used by plants
Why should I care? If you have live plants, you should keep your iron levels within a good range for plant health. You can buy iron supplements.
Oxygen
What it is: Chemical breathed by animals and fish. Produced by plants during photosynthesis.
Why should I care? Without enough, your fish will suffocate.
Co2
What it is: Chemical breathed by plants. Produced by animals and fish during respiration.
Why should I care? Too little and your plants will die. Too much and it will lower your KH and then your PH.
edited for spelling
Ammonia
What it is: A chemical found in fish waste or produced by rotting stuff (food, plants, fish)
Why should I care? Ammonia is poisonous to fish
Nitrite
What it is: A chemical produced by bacteria that consume Ammonia as part of the nitrification process (See this article on cycling)
Why should I care? Nitrite is poisonous to fish
Nitrate
What it is: A chemical produced by another type of bacteria that consume Nitrite as part of the nitrification process. Plants also will absorb this.
Why should I care? Too much can be poisonous to fish, can also cause algae blooms.
PH
What it is: A measure of how acidic / basic your water is
Why should I care? Fluctuations can kill fish. Some fish also have specific requirements for PH.
KH
What it is: How much acid your water can absorb before the PH changes
Why should I care? Too little and your PH will fluctuate
GH
What it is: How hard your water is
Why should I care? Some fish has specific requirements for hardness. GH also affects the PH.
Iron
What it is: A metal used by plants
Why should I care? If you have live plants, you should keep your iron levels within a good range for plant health. You can buy iron supplements.
Oxygen
What it is: Chemical breathed by animals and fish. Produced by plants during photosynthesis.
Why should I care? Without enough, your fish will suffocate.
Co2
What it is: Chemical breathed by plants. Produced by animals and fish during respiration.
Why should I care? Too little and your plants will die. Too much and it will lower your KH and then your PH.
edited for spelling
