Water Test

[stevo_gti]

i just been and got an API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT as i will soon be setting up a new tank and need to keep an eye on levels and decided ti do a test on my tank thats already running the stats i got are as follows --

PH - 7.0
AMONIA - 0
NITRITE - 0
NITRATE - 10

is this ok as its the first test i have done when the tank was set up i was always at work so my father inlaw kept a check with tests and stuff when he came round

so if anyone can please let me know if this is ok or if i need to change anything that would be great

 

[drobbyb]

Looks like a normal cycled tank. No problems as far as the readings are concerned.

 

[stevo_gti]

thats ok then, was bit worried as i wasnt to sure if that nitrate level was correct

also any ideas why the search wont work for me? keeps comng back with errors and dont really want to have to keep making posts like this that i could just search for

thanks drobbyb

 

[Schmill]

Nitrate is fine, it's probably worth you doing a test of your tap water too, so that you know what water stats you put 'into' your tank when you do water changes.
For example, if someone has tap water with 5 nitrAte, then they will probably aim to do enough water changes to keep it at 10 or below, or at least below 20.
However my tapwater comes out at 40ppm, so that would be unachievable for me. Where as the Ammonia and NitrIte readings NEED to be at zero, and water changes need to be done immediately if they are not, with the NitrAte it is generally not an issue until much higher levels, at least into the hundreds I have read. What is more important with the NitrAte is the general trend of the values, and basically not allowing your tank to vary too much from the levels in your tap water.

As for the search, something happened to the forums a while back and the search, amongst other things, broke. Until it gets fixed you can use Google to search the forums. simply fire up your google search page as normal, and enter the text you want to look for, then also enter the following in the box:

site:fishforums.net

So for example if you want to search for "fishless cycling" you would enter the following into google:

fishless cycling site:fishforums.net

Finally congrats on making the step in getting a decent liquid test kit, it's probably one of the single most useful things you can do! (The next of course is using it )

 

[stevo_gti]

i try to keep ontop of my water changes anyway doint 2 a week wednesday and sunday 7ish litre a time which add upto 25% of my tank or i just do 1 25% change if i been to busy in the week,

thanks for the tip with google schmill i'll have to remember it