Water Testing Kit

[ST2]

Can i ask which is the best testing kit to invest in?

Did a search on the foum but nothing came up.

Cheers

 

[Colin_T]

liquid test kits are better than paper strip kits.
depending on where you are located will determine what you can get. But many of the more common brands are fine to use. eg: Sera, Wardleys, Seachem, Aquasonic, etc.

 

[doresy]

API Fresh Water Master Kit (for tropicals) get mine and many forum members vote

 

[ST2]

Bit more advise if possible....

Popped out today and bought API test kit as recommended in the above reply, my results were:

PH 7.2
AMMONIA 0PPM
NITRITE 0PPM
NITRATE 40PPM

The only one that i am worried about is the nitrate reading, in the little instruction leafet it does say that this level is expected. Is 40ppm ok?

Thanks in advance

 

[minxfishy]

Yep 40ppm is considered fairly normal, anything up to 100ppm is said to be within acceptable levels for most fish, of course certain species require it to be much lower, but for an average community tank 40ppm is fine.

Have you tested your tap water, because alot of people, myself included have nitrAtes in our tap water, 20ppm Ive recorded on mine, although it now seems to sit regularly at 10ppm.

Provided you do regular weekly water changes of around 30% then you should be fine and the levels of nitrAte wont rise beyond where the fish are uncomfortable with it.

 

[OldMan47]

I must ask ST2. Do you have an operating fish tank or are you testing water and thinking about fish? If you have an established tank, your numbers are fine .If you have a newly set up tank, don't start adding fish just because the numbers test as good. You will need to establish your filter first by doing what is called a fishless cycle. There is a link in my signature for the instructions to do a fishless cycle.