What Test Kit To Get

pav306

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Hi all,

Im mart and im new to the game i hav had my tank (60ltr) 9weeks its all cycled with a couple danios and a molly.

last week i got 4 new fish (2molly + 2rainbow) an put them in the tank (acclimatized properly) 1 of the rainbow fish died with i an hour.

I took a water sample and the fish back to the shop they said my ph was 7, my test kit says its 8 to 8.4, im using an API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT.

Just wondering if the kit im using is any good, if not what kit should i get for accurate test result.

ps. The dead fish isnt the problem water was fine shop replaced the fish.

thanx, any help is apreaciated.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum: :hi:

API kits are probably the most used among forum members. That is all I have ever used. Do you know what type they used? Possibly strips. Those are terribly inaccurate. The pH really isn't the thing you should be concerned about though. Most fish can adapt to any stable pH. What are you readings for ammonia and nitrite? Those are the toxins that will be found in a cycling tank and in one where you have just added new fish as the bacteria will have to multiply it's masses to keep up with the extra waste. What ever you do, don't try adding any of the pH adjusters as those will only put your pH in a constant up and down swing which is very difficult on the fish. Have you tested your tap water to see what the pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are? There could be something in your tank making the pH rise to the 8+ range.

Also, I see your Group is "Validating". You will need to find the email that would have come to you when you registered and click the link in it to validate your membership. Otherwise you will only be able to post in a couple forums. If you can't find the email, check your Spam folder or blockers (it comes from gmail.com address). You can also have it resent by going here and entering your member ID.
 
thanx for ur reply,

the amonia an nitrite were zero wen i added the new fish, amonia has since spiked and gone back to 0mg/L and the nitrite is still spiking around 1 to 2mg/L. I had to do water change lastnight as fish were at the top trying to breathe, tests were all normal but nitrite was up to 2 water change curred it an they went back to normal and nitrite went to 1mg/L, so im keeping a close eye on it.

i wasnt worried about the level of ph just if my test was that far out, how far is the rest out? The shop used a Nutrafin master test kit to measure the water.

Tap water is; (test results are after adding Nutrafin aqua plus)

pH 8 (wel same as my tank)
Amonia is between 0 and 0.25mg/L
Nitrite is 0mg/L
Nitrate is between 5 and 10mg/L.

I have clicked the email link, didnt work i resent it an cliked on that 1 still hasnt worked i didnt no wot else to do.

ps now checked emails and found i was clicking the wrong link lol :blush:

thanx for ur help
 
if the fish were at the top of the tank. it may well be O2 you are short of. a spry bar, pop the outlet of your internal above the water level or add a powerful pump and a good airstone, you need the power because it mostly the disruption on the water surface that adds O2
 
i'M SO GLAD SOMEONE ELSE IS USING API, i bought a refill kit for the nitrite and nitrate I've got the color codes but the refill doesn't say how to perform the test only add 5 drops to how many water and wait how long? Can someone please help me out, Ive e-mailed api= no reply yet. phoned the pet shop their kits are sold out. I bought the original test but used it up!
 
hey i had the same problem with my fish exept with mine it turned out to be not enough oxygenating plants in my tank so now ive coverd pretty much all the back wall with certain plants that are good growers and are easy to keep you may find them in ur local pet shop hope this helps you if the problem occurs again. i am now breeding i put an add in the other day and luck would have it ive got eggs cant wait to see the fry. good luck :good: :good:
 
i'M SO GLAD SOMEONE ELSE IS USING API, i bought a refill kit for the nitrite and nitrate I've got the color codes but the refill doesn't say how to perform the test only add 5 drops to how many water and wait how long? Can someone please help me out, Ive e-mailed api= no reply yet. phoned the pet shop their kits are sold out. I bought the original test but used it up!


5ml water 4 each test,

low pH - 3drops shake instant result

high pH - 5drops shake instant resul

amonia - 8drops no.1 bottle then 8drops no.2 bottle shake wait 5mins

nitrite - 5drops shake wait 5 mins

nitrate - 10drops no.1 bottle, shake test tube, shake no.2 bottle for 30 seconds then add 10drops, shake test tube for 1min
then wait 5 mins

hope thats wot u mean mate

where did u get the refill kit from an how much was it cheers
 
nitrate - 10drops no.1 bottle, shake test tube, shake no.2 bottle for 30 seconds then add 10drops, shake test tube for 1min
then wait 5 mins



Is that needed? Ive never done that.
 
hey i had the same problem with my fish exept with mine it turned out to be not enough oxygenating plants in my tank so now ive coverd pretty much all the back wall with certain plants that are good growers and are easy to keep you may find them in ur local pet shop hope this helps you if the problem occurs again. i am now breeding i put an add in the other day and luck would have it ive got eggs cant wait to see the fry. good luck :good: :good:

I've never had any plants to feed o2 to the tank, and still have never had this problem. tanks with a small surface area, compared to their volume, may suffer. but putting the output of your filter above the water line, or fitting a spray bar should sort it out. and plants still give off CO2 at night when there is no photosynthesis. the plants may have, seemingly, solved the problem, but the lack of them, is very unlikely to have caused it.
 
where did u get the refill kit from an how much was it cheers


You ve been awarded my hero of the day, cheers to you buddy :rolleyes:
I bought the refill and test kit from Animal planet in South Africa and yes there is life here in SA although sometimes just a little bit.
We get by with friends like you.

Now at least i can use them.
 
nitrate - 10drops no.1 bottle, shake test tube, shake no.2 bottle for 30 seconds then add 10drops, shake test tube for 1min
then wait 5 mins



Is that needed? Ive never done that.


that is an exact quote from the instruction cards for each test, so i always do it dont no if i need to tho lol :S
 
nitrate - 10drops no.1 bottle, shake test tube, shake no.2 bottle for 30 seconds then add 10drops, shake test tube for 1min
then wait 5 mins



Is that needed? Ive never done that.


that is an exact quote from the instruction cards for each test, so i always do it dont no if i need to tho lol :S

These instructions have to be followed very closely to get an accurate nitrate readings, it is especially important to shake bottle no2 loads as this is the one that clots up and gives you a bad result. :good:
 
Wow it really does make a difference. I thought my nitrates were 40, but they are between 5 and 10.

My cycle makes alot mmore sense now, thanks guys.
 
nitrate - 10drops no.1 bottle, shake test tube, shake no.2 bottle for 30 seconds then add 10drops, shake test tube for 1min
then wait 5 mins
The reason for all the shaking is that the reagents in bottle number 2 of the nitrate kit will lump up over time and yield bad results. Shaking helps break up the lumps and gives a true reading. The one thing I don't do is shake the tube after adding the 10 drops from bottle 1 and before adding bottle 2. It's going to get 1 full minute of shaking when both agents are in it so why does it need an extra 5 seconds before adding bottle 2? I've never had any problems with that.
 

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