Freshwater/Saltwater test kit question...

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SkinnyPete

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
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Quick one today. Can I use a RedSea saltwater ph test kit to test freshwater ph? I'm trying to match ph for a freshwater dip and I don't have a freshwater ph test kit - but, I thought ph was ph, right? Saltwater kits just have a higher range?
 
The kit I have will not test fresh water. Usually if it is a high range PH test kit that is what it is designed to test. I say get a FW ph test kit. What PH are you looking for in your FW? 7 is usually where it belongs right?
 
If your matching the FW PH to seawater levels, I assume it would work fine. As long as the PH is high enough to register on a SW kit, it should work.
 
My API (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) pH kit is for both Fresh and Salt water. Just normally the high range is sold for SW, the low range is sold for FW. But the box actually says "Freshwater/Saltwater".
 
Thanks. Yeah, I'm just trying to get my freshwater to 8.2 to match my saltwater main tank so that I can do a freshwater dip. I don't necessarily need to read anything much lower than that. I just plan on adding drops of freshwater PH-up until it reads 8.2 on my saltwater test kit. So, I'm assuming that should be fine.
 
I`m also one of those that dont advocate FW dips. I `ve seen too many deaths and stress when they are done. IMO all they do is stress out an already stressed out fish.
 
This was for a seahorse that wasn't eating. Folks at seahorse.org seemed to think it was the beginnings of a "weak snick" for which freshwater dips are usually the first step before a formalin bath and eventually tube feeding.

After setting up my hospital tank and aerating the water, my horse suddenly started eating like a champ again. Not sure why. Maybe he saw the hospital tank and knew what was coming to him :)

Either way, he has eaten great at the last 3 feedings and he's already gaining weight back, so I guess this fw dip is a moot point. But, I will say that I've noticed through all my seahorse research that dips seem pretty common in seahorse keeping for treating bacteria or parasites. Some people even dip their horses as common practice a few times a year if they feed live foods to the tank.

It's still good to know in case I need to do this down the road - thankfully, they are all happy and healthy again.
 
Glad to hear that it's doing better.

Until a couple of years ago using wet/dry sumps and UGF was often used to cultivate bacteria until better knowledge/understanding. IMO it's the same with FW dips.

Not saying that treating sea horses in a FW dip is incorrect but IMO no SW animal should be subjected to FW dips since there are so many less stressful options.
 
I hear you, tecwzrd. I've never fw dipped any fish because it just logically seems too stressful. I think the point behind it is that seahorses do not have a stomach and therefore have to eat preferably a couple times a day. They're basically a living funnel. Starvation happens relatively quickly. So, if a horse stops eating, we're talking a matter of a couple days to remedy the problem. So, low salinity QT and treatment may be too lengthy of a process. FW dips can kill bacteria extremely quickly and in some cases horses seem to snap back to eating the same day as the treatment. The need to get them to begin feeding again quickly, as apposed to a fish which may last a lot longer without food, I guess is why dipping is so prevalent in seahorse keeping. It's just that the alternatives (tube feeding) are even more stressful.

But, I've clearly taken this thread off topic (as I usually do).
 
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