water testing kit - Page 2 - Aquarium Advice

LittleParr · 05-16-2006, 08:49 PM

how often should you test for all these-weekly, biweekly, monthly or when livestock start croaking?

FishFrik · 05-16-2006, 09:10 PM

U should test the water often if ur tank is newly set up to see if the chemistry is stable. After awhile, u can test less often to check if everything is going fine. That is totally up to u. As for additive tests, test before u dose anything. Also, if u see ur livestocks start acting abnormal, test the water to see if the water is the cause. HTH

LittleParr · 05-16-2006, 10:03 PM

thanks- where should your levels be for a tank my size?

FishFrik · 05-16-2006, 10:31 PM

All levels should be the same for all sizes of tank:

NH3: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 0 - 20 (the lower the better)
Ca: 350 - 500
SG: 1.019 - 1.027 (1.025 is optimal for a reef tank. lower SG is better for fish only tank)
PO4: this doesn't hurt anything but the lower the better. Higher levels will encourage unwanted algae growth. I would say keep it from 0 - .5 is great

HTH

LittleParr · 05-17-2006, 03:56 PM

sg is salinity and best measured with a refractometer right?

**roka64** · 05-17-2006, 04:05 PM

Refracto still on sale:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113074

Salinity is the amount of salt to water....SG is specific gravity, I think they have a direct relation.
Some one more chemically inclined might chime in and explain it better.

LittleParr · 05-17-2006, 09:21 PM

how do you lower all those listed?

05-16-2006, 09:10 PM	#12
FishFrik Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 801 Images: 1	U should test the water often if ur tank is newly set up to see if the chemistry is stable. After awhile, u can test less often to check if everything is going fine. That is totally up to u. As for additive tests, test before u dose anything. Also, if u see ur livestocks start acting abnormal, test the water to see if the water is the cause. HTH __________________ I'm one of those fishnutz, who are actually nutz.

05-16-2006, 10:31 PM	#14
FishFrik Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 801 Images: 1	All levels should be the same for all sizes of tank: NH3: 0 NO2: 0 NO3: 0 - 20 (the lower the better) Ca: 350 - 500 SG: 1.019 - 1.027 (1.025 is optimal for a reef tank. lower SG is better for fish only tank) PO4: this doesn't hurt anything but the lower the better. Higher levels will encourage unwanted algae growth. I would say keep it from 0 - .5 is great HTH __________________ I'm one of those fishnutz, who are actually nutz.

05-17-2006, 04:05 PM	#16
roka64 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 10,985 Images: 12	Refracto still on sale: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113074 Salinity is the amount of salt to water....SG is specific gravity, I think they have a direct relation. Some one more chemically inclined might chime in and explain it better. __________________ Age is relative, you are only as old as you act....of course, this works in reverse.... Questions loved, heeded advice greatly appreciated! Vote for AA Good reading about: Nitrogen Cycle Fishless Cycling Need more help? Articles Acronym List --Scott

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05-16-2006, 08:49 PM	#11
LittleParr Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 164	how often should you test for all these-weekly, biweekly, monthly or when livestock start croaking?

05-16-2006, 10:03 PM	#13
LittleParr Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 164	thanks- where should your levels be for a tank my size?

05-17-2006, 03:56 PM	#15
LittleParr Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 164	sg is salinity and best measured with a refractometer right?

05-17-2006, 09:21 PM	#17
LittleParr Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 164	how do you lower all those listed?