Ph help - new tank

[Mrs.h2012]

I'm actually going back to take the variatus back they have a 30 day warranty on fish. I took a sample of the water when it died Thursday I don't know if out will still give her a good reading. I'm also taking a new sample for her to test so I can compare with my readings. She told me to put the fish in the freezer and bring it back when I can (I live an hour away)

I would stop taking water samples to them. Invest in a liquid test kit, API freshwater master test kit (liquid) is recommended and used by many here. Chances are the store uses strips which are highly inaccurate. You can find the test kits on amazon for around $20.

 

[fort384]

Yep, it happens. There are lots of "experts" in pet stores.

LOL got to be careful here - but there are lots of "experts" on internet forums as well. Best bet is to seek multiple sources for information, read, and make educated decisions based on a conglomeration of information.

 

[Hholly]

When they look at your water sample, if they find a problem, remind them that you followed all their expert advice.

 

[Hholly]

LOL got to be careful here - but there are lots of "experts" on internet forums as well. Best bet is to seek multiple sources for information, read, and make educated decisions based on a conglomeration of information.

Good point! Lol.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

When they look at your water sample, if they find a problem, remind them that you followed all their expert advice.

Love this. I would love to see the persons face when their told this haha.

 

[kwandrsn]

I have a master kit. They use strips I just wanna see. I have terrible with the nitrate test. When I put the first drops in and invert it leaks a little in the cap. Then I take it of add the other after shaking it. Then I shake the tube and it leaks all over my hand. When I get done I have lost some. You add 20 drops to 5ml of water and when I get done I still only have 5ml just don't figure I'm gettinga good reading

 

[fort384]

dont use the crappy cap that comes with the test tubes.. Just put your thumb or finger over it when you shake it. I don't understand how after all these years, they still haven't fixed those stupid caps.

I think you are getting close enough on your readings - I wouldn't sweat it. There is very little difference in a few ppm of nitrate in either direction. If you really are concerned about accuracy, you can invest in a better nitrate kit - I use the red sea Pro Nitrate kit... better resolution, easier to read, easier to setup the test. Also though, more $$

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Good point! Lol.

Very true. When it comes to taking advice from people online.. Especially on this forum, I always check the profile out and see how long they've been a member. Then I go and do my own research and make a decision based on what I believe is right. I'll be honest I've only been member on this forum since the end of July 2012. I give advice where I feel I can based on my experiences and my decisions I've made.

 

[kwandrsn]

I'm fixing to tell her that the neutral regulator she swore by and even sent me to a different pet store because they stopped carrying it didn't do nothing but cloud my water up. (I think it killed blackie just my opinion)

 

[kwandrsn]

I was afraid to use thumb as the directions say it can cause a incorrect reading

 

[kwandrsn]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks the caps suck

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I have a master kit. They use strips I just wanna see. I have terrible with the nitrate test. When I put the first drops in and invert it leaks a little in the cap. Then I take it of add the other after shaking it. Then I shake the tube and it leaks all over my hand. When I get done I have lost some. You add 20 drops to 5ml of water and when I get done I still only have 5ml just don't figure I'm gettinga good reading

Are you using the bottles in the correct order? There is a bottle 1 and bottle 2. People do make that mistake. When I first got my kit I did the nitrate test, looked at the bottle to make sure I did the correct number of drops and realized there was a 1 & 2 bottle.

 

[Hholly]

The same thing happens to me sometimes. I quit mixing after adding the first part as the color seems uniformly yellow. I figure it mixed. Not sure why the tubes leak like that though. Frustrating. But your results are probably pretty accurate anyway.

 

[kwandrsn]

Yes I put 10 drops of #1 turn it up a few times then shake #2 30 second then 10 drops then shake tube 1 minute then wait 5

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I have a master kit. They use strips I just wanna see. I have terrible with the nitrate test. When I put the first drops in and invert it leaks a little in the cap. Then I take it of add the other after shaking it. Then I shake the tube and it leaks all over my hand. When I get done I have lost some. You add 20 drops to 5ml of water and when I get done I still only have 5ml just don't figure I'm gettinga good reading

Unless I read your response wrong, I would try this: and the drops all together; add the 10 from bottle 1 and immediately add the drops from bottle 2 then shake the tube.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Unless I read your response wrong, I would try this: and the drops all together; add the 10 from bottle 1 and immediately add the drops from bottle 2 then shake the tube.

Or atleast that's how I've always done it...
I hope I haven't been doing it wrong this whole time!

 

[kwandrsn]

here is a sorry my dad and grandad told me. when my dad was little my grandmother had a pretty big aquarium she had all sorts of real pretty fish. She had live plants. She never used chemicals or anything. She used to spend hours every day caring for the fish and plants. We live in middle Tennessee. My family was the ones who wore overalls and went barefoot. No indoor plumbing . Can you hear the banjos yet? Anyways my grandad was educated retired out of the navy and had a very good job so the earlier I exaggerated a little bit. But they were still country. Anyways my grandad loves to fish. One day he found a small bass only 5 or 6 inches long so he caught it in a net and took it home and tossed it in my grandmothers aquarium and didn't tell her. The next day my grandmother woke up to only one fish in her large aquarium. I thought it was funny. Kinda sad but funny

 

[kwandrsn]

I will try adding them together like that and see if I get the same readings

 

[rider6]

So what I'm gathering that the strips are trash? Cause I got the api ones, and everything is on the gravy, with the exception of the hardness of my water, but they guys don't seem to care... and for eairlyer when I said "first" cycle I litterly just filled my tank and transfered all my lil guys over...ofcourse I let it stableize for like 30 hours first, let the filers cycle and the water to come to temp... so here's a quick one, when my cycle seems to be fully ballanced and I add anew fish does this restart the cycle?

 

[kwandrsn]

Fromwhat I understood no it doesn't start the cycle over again. But if you add too many new fish it can produce more ammonia and whatnot than the tank can compensate for. that's why from what I read you add one at a time. I'm not an expert and am just starting out myself