Surprised by nitrate level in new Oscar tank.

[Jacky12]

Those O2 meters are expensive! I saw some on Amazon. Saw some used on eBay, claiming to be in good working condition. Also saw the little kits. Never heard of any before. My guess is I’d get good readings on all the tanks & it’s not worth it. But I always like learning new things, so thanks again, Sensei.

[Colin_T]

Originally Posted by Jacky12

Those O2 meters are expensive! I saw some on Amazon. Saw some used on eBay, claiming to be in good working condition. Also saw the little kits. Never heard of any before. My guess is I’d get good readings on all the tanks & it’s not worth it. But I always like learning new things, so thanks again, Sensei.

I used oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) test kits when I went collecting fish from the wild. This was more for the scientific side and recording the different levels in the water. When I monitored my aquariums with them, they always had high O2 and low CO2. This was due to my tanks having airstones bubbling away.

If you add CO2 to an aquarium, you should monitor the levels to make sure there isn't too much CO2 in the water. Fish and other animals can die if there is too much CO2 even when there is oxygen available as well. The human race is about to experience this first hand in the next 20 years when the CO2 levels in the atmosphere pass a critical threshold and we all start dying from lack of oxygen and too much CO2.

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by Jacky12

Those O2 meters are expensive! I saw some on Amazon. Saw some used on eBay, claiming to be in good working condition. Also saw the little kits. Never heard of any before. My guess is I’d get good readings on all the tanks & it’s not worth it. But I always like learning new things, so thanks again, Sensei.

That's why I suggested the visual test first. Having the actual numbers is nice but in reality, not always necessary. The fish tell you a lot about how they are doing.
I'd try cutting back on the feeding for a few days and seeing what the reading is after that.
As I said, Oscars are dirty fish so it makes them tougher to keep in smaller tanks.

[Jacky12]

I had a feeling the O2 meters were for field work or maybe large scale breeders. Some were over $500 at Amazon & probably more expensive ones could be found elsewhere
I don’t think they’re much used by home aquarists because I’ve never seen one in the two local aquarium Facebook groups I frequent that sell used equipment.

I don’t add CO2, although I once considered it for growing red plants. I do have some silk red plants thriving in the axotles tank. They tolerate the darkened room and cold water quite nicely.

[Jacky12]

NH3, N02, NO3 all good in new Oscar tank. 0, 0, 20

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by Jacky12

I had a feeling the O2 meters were for field work or maybe large scale breeders. Some were over $500 at Amazon & probably more expensive ones could be found elsewhere
I don’t think they’re much used by home aquarists because I’ve never seen one in the two local aquarium Facebook groups I frequent that sell used equipment.

I don’t add CO2, although I once considered it for growing red plants. I do have some silk red plants thriving in the axotles tank. They tolerate the darkened room and cold water quite nicely.

"Back in the day", we used them more in marine tanks and they were liquid tests not pen style meters. I like my visual tests better.

[Jacky12]

Me too, Andy! Free & Easy!