Testing water

[courtnee]

Okay. I own two liquid tests right now. Ammonia and PH. I test once a week on my tank and since it cycled I have not seen any ammonia. My PH is stable.

I have a bottle of strips left over that I am using to test NitrAte in my tank. So far they are reading none to trace. If I see anything more I will go get the liquid test sooner. I just rather use up these strips for that first then go get it. Figure before I go purchase I should get what ones I really need.

My question is.... should I have both the NitrAte and NitrIte test kits as well?

I wanna see if I am thinking incorrect.

Steady zero ammonia the starting product over and over again. The trace to zero nitrAte over and over again. I just assume the middle one nitrIte is fine. I look for a change in ammonia which I know will eventually raise my nitrItes and nitrAtes. I figure testing ammonia and nitrAte will give me enough information about the nitrIte.

I dont feel the need to test for nitrIte unless I see my ammonia or nitrAtes change. I figure if I do see a change I will stop at the LFS and have them check my nitrItes. If I run into a problem I will buy the kit.

I rather not buy one if it is a waste or will sit around for a long period of time.

Thoughts?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

If your tank was cycled you would be reading Nitrates. Get the liquid test kits and test for Nitrites and Nitrates. Strips are inaccurate and give false readings quite a bit. Do you have any fish in the tank? How did you cycle?

 

[neilanh]

Also read the article about the Nitrogen Cycle, that will answer all of your questions and give you a great understanding of what's really going on, just click on Articles at the top in the menu bar

 

[SparKy697]

If you are indeed cycled, you would likely see nitrate. Get the whole kit, it's not a waste of money. You are flying blindly without knowing the nitrite levels.

At the very least, you need ammonia, nitrite, nitrate liquid tests.

 

[courtnee]

To answer everyone..

I know I am cycled. I did fishless cycle with cocktail shrimp and biospira. I was cycled before I added fish. I watched my water grow very toxic and cycle around.

I know test strips dont work well. That is why I have liquid tests. I am just using up my strips for nitrAtes before I go get that test kit.

I think I worded my question bad.

I do get nitrAte. I only have trace and sometimes zero. I dont have a heavy load on my tank as it is not stocked as much as I could. I do weekly PWC.

I do understand the cycle and have read and read it. That is why I am asking. This is how I see it.

Ammonia shows up and turns to nitrIte and nitrIte turns into nitrAte as the end product.

Remove my question as to the test kit part of this and help me better understand the process here. I think that would work best. I will reword it

Talking about a cycled tank here..... I have no ammonia, no nitrItes and trace nitrAte right now. Cycled tank and everything where it should be.

Assuming something goes wrong and something starts to raise levels in the tank.

Wouldnt I see an ammonia reading before I would see a nitrIte reading?

Could the nitrItes go up with out seeing a change in ammonia or nitrAte?

 

[Purrbox]

If something happens to damage your biofilter you could see either a spike in Ammonia or Nitrite. Normally you'll see an Ammonia spike followed by a Nitrite spike, but it is possible for just the second bacteria that converts Nitrite to Nitrate to be damaged in which case you would just see the Nitrite spike instead. It also depends on how quickly you catch the problem. If there's a die off of the first bacteria that converts Ammonia to Nitrite, then there will also be a die off of the second bacteria since it won't have as much food until the first bacteria recovers. If you notice the problem after the first bacteria has recovered, then again you would just see the spike in Nitrites.

 

[supermazz9]

Purrbox is quite correct. An event could cause a single type of bacteria to die, and only a full kit would potentially show this.

Also, I'm very suprised you're getting Nitrate readings so low with only weekly water changes. Ditch your strip for this for a bit, and use your kit, at least for a couple of weeks. Are you test right after a PWC?

I know I am cycled

How do you know this? According to your readings, your nitrite levels could be massive right now, and you'd have no way of knowing. All you know "for sure"(assuming your test strips are right...iffy) is that you are converting ammonia to nitries, and you apparently are not converting nitrites to nitrates.

Talking about a cycled tank here..... I have no ammonia, no nitrItes and trace nitrAte right now. Cycled tank and everything where it should be.

Again, you don't know that you have no nitrites.

 

[courtnee]

I do know I dont because I have had my LFS test my water many times.

Purrbox: Thank you for that answer. It was very education and what I was after. Thanks again! I will get the test.

I was needing that answer that the bacteria that converts nitrIte could be damaged and I could not see ammonia rise. I realize there would be damage already done I do not see because the nitrIte would do the damage before I see the nitrAte rise. THANK YOU!

supermazz9:

NitrAte issue: Why is having low nitrAte with weekly water changes so off? Isnt this what we strive for? Having a low fish load, PWC why is it so off to have low nitrAte? Do we not all aim for zero to 40?

I think my having 0-20 is pretty good and figure this is where I WANT to be.

yes with the test strips they could be wrong and I could have nitrIte I suppose. I at this time feel comfortable I do not.

 

[TomK2]

Buying online, the master kit is under twenty bucks. Seems like it is a good return on the investment. Remember, you will likely start up another tank in the future, and seed from your existing tank. Measuring both ammonia and nitrite is essential in a start up.