The Puffer Forum

how do you know they are too high?

what are your numbers?

purplecandle wrote:how do you know they are too high?

what are your numbers?

i tested them i got the five in one dip strip test strips and the ph level 8.4 and the kh is 350 i just put in easy balance with nitraban in it about 2 hours ago but didnt see any inprovement when i tested it just now

don't put in any more chemicals unless J-P tells you to. Most of those chemicals don't work like you think they will.

Paper test strips are often inaccurate..most people here do not use them..

I suspect you PH is probably lower than what it is saying it is..don't worry about it right now until J-P says something..8.4 (probably lower) is not too big a deal in this circumstance..you are better off being around 7 instead of lower....ph is not like you think, high doesn't mean bad like you think it does..J-P can explain better than I

J-P will know more about the Ph your fish need, but by now they have probably already adapted to it..no big deal..

Wait for J-P, I will send him a message

purplecandle wrote:don't put in any more chemicals unless J-P tells you to. Most of those chemicals don't work like you think they will.

Paper test strips are often inaccurate..most people here do not use them..

I suspect you PH is probably lower than what it is saying it is..don't worry about it right now until J-P says something..8.4 (probably lower) is not too big a deal in this circumstance..you are better off being around 7 instead of lower....ph is not like you think, high doesn't mean bad like you think it does..J-P can explain better than I

J-P will know more about the Ph your fish need, but by now they have probably already adapted to it..no big deal..

Wait for J-P, I will send him a message

kk

Hi there.. sorry I missed checking in yesterday. My mother was visiting from out of town She's gone today to I'll have a lot more free time

purplecandle is correct. Test strips are only good very a very wide view of what is happening in a tank. Liquid tests that test for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate are what is most important.

Ph is good to know but not super important. Gh and Kh are also good to know but we'd have to graduate to that later on

What you are testing for and why:
Ammonia: This is what the fish produce and it is very poisonous. Fish die very quickly from this. That is why you have to do water changes every day. Any "waste product" produces ammonia.. fish pee, fish poop, and uneaten food. On your test kit it should read 0 or the lowest level possible. If you have a higher reading death is usually in 24 hours. **fix with a water change**

Nitrite: There are bugs in the water (beneficial bacteria #1) that break down the Ammonia and change that to Nitrite. Nitrite is less poisonous but will still kill fish. It just happens a little more slowly. On your test kit it should read 0 or the lowest level possible. If you have a higher reading, fish will go blind, have breathing problems and have eating and swimming problems. **fix with a water change**

Nitrate: There is a second set if bugs in the tank (beneficial bacteria #2) that break down Nitrite and change that into Nitrate. Nitrate is the LEAST poisonous but can still kill fish over the long term. We don't really see the effects of Nitrate poisioning, but it can be a lazy fish, doesn't want to eat and will get sick easily.
Nitrate readings: 10 = good, 20 = not bad, 30 = so-so, 40+ = **water change**

What are you after? LIQUID TEST for the 3 above. Don't worry about the Ph and Gh/Kh for now. It is not important.

If you want to use the test strips you have.. use them to check your tap water and keep a diary. I would bet you see different results every week for the next 6 months.

Once you can get a liquid test kit it is good to check your tap water also


In summary: You don't add something to your pee to make it more drinkable. Don't add stuff to the tank... take it out with a water change.

J-P wrote:Hi there.. sorry I missed checking in yesterday. My mother was visiting from out of town She's gone today to I'll have a lot more free time

purplecandle is correct. Test strips are only good very a very wide view of what is happening in a tank. Liquid tests that test for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate are what is most important.

Ph is good to know but not super important. Gh and Kh are also good to know but we'd have to graduate to that later on

What you are testing for and why:
Ammonia: This is what the fish produce and it is very poisonous. Fish die very quickly from this. That is why you have to do water changes every day. Any "waste product" produces ammonia.. fish pee, fish poop, and uneaten food. On your test kit it should read 0 or the lowest level possible. If you have a higher reading death is usually in 24 hours. **fix with a water change**

Nitrite: There are bugs in the water (beneficial bacteria #1) that break down the Ammonia and change that to Nitrite. Nitrite is less poisonous but will still kill fish. It just happens a little more slowly. On your test kit it should read 0 or the lowest level possible. If you have a higher reading, fish will go blind, have breathing problems and have eating and swimming problems. **fix with a water change**

Nitrate: There is a second set if bugs in the tank (beneficial bacteria #2) that break down Nitrite and change that into Nitrate. Nitrate is the LEAST poisonous but can still kill fish over the long term. We don't really see the effects of Nitrate poisioning, but it can be a lazy fish, doesn't want to eat and will get sick easily.
Nitrate readings: 10 = good, 20 = not bad, 30 = so-so, 40+ = **water change**

What are you after? LIQUID TEST for the 3 above. Don't worry about the Ph and Gh/Kh for now. It is not important.

If you want to use the test strips you have.. use them to check your tap water and keep a diary. I would bet you see different results every week for the next 6 months.

Once you can get a liquid test kit it is good to check your tap water also


In summary: You don't add something to your pee to make it more drinkable. Don't add stuff to the tank... take it out with a water change.

this test n02 n03 hardness alkalinity and ph

NO2 is your Nitrite and NO3 is your Nitrate. Just need something to test Ammonia. But a liquid test is much better than strips

what brand of test would you sujest then

API
http://www.bigalsonline.com/Fish_Water- ... ml?tc=fish
That is a good one.

Tetra
http://www.bigalsonline.com/Fish_Water- ... ml?tc=fish
This one is also good.

I have used both of these but I first started out with the Tetra brand and it is cheaper too

J-P wrote:API
http://www.bigalsonline.com/Fish_Water- ... ml?tc=fish
That is a good one.

Tetra
http://www.bigalsonline.com/Fish_Water- ... ml?tc=fish
This one is also good.

I have used both of these but I first started out with the Tetra brand and it is cheaper too

i got the teatra test kit

very cool Did you order it online?

J-P wrote:very cool Did you order it online?

no i got it from the pet shop

go ahead and use them and show us your numbers

REMEMBER, shake the bottles of chemicals for 30 seconds each.

And once you get the chemicals and the water in the glass tubes...shake them too and wait 5 minutes.

If you need to put more than one chemical in the glass tubes..put the first chemical in with the tank water..put the cap on the glass tube..shake..then open it back up to put the second chemical in..shake and wait

purplecandle wrote:go ahead and use them and show us your numbers

REMEMBER, shake the bottles of chemicals for 30 seconds each.

And once you get the chemicals and the water in the glass tubes...shake them too and wait 5 minutes.

If you need to put more than one chemical in the glass tubes..put the first chemical in with the tank water..put the cap on the glass tube..shake..then open it back up to put the second chemical in..shake and wait

there tetra test strips five in one

ok.. well... someday soon I hope you can get the liquid kit.

What are the readings for:
Ammonia (NH3)
Nitrite (NO2)
Nitrate (NO3)