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Thanks, it is the chemistry I am interested in, the contamination issue was just a side interest, I have a proper test tube brush now and clean them thoroughly!

I have been interested in the threads on stocking, and while it must involve a host of factors, in the first order, it can surely be summarised in terms of bioload which I am sure can be quantified somewhat by calculation of nitrogenous products from food and plant decay, fish waste and...

yeah, but I am interested in the chemistry of these things, and hence, be able to understand what happens as the kits get old and/or if you get contamination between test solutions and old test water.

What are the chemicals and reactions in the liquid API test kits? What happens when they start to get past their expiry date? What happens if you don't clean out your old test tubes properly and do other tests? I ask because now and then I will get a 0.25 reading on ammonia or nitrite, each...

that would explain a lot, I thought my cleaning after the cycle had been quite careful but now I realise that I did not rinse my filter sponge in old tank water, but also SQUEEZED it once. I am guessing that means I basically threw away a good deal of the bacteria did I? I am amazed at how...

I am a beginner, so bear with me. I see the sponge ring inside some kind of housing with water inflow and outflow obviously directing the water and associated chemicals through the sponge where presumably a lot of the beneficial bacteria will live. I also know that the fishless cycling routine...

Thanks. I forgot to add that I have two small bamboo sticks covered in java moss in there plus one of those spongey moss ball thingies. Is it OK to leave those in and just go to the 3ppm, or are they better off removed?

If you have cycled somewhat but due to an overzealous clean or whatever, now find it isnt cycling as well as it did (i.e if you saw your tank process nitrite from 7.5 to 0.25 in 1 day, and a week later its not clearing 1ppm faster than in 1 day when you are only adding 1ppm ammonia what is the...

Really happy to see a forum with a dedicated section to science. As a clinical scientist (Radiotherapy Physics) it can be very frustrating to know nothing about a subject (biology and chemistry of aquaria!) but only be able to get anecdotal answers and advice, often resulting in confrontation...