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Can't explain the RO/Salt differences, but it sounded like you had to really bang the bottle on a hard surface to break the stuff off the bottom and then shake it for several minutes, especially if it hasn't been used in a while, to evenly disperse the active reagent in it. I tested twice and...

Hello all. I have gone back & forth via email with API today, and they've given me some valuable information on the API Freshwater Master Test Kits. The original topic thread on concerns that I had about the test kit results are in a previous topic...

Hi. I got some very helpful information from API on the test kits which has explained my test results. I'll post it in a new topic as I think anyone using these kits should know this information.

If the API nitrate test solutions aren't dependable, does anyone else sell test kit solutions that are?

I went ahead & sent an email to API, told them the test differences on nitrates between the test solution & strips & asked if they could test any retains of my lot numbers to be sure they were manufactured correctly. Hard to believe a tank could test that perfectly, and have no ammonia, no...

We just re-tested the tank mentioned at the start of this thread, after a 30% water change yesterday, and with the test kit solutions we got: Ammonia: 0 (nice clean yellow yellow - not even a hint of green) Nitrites: 0 (nice sky blue color) Nitrates: 0 (nice clean yellow color as with the...

I'm guessing you meant you fed your fish live or freeze dried Cyclops (a tiny crustacean) ???

The cotton may be fine for all I know. Cotton is really almost pure cellulose, same as wood, and a lot of people keep wood in their tanks, so who knows? I doubt it has chemicals in it if it's the common type used for personal use & for surgical use like dressing wounds. I'm not sure what they do...

I'm not sure about the cotton concerning it's degradability. I assume we're talking about actual cotton and not the synthetic type of filter floss? I'm just guessing that actual cotton, being a natural fiber, might be degraded after time and end up adding to the biological load in the tank...

I'm sure by now that we're all curious! Send us the link :rolleyes:

No problem - I wasn't at all meaning to criticize your answer, as I have no knowledge at all of what hatchets can do. Archers came to my mind so I mentioned it. I really don't consider myself an expert at anything - whenever I assume anything I'm most often wrong!

Were you speaking of the test strip color or the solution test color? If it's the solutions I could always do dilutions of the tank water before testing his tank.

Hi. Are you doing water changes every day because you have a problem with water quality? I agree that once a week might be better if your not having a problem. I don't think you're overstocked either, but I tend to overstock myself & make up for it with extra filtering capacity.

True - the only thing that will eat actual c__p in the aquarium is bacteria.

I know archers could shoot them down. I'm not that familiar with the hatchets,

Mosquitos is my guess too. They would sort of look like miniature dragon flies.

I guess I'll trust the test kit solutions. I was wondering if something could be told from the lot numbers. Nitrate bottle 1 is 10/06 (October 06 manufacture) and bottle 2 is 12/06 (December 06 manufacture). Thanks for the quick reply - excellent information to have!

Hi. My test kit is only about a month old (replacement) and my work buddies was puchased yesterday. I couldn't see any expiration dates on the bottles, but I'll look again. Yes - both are ppm (same as mg/liter) measurements. I guess I'll believe the test kit measurements more than the strips...

Hi. One of my fellow workers has an established tank at my workplace, and his nitrAte levels have been very high, even after partial water changes. He's been using the Jungle 5 in 1 test strips and his readings using the strips are: Nitrite approx. 0.25 Nitrate 160 - 200 pH 6.8 When I test...

Hi. A lot depends on what you want the filter to do, and if you're setting up a new tank or just upgrading from another type of filter? Typically the canisters are set up with mechanical & biological media, and maybe a chemical type media - charcoal at times (the charcoal is only efficient for a...

Good luck with the sailfin! I really like the sailfin varieties.

Welcome fellow refugee from Fish Lore! :good: Terry

Hi luque. I found out that you need to post in one of the topics that aren't the main ones - such as in livebearers or similar to have your posts show up. It isn't stated very clearly in the newbie information. WELCOME! :good:

Hey - maybe you could melt that UK snow & get more soft water that way. Just don't use the yellow snow LOL! Yep - brackish water & marine fish can get sick too. I'd guess it's an evolution thing though - different parasites & diseases evolved to live in those conditions. But I don't think a...

Hi again Neale. I'll have to disagree on one point - it is a known scientific fact that can easily be confirmed that salt is indeed an anti-bacterial agent, and has been used as such for ages, and continues to be. And many of the fish related diseases are bacterial, or could be bacterial...

I agree with a lot of what you say, but with a biology and chemistry background I can't agree that at trivial amounts a truly toxic substance (which a lot of people seem to think aquarium salt is) would have no effect. If salt was as toxic to fish as some people think it is, it would kill or...

Well, I never said I had duplicated brackish water - it would take more than the addition of only additional salt to really duplicate that. And I'm not sure what the relevance of the amount of salt in soda or soup has to do with anything concerning aquaria - we aren't keeping fish in soda or...

I've seen a lot of people use PWC to abbreviate Partial Water Change. Maybe it could go in the abbreviations forum help section?

Hi. I've got 1 tbsp. aquarium salt per every 5 gallons water in my tank. I added it after the male of my pair of gold dust mollies died of disease relatively soon after I got them. Everything in the tank has been fine with it - platies, neons, and the cory too. I've heard a lot of people say not...

Thanks again. Based on something I'd read in the newbies section I found that's how it works. I found an excellent post on a homemade sponge filter and posted a reply of thanks & saw my posts go up to one. I'll get educated here eventually!

Wow! I'm glad I was looking around & found this. I'll have some fry in the near future & wasn't seeing any of of the sponge filters online at Petsmart or Petco. I used them years ago in my cichlid fry tanks and was wondering if they even offered them anymore. Now it doesn't matter. I'll probably...

Hi and thanks for the welcome. I'm still trying to figure out things, and one that I haven't found an answer to yet is why it shows that I have no posts. Is it because I've posted in the wrong topic areas or ? Thanks Edited....... I keep finding the answers on my own. Based on something in one...

Hi. I went back to the help file and managed to get the pic in my signature, but I'm still not sure why it shows that I have no posts? Thanks

I'm not sure if you'll be back in here or not, or maybe someone else can answer. How do I get an image into my signature? I know there's a size limit as I've read the post on those. When I go into edit my signature & click on the add an image icon, it asks for a url address, rather than letting...

Hi and thanks. I didn't see or check out that "options" button up there. I'm old but I can still be taught! :good:

Hi. I just joined so pardon me if the answer to what I'm asking is already posted. I've looked in My Controls and don't see the option available........ Is there a way to set up your view so that the text of responses to a post (or at least a limited number of responses) can be seen below the...

Hello all. I just returned to the aquarium scene about 2 years ago, after being out of it for many years. There are so many more fish species available now than there ever were when I was young and heavily into fishkeeping. I used to raise cichlids, livebearers, etc. way back then, so I'm not...