errr.. average range for testing....?

[ThatDarnDragon]

Ok, my friend gave me her test kit, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, and PH test. But she did not have the instructions (the kits brand new, she accidentally threw out the instruction booklet)

But I know how many drops in the tube and such there should be, it says on the back of the color charts.

But it does not say what mg/L is right and such..

can someone give me an average listing for a 10 gallon salt water tank should be please?

Here's the listing I'd need:

Ammonia
Nitrate
Nitrite
PH

Thanks!

 

[ThatDarnDragon]

My test results are as follows
(if it helps)

Ammonia- between 0 and .25ppm
Nitrate- 5.0
Nitrite- 0
pH- 8.0


thats normal, right?

and how often should I test? everyday for the first few weeks the once a week?

 

[smithrc]

differend test kits do things differently - what make are they?

 

[Navarre]

Smith rc is right, different brand names will use differnt amounts of drops etc for application. Its imposible to give instructions without knowing the brand names of these test kits and then hope that someone has the same type. )

Basically you need 0.0 for Ammonia, 0.0 for nitrite and as low as possible for nitrate.
Ph should be 8.0 or higher... Mine runs at 8.2

When the tank is young i would test every day or at least 3 per week. the tank will go through huge changes in water balance as algeas spike and die off etc. During this time you will need to monitor the perameters closely.

 

[ostrow]

If you don't have instructions, how do you know how much reagent to use for each one? Just curious. If you let us know the manufacturer that would help.

As for levels, is this fish only, FOWLR, or a reef?

Different answers for different setups.

 

[ThatDarnDragon]

the test kit make is The Salt Water Master Kit.. thats what the box says. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc.

 

[shadow]

You should test the levels probably every other day since you are cycling right now. Just keep doing the water changes to keep the levels as far down as you possibly can. You can take the water to your LFS to get the levels checked also.

 

[chkltcow]

the test kit make is The Salt Water Master Kit.. thats what the box says. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc.

I have the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals kits too. The instructions are on the back of each card that shows the colors. But, here's the gist of it.

High Range pH: Fill to the line, add 5 drops of reagent, shake, check color
Ammonia: Fill to the line, add 8 drops from bottle one, add 8 drops from bottle two, shake... wait 5 minutes... check color
Nitrite: Fill to the line, add 5 drops, shake... wait 5 minutes... check color
Nitrate: Fill to the line, add 10 drops from bottle one, shake the tube a bit. Shake bottle 2 for 30 seconds, add 10 drops, shake tube for a minute... wait 5 minutes... check color.

Always cap the tube correctly with the cap... not by putting your finger on the end. That can throw off the readings.

 

[ThatDarnDragon]

I got that much, the instructions.. but I wanted to know the value or what readings I should look for. the cards fail to tell me whats the norm for each color thing. But I found out, I looked online and found out the norm. thanks

 

[shadow]

The norm for each is 0. You want to keep the readings as close to 0 as possible.

 

[ThatDarnDragon]

thanks. you all have been great help

 

[ostrow]

Once you get the larger tank for what you are interested in doing you need a different set of test kits. You need to test for calcium, alkalinity, and perhaps magnesium.

 

[ThatDarnDragon]

;; so expensive.. heh

 

[chkltcow]

Once you get the larger tank for what you are interested in doing you need a different set of test kits. You need to test for calcium, alkalinity, and perhaps magnesium.

I don't know that I'd go that far. If you want to do corals, those things are necessary. However, if you just want a fish only tank.... I wouldn't think you'd need to watch any of those other levels really. Right now mine is a fish only with live rock, and the only thing outside of nitrates and pH that I check is KH. Once I'm ready for corals, I'll buy the other kits.