test kits

[ketyana]

I wrote a review of a fish store I had used a few months back and got this reply from the store as an email

I hope you dont mind me replying to your review seen at the above website. I am the assistant manager at 'the shop' in 'a town'. I am appalled one of our members of staff came across as being offensive, we normally pride ourselves as being a friendly helpful store, the woman you spoke to no longer works for us. The advice you was given about the nitrite test kit was completely correct (i was told this would be the only kit I would need for a month old tank), in any establishing tank nitrite is widely accepted as the main fish killer! this is because nitrite itself acts much in the same way to carbon monoxide in mammals, therefore effectively slowly suffocating the fish, which is why in the first month many people may find they have fish die for no apparent reason, this is because 9 time out of 10 nitrite poisoning has no visible effects. I personally dont urge people to buy any other test kits than pH and Nitrite for fresh water tanks, this is actually because ammonia and nitrate test kits are in some cases twice the price of the pH and nitrite kits, so your relative was actually sold the cheaper test kit. The reason most people dont need an ammonia or nitrate test kit is because ammonia should only be found in an aquarium during the first 10 days of it being set-up after this point the bacteria that utilise ammonia are at full capacity. Nitrate is the least toxic product of the nitrogen cycle and is only harmful in very large amounts, so providing regular water changes are carried out there is no need to spend out on the kit if you cant afford to, plus we actually offer a free water testing service to all of our customers with advice on what the test actually mean.

so I never need to test for a mini cycle starting, or worry why my tetra are doing head stands? I will never get ammonia again lol wow what a relief

seriously though am I wrong here?

 

[Alien Anna]

It is a good sign that the manager would actually seek out and read the review you wrote and that he'd attempt to answer your query.

You quote him thus:

The advice you was given about the nitrite test kit was completely correct (i was told this would be the only kit I would need for a month old tank), in any establishing tank nitrite is widely accepted as the main fish killer!

Which is true, but ammonia can also be a fish killer and you should have been informed of this too. I use my ammonia test very infrequently, except when doing fishless cycling of a tank, and my nitrite test I probably use quite a lot. Nevertheless, with a new tank, or after a power-outtage I might well need an ammonia test kit.

I personally dont urge people to buy any other test kits than pH and Nitrite for fresh water tanks, this is actually because ammonia and nitrate test kits are in some cases twice the price of the pH and nitrite kits, so your relative was actually sold the cheaper test kit.

Which is very considerate of him but problematic if the ammonia is actually high, which it can be.

The reason most people dont need an ammonia or nitrate test kit is because ammonia should only be found in an aquarium during the first 10 days of it being set-up after this point the bacteria that utilise ammonia are at full capacity.

And it is during those 10 days that an awful lot of newbies I've known have lost their entire new stock. If you cycle with fish properly (ie with a couple of danios or whatever), an ammonia spike shouldn't be too problematic but all too often, this isn't the customer's situation. He could at least say "Ammonia is only likely to be a problem for the first 10 days" and leave it up to you to decide if you want the test!

Anyhow, sometimes cycling takes a while to kick off so you can have an ammonia spike later than that, or your filter can get over-loaded or a power outtage knock it out.

This also fails to be aware of the technique of fishless cycling which is now all over the Internet and many people are hearing about it and trying it. Some enterprising fish shops are even selling cycling "kits" for the purpose (a bottle of 10% ammonia, some Bio-Spira, an ammonia test kit, a nitrite test kit and a nitrate test kit).

Nitrate is the least toxic product of the nitrogen cycle and is only harmful in very large amounts, so providing regular water changes are carried out there is no need to spend out on the kit if you cant afford to, plus we actually offer a free water testing service to all of our customers with advice on what the test actually mean.

I agree with that point, except a nitrate test kit is very useful if you are fishless cycling, plus essential if you have nitrate-sensitive fish (certain tetras, pencilfish, discus, loaches etc ) or if your tap water is very nitrate contaminated. If the latter is the case, all the water changes in the world are just going to make the situation worse.

Again, it would be nice if newbies were actually told this when they start out.

 

[Eelzor]

AA, you have this remarkable ability to make experts look like newbies! That answered quite a bit of my questions too, thanks for bringing that up ketyana!

 

[Lateral Line]

Be glad you aren't in the US. Read this thread!

I use more than just pH and Nitrite, but to a certain extent, he has a point. At least you were told to get keits and test the water - better than a lot of places!