Water quality - What & How

[Outzen]

Im just abt to start up a tropical fresh water tank (Juwel Vision 260) - have not had a tank since I was a kid - and back then I only measured ph values ... so need some advice abt what measuring scheme/equipment to use. Planning for a planted tank - and plan to start out with the internal filter that comes with Juwel Vision. Stocking: neon tetras, German Blue Ram a.o. I would like to get an "all in one" solution if possible, and have had my eyes on this one: JBL proaquaset Combiset Plus NH4 - but it looks a little overwhelming - would like to keep the measuring scheme as simple as possible (simple = easy to use and not too time consuming) and on the other hand I want to do whats necessary for having a good water quality in the tank. Live in a city (Copenhagen) and expect the water to be hard (ph). Any advice much appreciated

 

[Wills]

Im just abt to start up a tropical fresh water tank (Juwel Vision 260) - have not had a tank since I was a kid - and back then I only measured ph values ... so need some advice abt what measuring scheme/equipment to use. Planning for a planted tank - and plan to start out with the internal filter that comes with Juwel Vision. Stocking: neon tetras, German Blue Ram a.o. I would like to get an "all in one" solution if possible, and have had my eyes on this one: JBL proaquaset Combiset Plus NH4 - but it looks a little overwhelming - would like to keep the measuring scheme as simple as possible (simple = easy to use and not too time consuming) and on the other hand I want to do whats necessary for having a good water quality in the tank. Live in a city (Copenhagen) and expect the water to be hard (ph). Any advice much appreciated

Hi welcome to the forum! The 260 sounds great they are a good tank.

In terms of measuring your water is go for an API liquid test kit. The longest they take is 5 mins and they are the most accurate and also most familiar to most hobbyists.

If you have hard water you might want to change your plans with the fish as the ones you listed are all soft water species. I have hard water too but tried to keep soft water fish with not much success for a long time since selecting my species from hard water habitats I’ve had a fair bit more success. If you have really hard water Central American or Malawi Cichlids might be a better choice than South Americans like the Rams.

Wills

 

[GaryE]

What @Wills said, If you test your water and it is soft, cardinals, not neons, as they live in the same temperature range as rams (26 plus). neons like and need cooler water (23 or so).
But you're right. A quick google question tells me Copenhagen generally has hard to very hard water. The Danish killie keepers, a skilled and respected bunch, must have water treatment systems.
I would look for a city water report. You should be able to get that online. The API kit is a bit of a rip off, as it doesn't measure hardness, and that's the most important thing to know as you start out.

 

[Tropdavid]

Can hard water be treated to make it softer?

 

[Essjay]

Hard water needs to be mixed with pure water to make it softer. This can be reverse osmosis water (RO) or rainwater if you know there is no pollution where you live.

The water must be premixed to the same proportions for every water change. All tap water cannot be used once a tap & pure water mix is used.

 

[Wills]

Can hard water be treated to make it softer?

You can use RO water but it’s quite complicated and time consuming.

 

[Outzen]

The API kit is a bit of a rip off, as it doesn't measure hardness, and that's the most important thing to know as you start out.

Im sure there must be a lot of different API test kits out there - but im referring to this YouTuber where PH is also part of the test? - or am I missing something
When looking at youtube demonstrations of the API master kit im thinking that it will be too time consuming to me, if I need to do that on a regular basis. While googling the API tests I found several different "multiple strip tests" - like the "aquarium co-op multitest strips" - which to me looks much more workable, even though several persons claim that they are not as accurate as the master test kits. Several youtubers have also suggested that you in time - as you get more familia with your tank environment - can cut down on your testing frequency.
Guess one scheme could be to use multi strips for regular testing, and an "API test kit" if/when water quality is not in balance - like when I start up the tank. Or would that be an overkill?
Second question - how long (typically) before API water test kits and/or multistrip tests expires?
Third question - When searching Amazon for Multitest strips I come up with this result. Anyone had experence with any of these tests?

 

[Byron]

The API liquid test kit, called the Master and which includes ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, is basic. I think just about every member here has this. The Sera tests are also reliable. Strip tests I will not say one way or the other; some members say never, others use them. Most seem to have a caveat that they are perhaps not as reliable as liquid tests. I certainly never found liquid tests bothersome.

The GH you must know to start, and KH is also useful. Once you know what these are for the source water, they are unlikely to vary much over time. And in the aquarium, unless you are targetting the GH/KH, it willnot change very much at all. Assuming you have "hard water" is next to useless, without the actual number for the GH and KH. If you are on municipal water, check the website of the water authority, this data may be there. Or take a sample of tap water to a fish store. Just make sure you get the number, and their unit of measure. There ar several, very different.

Initially, you want testing for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. Once the tank is cycled, ammonia and nitrite are not needed unless fish are having issues, then it is very well worth knowing if these have risen. Both should be zero permanently. Nitrate is worth testing regularly, especially before a water change, to ensure it is consistent. If it is increasing substantially, something is wrong and needs correction. The pH is similar, in an established biological system the pH should not be fluctuating more than a couple decimal places, such as diurnally.

 

[Lcc86]

Im sure there must be a lot of different API test kits out there - but im referring to this YouTuber where PH is also part of the test? - or am I missing something
When looking at youtube demonstrations of the API master kit im thinking that it will be too time consuming to me, if I need to do that on a regular basis. While googling the API tests I found several different "multiple strip tests" - like the "aquarium co-op multitest strips" - which to me looks much more workable, even though several persons claim that they are not as accurate as the master test kits. Several youtubers have also suggested that you in time - as you get more familia with your tank environment - can cut down on your testing frequency.
Guess one scheme could be to use multi strips for regular testing, and an "API test kit" if/when water quality is not in balance - like when I start up the tank. Or would that be an overkill?
Second question - how long (typically) before API water test kits and/or multistrip tests expires?
Third question - When searching Amazon for Multitest strips I come up with this result. Anyone had experence with any of these tests?

While the API kits might look a lot, it literally takes 5 minutes to do all the tests, and most of that is waiting time so you can go off and do something else in the interim. As someone who used the test strips many years ago I would never go back, the main problem I found is that all the colours ran into each other and it was almost impossible to accurately read the result.

 

[Naughts]

where PH is also part of the test? - or am I missing something

PH is not the the same thing as water hardness / GH, although there are correlations between pH (how acidic or basic the water is) and GH (the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals in the water), and also KH ( a measure of carbonate and bicarbonate ions that act as buffers in the water to prevent the pH dropping or changing sharply).

Of the 3, GH is the most important parameter for the fish.

 

[Outzen]

Thks ... think I need to buy a liquid tester, like the API master kit ... just stumpled on (google) a digital tester - "FF Fresh Water Disk (Order Code 4351-H)". Has anyone tried this or similar?

 

[Essjay]

One of the main problems with strips is that the majority of multi test ones don't include ammonia, which is the first thing to show up when water quality is poor. This lulls strip users into thinking their water is fine - until nitrite shows up, and by then the fish have been suffering ammonia in the water.

 

[Ram419]

Thks ... think I need to buy a liquid tester, like the API master kit ... just stumpled on (google) a digital tester - "FF Fresh Water Disk (Order Code 4351-H)". Has anyone tried this or similar?

That looks nice! But it's very expensive and I just read a review that said the manufacturer didn't produce any new testing disks for the device in a span of two years, rendering the device useless. I wouldn't buy it for that price and the testing disks not be available.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Hi Outzen, welcome back to the hobby.

Here is a link to a decent piece on water chemistry including what it takes to change it. It is a decent overview but not an end all be all solution. It will help get you decently grounded. However, I will offer one piece of advice. Changing water parameters in a stable way takes a bit of work and a some knowledge. I do it in one tank for some wild fish that need very soft water and lower pH. I was in the hobby for almost a decade before I was willing to try it. It also costs a bit to do this.

Go here https://fins.actwin.com/aquariafaq.html Then click on Your First Aquarium. The sections you want to read are the ones here https://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-chem.html . If you go directly to the 2nd link it will bring you to the sections on water chemistry that will help you. However, the main page also takes you to even more info should you want to read it.

Finally, I would also urge you to do a fishless cycle. Please read the article here https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/ However, it was written for cycling a tank without live plants. These use ammonia and do so faster than the cycling bacteria will, So in a planted tank you need less bacteria and it also will change how you might want to cycle the tank or if you want to do a slow process where the plants do most of the work and you are able to begin gradual stocking as soon as the plants have had a bit of time to become established. The more plants one has, the less bacteria is needed to keep a tank safe from ammonia etc.

edited for typos/spelling