water testing

[littlehattie]

i was wondering if anyone can tell me a quick and easy test to use to test the water, ph, nitrite, nitrate etc

we have some bottles of stuff but its a bit fiddley and don't know if there is anything easier

thanks

hattie (9)

 

[Joviella]

I believe that the liquid test kits are the most accurate. This sounds like what you have......can you get your mum to help you?

 

[littlehattie]

yes we do them together but was hoping maybe for an easy life, lazy i know

hattie

 

[breezer40]

Hi Hattie I'm from Derby too!

Water Quality is very important and worth spending the time checking so as the fish ramain healthy. There are strips that you dip but to be honest they are difficult to read and I've never found them to be accurate.

 

[CathyG]

Hi Hattie!

I understand the liquid test kits are more accurate, and my son (who is also nine) actually has a lot of fun measuring the drops into the test tubes and comparing the colours to the charts later. He thinks it makes this kind of pet keeping more "scientific" which appeals to him, since they are not exactly a pet to fuss over in the usual sense (like our cats and gerbils) so it is another way he can make a difference, so to speak He gets a lot of pleasure out of the technical side of keeping fish, maintaining the balance of your tank's chemistry can be pleasurable, educational, and worth involving yourself in! Do you really want a short cut when so much can be had, in so many ways, from involving yourself thoroughly?

Good luck, and enjoy!

 

[clutterydrawer]

what brand of test kit do you currently have?

i used to use an ammonia test kit made by Tetra which had three different bottles and was very fiddly and took twenty minutes to develop the colour. now i have one by Hagen with only one bottle and the colour develops instantly! hooray! (if you get it, you want the yellow one, not the orange one.)

 

[skimpy]

I use the API (Aquarium Pharmaceutical Inc) I personally find them very accurate and easy to use (nitrAte a little fiddly cos you have to shake bottle for 30 seconds and then shake tube for 60 seconds)

You can get a MASTER TEST KIT for freshwater whice includes PH Am NitrIte and NitrAte all in one box. It works out about £15.00 on the net and can be cheaper than buying the bottles individually.

Good Luck