Member

Posts: 146
From:canada
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 01-03-2004 04:47 PM         

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I am thinking about testing the water in my aquarium. I have never done this before and have never experienced any problem until now. My platy died today and I dont know why. Question: What kind of kit do I buy and what should I be testing? I have looked at kits and it appears that you can test for just about anything and everything. Where do I begin?
Thanks and I wish everyone the best of New Years!

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Posts: 806
From:
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 01-03-2004 08:18 PM         

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Hi fishybiz, What you are most concerned about is ammonia and nitrites. If you keep these levels down you will find that PH is not a big problem. Your water changes are to help keep ammonia and nitrites down. High ammonia and/or nitrites are the major causes of most aquarium problems. Don't go into a panic because you lost 1 fish. Time after time I have seen people who had a minor problem with their tank and lost 1 fish start trying to make the tank perfect and over-medicate and kill off everything in their tank. If you are going to keep tropical fish you will lose one now and then, even when everything looks perfectly fine in your tank. You have to remember no matter what you do to your tank and how perfect it appears, it is not their natural environment and only the strongest fish survive.

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Member

Posts: 18
From:molalla,OR,USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-03-2004 08:45 PM         

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if your not sure if your water is bad just take a little tube water down to like petsmart and they'll test your water for you.

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Member

Posts: 146
From:canada
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 01-03-2004 09:30 PM         

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Excellent, Thank- you both for the help. I know I can take a water sample to the fish store but it is quite a ways away from me and I think I would like to learn how to do it myself. Eventually (probably 2009- just kidding) I would like to have a saltwater tank as well so I need to learn sometime.
I have heard frequently that it begins with one fish, and then before you know it, the whole tank is wiped out. That is what worries me. I will go pick up an amonia and nitrate kit next time I am at the store. Im sure I will be posting more questions then... cheers

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Member

Posts: 151
From:
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-06-2004 09:02 PM         

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It depends on what you want to test for. You can buy a kit or take a water sample to the petstore to have them test for you. I hope that this heps you and I am sorry to hear about your platy.
Ashley

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