ph,no3 and ammonia readings for my tanks?

hey guys so did the tests on my tanks for the first time ever! i used a pond test kit my ma had lying around so i figured why buy another one i just want to check the results from you guys :smile1: so

1.2 community
pH 6.5
NO3 70mg/L
NO2 0.1mg/L
Ammonia 0.1mg/L

betta tank
pH 8.5
NO3 25mg/L
NO2 0
ammonia ran out of tablets :bigsmile:

whats the verdict? *bites finger nails nervously*

 

Inorganic or organic ester or salt of nitric acid, containing the (NO3-) ion. Nitrates are the most water soluble of all salts, and play a major part in nitrogen cycle and nitrate pollution. Inorganic nitrates are formed by bacteria and are an essential component of agricultural soil. Organic nitrates are manufactured compounds and, because they generate oxygen when heated, are used in explosives such as nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin.

Too high

(Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or containing, nitrogen; specifically, designating any one of those compounds in which, as contrasted with nitrous compounds, the element has a higher valence; as, nitric oxide; nitric acid. [1913 Webster]Nitric acid, a colorless or yellowish liquid obtained by distilling a nitrate with sulphuric acid. It is powerfully corrosive, being a strong acid, and in decomposition a strong oxidizer.Nitric anhydride, a white crystalline oxide of nitrogen (N2O5), called nitric pentoxide, and regarded as the anhydride of nitric acid.Nitric oxide, a colorless poisous gas (NO) obtained by treating nitric acid with copper. On contact with the air or with oxygen, it becomes reddish brown from the formation of nitrogen dioxide (NO2, also called nitric dioxide or nitric peroxide). [1913 Webster]


Too High

Do you use the same water for both tanks?

 

Your Betta tank pH is very high.You should try and soften the water a bit.
Have a look at the test kits expire dates,if it was "lying around",it could be out of date.Rather get some proper, new kits for aquariums.

 

hmmm rudi had a look and the kit may be expired we got it when we moved in to the new house for the ponds and that was about 4 years ago. slojo i do use the same water for both tanks and i vacuumed both tanks and did a 25% water change on the community and a 40% change on the betta. i also did some rescaping in the community last week and removed pretty much all the watersprite (still sitting in a bucket in my yard) so i can see the fish better. could this have influenced my readings?

what should i do know? i could get maybe a nitrate and ammonia kit tomorrow... at a push the pH kit too.

 

do strips have a expiary date

 

Hi windfire,rather get the new kits and be sure what you test is acurate.Better to be safe.See what you can afford,ammonia and pH for now and nitrate next month should be fine.
@ shakester,have alook at the packeging/container.

 

I agree,but if your fishes do not stress i'll not worry too much as you mentioned that the kits did expire.:blink1:

 

Hi Shakester...

If you recall we had a rather heated discussion in this thread with regards to test kits, and I made the following statement with regards to test kits:

And may I be as foreward as to say that the test STRIPS are by far the most inaccurate way to test water... and if you planning on keeping discus, and really need to know the water perameters, which you do, you need to be investing in a proper testing kit system. The one's with the vials and drops... the ones that cost a lot.

Goedkoop is duurkoop

(Cheap buy is expensive buy) because when you think your water is perfect for your discus to survive, (which I believe it isn't), you will discover that it isn't if you have it tested properly.

 

but this ones ok for now??

 

No shakes, it will not be alright for now. As I have said before, and is commonly known on the forum... test strips are great for a quick test, and will help you determine when you have extremes. But because you are keeping discus, you need to have 100% accurate water all the time... if you don't, you are basically throwing away money. You need to get a decent test kit.

You said you spent R215 for your discus. And you have another 2 on order. That's R600.00 worth of fish. You need to be 100% sure that your water is in TOP NOTCH condition, and in my opinion, these test strips just do not guarantee that the readings it is giving is accurate enough to be believed.

For the sake of R600.00 worth of fish, I would seriously advice you to invest in a proper test kit. If you don't believe me, go ask the professor.

 

I'm with Zoom on this one. I would go for a name brand kit that is very well known - perhaps one of the SERA, Tetra or Hagen kits. The other option is most def a science grade probe.

 

its a bit way more than that
,but it gives you the safe readings so thats cool ,but il have to get something more accurate ,like mainly ph and ammonia

okay ,money peeps money .. thats 200 for 2 tests already

 

well said zoom....shakster .come on man.
Guys rather spend a month or twos fish money on a proper test kit and get your basics right.then spend the money on fish when your aquarium is ready. a good kit will cost you less than R500 and last a while .each of my tanks have now got there own red sea full test kit and i keep a log of every test just for refrence.if you come online with a week or twos tests .you will get sure good advise from people who have been there done it.

 

ok, i have a question-so what in your opinion is a good test kit? I use Tetra 5 in 1, and I dont think the GH and KH readings are that accurate? What is 'Science test probe' Henk?

 

Henk do you have pricing on this ph meter?

 

No idea

 

hi henk. Will this meter only measure ph?

 

Yes. But you do get ones for other readings. They cost thousands!

 

http://www.milwaukeetesters.com/ - contact these guys - DO NOT get the pens