API test kit info

[koiguy1969]

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfi...or-api-freshwater-master-test-kit-users.6439/

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Great and important info!

This would explain many of the suspiciously low Nitate readings reported on this Forum.

 

[koiguy1969]

First picture is slightly away from card... Shows 5. The second is touching...shows 10. These pics were taken 1/2hour after test, so they may be darker then when tests were done. Like the link explained, waiting too long to check results may give a false high readings.

 

[MitchM]

So - shake your test kit reagent bottles for 30 - 60 seconds before using if you test weekly, shake for 2 - 3 minutes if testing less often. (that's a long time to shake a bottle)
I saw this recommended by another manufacturer a number of years ago. I think it was Elos.
It's a habit for me now.
Although 1 bottle in the PO4 kit is so viscous, it's not possible to shake that one.

 

[JamieB]

What other brands are good? One of the members is trying to find one, a 14yr old girl, so she needs one she can afford, and the api kit is almost twice what she can spend. If you would, post in introduction- unnecessary guests on fish fins”. You’ll see her budget limit, but it’s in rupes.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

The API kits are probably the least expensive of any of the available test kits that boast some semblance of accuracy. There are several other manufacturers but all are more expensive.
As to the young lady from India, while I feel sympathy for her, she is attempting to pursue a hobby at a level that she does not have the resources for. Any attempt to do it 'on the cheap' will only cause her more heartbreak down the road.

 

[Lisak1]

I do feel for her - she is so sincere in her desire to do the right thing. But if I understand the situation (there were a lot of posts to follow) she was trying to keep multiple fish (including two big koi) in a six gallon container. That's really not even enough for one small goldfish. No test kit in the world can help with the issues that will come out of that situation. And while the suggestions to get a big tote are helpful in the short run, long term that's not really fair to the fish either. And if she doesn't have the resources for a test kit, she won't be able to support those fish as they continue to grow.

I do hope she will seek out an aquarium forum as they may be her best resource. Maybe she can find someone who is getting rid of some larger tanks that she can step up to in her fish keeping hobby.

 

[brokensword]

I DID suggest she keep very small (adult) fish. Guppies are cheap and easy. Won't need much water testing as long as she doesn't overfeed. Which research should show, then she can have fish as pets without all the additional expense. She says she's been online reading about fish since age 11 but if she has, surely some article would have told her koi get ridiculously large...and the pet store isn't doing her any favors, that's for sure...

 

[CSMcMullen1]

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfi...or-api-freshwater-master-test-kit-users.6439/

I am new. But have had aquariums. Will my aquarium test kits work with pond? I assume it will.

 

[brokensword]

I am new. But have had aquariums. Will my aquarium test kits work with pond? I assume it will.

CS;
the liquid kits are much more accurate than the strips (don't even bother using/buying) but the kit should be current. Old kits degrade and can give you false info. Basically, you're wanting to know what your source water is made of so you can either adapt or use as is. I'm betting, as noted before, that if you have ground water, unless you have a source that might pollute it (fertilizers, toxic remains from past usage of the land, etc), you can probably not worry. I have well water (very deep) and have no issues. The shallow ones are the types that can have ground leachings that might hurt ponders. I haven't added/subtracted anything other than to make sure I have lots of plants. As time goes on and cycles are established, the plants have naturally acidifed my overly alkaline water. From what I can see of fish growth and plant growth, everything is working fine. You might have issues at first re introducing fish, but if you do it slow so the fish can get acclimated, they'll be fine. GF are tough. I think the basic safe range for ph is 7-9, but don't remember the kh or gh numbers. Just search/google here and the numbers will come up, or someone like @MitchM can chime in. The kh and gh are important to keep ph crashes from happening.

btw, have you posted your particulars yet? Size of pond, LxWxD, planting zone, water params (I know, you're getting there on that one!) are the sort of measurements we'd need to help.

Michael

 

[MitchM]

I am new. But have had aquariums. Will my aquarium test kits work with pond? I assume it will.

fw pond or fw aquarium, it's an aquatic environment so the test kits will work the same.
Just make sure the kits are not expired and you shake the bottles before using.

 

[brokensword]

@MitchM : without me or the OP actually doing the search, can you post here what kh and gh numbers (and a brief treatise about benefits/detriments) are for an average pond? I'm pretty sure I remember you and Meyer batting this ball about sometime back...

 

[MitchM]

Hey Michael,
KH is carbonate hardness, GH is all other minerals.
KH and GH are basically "bookends" that keep PH within healthy water quality parameters for fish.
KH prevents PH from dropping too low because it helps nitrifying bacteria process decaying organic matter and neutralizes acids.
GH prevents PH from rising too high because it balances out biological processes by telling you that you have enough minerals that allow complete processing of biological matter.

The end goal is to have nitrogen safely processed from ammonia back to nitrogen that plants can utilize.

A healthy reading using the API test kit for KH and GH is 6 or more drops each.

 

[brokensword]

Hey Michael,
KH is carbonate hardness, GH is all other minerals.
KH and GH are basically "bookends" that keep PH within healthy water quality parameters for fish.
KH prevents PH from dropping too low because it helps nitrifying bacteria process decaying organic matter and neutralizes acids.
GH prevents PH from rising too high because it balances out biological processes by telling you that you have enough minerals that allow complete processing of biological matter.

The end goal is to have nitrogen safely processed from ammonia back to nitrogen that plants can utilize.

A healthy reading using the API test kit for KH and GH is 6 or more drops each.

isn't there some numbers? I seem to recall 100 or more for kh...again, I don't worry about this but the OP might need to know basic healthy ranges for each...

 

[MitchM]

Yes, the simplest number is the number of drops, 6.
6 drops is 100 ppm.
That is an acceptable minimum.

Readings above that are most likely fine, unless it's an extreme amount which we need to examined on a case by case basis. I would consider anything above 22 drops (400 ppm) something to be looked at a bit closer.