Testing Supplies
- Thread starter 3mrhythm
- Start date
Well I'll start off by saying that the iron test kits are mediocre at best. Most people don't bother with them. Iron is present in trace ferts and can be supplemented with Flourish Iron or similar, should you notice a deficiency.
Ammonia test kits are pretty much a standard item so I'd recommened you get one of those.
Since you are going to be setting up a CO2 system you will absolutely need to know your KH (carbonate hardness). The Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kit comes with a test for both KH and GH which is handy. If your KH is below 3dKH you'll need to buffer your water to prevent a pH crash when injecting CO2. Some aragonite in your filter is a good long term solution to this problem, which I have myself. Baking soda can be used as a quick fix.
By using your pH and KH you can also determine the CO2 content of your tank water. I'm not sure I'd trust a CO2 test kit unless it was a probe of some kind.
Hope this helps. By the way, what tanks size and lighting have you got there?
Ammonia test kits are pretty much a standard item so I'd recommened you get one of those.
Since you are going to be setting up a CO2 system you will absolutely need to know your KH (carbonate hardness). The Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kit comes with a test for both KH and GH which is handy. If your KH is below 3dKH you'll need to buffer your water to prevent a pH crash when injecting CO2. Some aragonite in your filter is a good long term solution to this problem, which I have myself. Baking soda can be used as a quick fix.
By using your pH and KH you can also determine the CO2 content of your tank water. I'm not sure I'd trust a CO2 test kit unless it was a probe of some kind.
Hope this helps. By the way, what tanks size and lighting have you got there?
Tests I use for my tanks
For Fish Health
NH3/4 (Ammonia)
NO2 (Nitrite)
PH (High)
PH (Low)
For Plant Health
NO3 (Nitrate)
PO4 (Phospate)
Fe (Iron)
KH
Once a month I test for (usually for fun and just to be safe because the numbers never change)
GH
Calcium
Reason I use PH high and PH low is because my PH hovers around 7.6 - which is in the high part of the PH Low test and the low part of the PH High test.
Also, I use Chuck Gadds Nutrient Calculator to help with dosings.
I am not sure of my brands - I forget and I am not at home to look.
I would like a test kit for potassium - but either they dont exist or they are really expensive - so I dont test for that.
Good Luck
Aries
For Fish Health
NH3/4 (Ammonia)
NO2 (Nitrite)
PH (High)
PH (Low)
For Plant Health
NO3 (Nitrate)
PO4 (Phospate)
Fe (Iron)
KH
Once a month I test for (usually for fun and just to be safe because the numbers never change)
GH
Calcium
Reason I use PH high and PH low is because my PH hovers around 7.6 - which is in the high part of the PH Low test and the low part of the PH High test.
Also, I use Chuck Gadds Nutrient Calculator to help with dosings.
I am not sure of my brands - I forget and I am not at home to look.
I would like a test kit for potassium - but either they dont exist or they are really expensive - so I dont test for that.
Good Luck
Aries
I have a KH test kit and a whole bag of kno3 that came with the co2 setup
another question .. i want to add a bag (20lb) of Eco- Compete but i was reading that it might not be good to add it to an established aquarium... has anyone here added that stuff and had a problem? i need a little more substrate since the guy sent me some huge plants ... i have a amazon sword now that is the size of a basketball! and i need more substrate to cover the roots better
i have in there now .. 50lb of crushed quarts (pool filter gravel) and a box of "first layer flourite" so i think one bag of the eco complete would be just right ..
Thoughts?
another question .. i want to add a bag (20lb) of Eco- Compete but i was reading that it might not be good to add it to an established aquarium... has anyone here added that stuff and had a problem? i need a little more substrate since the guy sent me some huge plants ... i have a amazon sword now that is the size of a basketball! and i need more substrate to cover the roots better
i have in there now .. 50lb of crushed quarts (pool filter gravel) and a box of "first layer flourite" so i think one bag of the eco complete would be just right ..
Thoughts?
What do you mean by a whole bag. Is this your fertilizer or test kit?? If you just have those two - you will will need more test kits - there is a lot that goes into plants. As for your original question of brands...Labotts I believe is pretty good as well as Seachem for the most part.3mrhythm said:
I have not read anything about NOT adding EcoComplete to an established tank - but that is not to mean anything either. If you are not dead set on EcoComplete (or if you can not get an answer to your question), try Seachem Flourite. It is good for plants (what I use) and is a bit cheaper than EcoComplete. Also, it seems like you already have a lot of gravel - but without thinking or seeing a picture it is hard to tell
I dont know how "dusty" EcoComplete is, but with Flourite, you must rinse well because it can be quite dirty and adding to an established tank will make it cloudy for a day or two.
When adding substanstial amounts of susbstrate to an established tank can be tricky (not covering fish - not disturbing much of existing substrate - looks of layers initially - dealing with cloudyness - etc). I am sure there are more issues - I am just not aware of them.
Good Luck
Aries
the kno3 is a white powder..
i know i need the basic kits amonia/nitrate... etc but i just wanted to know how important things like iron and such are ..i just got another box of first layer to add to the tank (iron rich clay ) so i have to rinse that for hte next year and a half. lol
the fish are doing fine and i am getting plant growth ..i've noticed some root growth on some of my plants.. i tucked so into the driftwood and they are doing great...
the only battle i have is this green water borne algae .. originally it was like pea soup .. so i have been adding "advanced algae remover" and doing water changes every few days .. and its getting better... but i fear that i am only stopping the tank from cycling... idk we'll see ...
Thanks!
Chris
i know i need the basic kits amonia/nitrate... etc but i just wanted to know how important things like iron and such are ..i just got another box of first layer to add to the tank (iron rich clay ) so i have to rinse that for hte next year and a half. lol
the fish are doing fine and i am getting plant growth ..i've noticed some root growth on some of my plants.. i tucked so into the driftwood and they are doing great...
the only battle i have is this green water borne algae .. originally it was like pea soup .. so i have been adding "advanced algae remover" and doing water changes every few days .. and its getting better... but i fear that i am only stopping the tank from cycling... idk we'll see ...
Thanks!
Chris