Water tested finally

[Vincenia]

I got around to getting test strips today. I was at Petco and they had 5 in 1 test strips for 6.99 so I bought some. I used one to test my water.
Here are the test results:

General Hardness: 20
Carbonate hardness: 0
PH level: 6.5
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 20

I think that seems to be pretty good. I'm going to buy a cansater filter for my tank soon, my dad has one and theres one thats the same but smaller and will empty and refill my tank 10 times in about 5 mins. I forgot the name of it.

 

[stormywendyann]

Good Start on getting your water tested. Those test results are pretty good. That is great that you are going to get a canister, they really do filter the water a lot better than an HOB.

If you ever get a chance in the future... especially if you are cycling a tank... invest in an API Freshwater Testing Kit. They are about $30.00 and it will last you well over a year if you only have only a couple tanks. It gives you more accurate readings and you can get your ammonia reading too. But it sounds like what you have will work fine for now.

Good Luck

 

[Nepherael]

I don't see an ammonia test there. That one and nitrite and nitrate are Tue most important. Also, I don't have experience with strips so I can't really comment but a lot of people here will tell you that they are notoriously inaccurate.

Sent from my Droid Incredible using the Monster Aquaria Network app

 

[Rbishop]

Dip strips are not reliable enough to call the results fine for now...

 

[Vincenia]

The strips I bought are API, I don't want to buy a whole kit, may just lose it anyway or my dad will take it. The Marineland filter's biowheel doesn't work at all and it doesn't seem to want to work right. I lost a guppy today, not sure why, maybe old age cause he was old. The other guppies seem to be doing just fine and they eat normally.

 

[Rbishop]

Dip strips, regardless of the maker are not accurate. You need a good liquid test kit.

 

[Rbishop]

Have you cleaned the pins on the end of the bio wheel and the grooves they fit in?

 

[Rbishop]

That 37 gallon stocking is abit inappropriate...not surprised you are losing guppies...IMO.

 

[Vincenia]

I cleaned the bio wheel more then once and it still doesn't work or spin. I only lost 2 guppies... I have to update my sig, half of the fish I have listed are no longer in there, my dad took most of my fry and a pet shop took my large common pleco and some other fish.

 

[Slappy*McFish]

Check and see if the bio-wheel is rubbing underneath. This will prevent it from turning. To fix this problem, gently pry upwards the gray plastic grooves (on the filter body) that the ends of the wheels rotate in. This will raise the wheel up higher so it no longer rubs. Those little plastic grooves can sometimes be a little stubborn so be patient and careful while doing it. Normally, it isn't too much of a problem, though. I did this with a problematic bio-wheel and I haven't had a problem with it since.