# weird water parameters (apparently)



## john arnold (2 Oct 2018)

Hello

So people keep saying my readings are weird and im not experienced enought to work it out yet so can someone help me out here please
240l tank 4 months old
Amm 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate20ppm
Ph 6.6
Kh 7
Gh 12
4 congo tetra,2 gbr, 5 celebes rainbow fish, 4 ottos, shrimps,whiptail
Substrate has fertiliser under

140l tank 4 weeks old
Amm 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20ppm
Ph 6.4
Gh 10
Kh 4
10 cardinals, shrimps
Usinh tropica soil substrate only

Both tanks using fertz and pressurised co2, 50% water change a week
Is that weird figures? Using Api test kits


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## tam (3 Oct 2018)

Weird in what way? Can't see anything wrong.


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## foxfish (3 Oct 2018)

Some people like to test thier tank water but the readily available test kits are notoriously difficult to read and unreliable in thier results.
As soon as you start testing and believing the results you could just be chasing your tail.


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## ian_m (3 Oct 2018)

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/what-about-test-kits.52487/


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## john arnold (3 Oct 2018)

tam said:


> Weird in what way? Can't see anything wrong.


I dont know thats why i posted this, but I see test kits are crap anyway, so no worries.


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## john arnold (3 Oct 2018)

ian_m said:


> https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/what-about-test-kits.52487/


Wow cheers that really explains what i need to do...


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## dw1305 (3 Oct 2018)

Hi all, 





john arnold said:


> Ph 6.6, dKH 7, dGH 12
> 
> Ph 6.4, dGH 10, dKH 4


It is probably those values that look a bit strange. 

If you have hard water, with a relatively high dKH & dGH, you would expect that the pH would be around pH7.8 - pH8.2 when you aren't adding CO2 (this is the equilibrium pH value for the CO2~HCO3-~pH  reactions at 400ppm CO2). 

As you add CO2 the pH will reduce, and this is how a drop checker works. 





foxfish said:


> As soon as you start testing and believing the results you could just be chasing your tail.


 That is where I'm coming from, if a result looks scientifically dubious (like the pH values) then it is more likely to be the test kit, or testing technique, that is in error. 

I think that pH is one of the particularly problematic parameters, partially because it is a ratio and partially because there are certain conditions where  you can get an accurate pH measurement (high conductivity,  hard water) and some conditions where pH is a moveable feast (low conductivity, soft water).

I'll add some more bits to @Ian_m's <"what about test kits"> thread.

cheers Darrel


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## Aquahorti (3 Oct 2018)

When it comes to testkits you get what you pay for. 

To my knowledge the best way to test is getting a propper lab grade setup, but that is not easy, nor cheap. ELOS have some really good testkits that are lab grade, but they are not priced so that most people will think that they will just do a quick test unless something seems wrong with the aquarium. 

That being said, invest in a propper test setup and have patience while setting up a new aquarium will in my experience save you in the long run. 

Disclaimer: The wife does all the testing in our aquariums, I spend enough time in labs with my job that I’m happy with her having fun playing the mad Chemist at home.


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## john arnold (3 Oct 2018)

Aquahorti said:


> When it comes to testkits you get what you pay for.
> 
> To my knowledge the best way to test is getting a propper lab grade setup, but that is not easy, nor cheap. ELOS have some really good testkits that are lab grade, but they are not priced so that most people will think that they will just do a quick test unless something seems wrong with the aquarium.
> 
> ...



I see i think ill play the patience game as ive spent a lot of money in the last 4 months on this new hobby with 3 tanks! Haha obsessed, i remember going round like a headless chicken with first tank and algae problems at startup, and patience really is the key as it settled down in the end


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