See, I told you I'd be screaming for help soon. Actually, this hasn't reached scream point yet but I know I've overstocked my new tank and I'm doing frequent small water changes to combat this. I have an undergravel filter and I refuse to admit how many fish I have in the tank!

I browsed the site last night and found heaps of useful information but by this morning my aged brain had scrambled most of it.

I have a ph test kit and use that regularly - the ph seems to be OK - between 6.5 and 7 and I have mainly tetras.

The ammonia/nitrate/nitrite tests are what is confusing me. I went out and bought an ammonia test kit and some ammolock, thinking that if I kept the ammonia down then the nitrate/nitrite problems would also be controlled. But now I read that I could still get positive ammonia results even if I use ammolock because the ammonia will still be in the water even if it is in a harmless form - so that seems pretty useless to me. Should I be using ammolock and testing for nitrates or nitrites instead?

It possible to maintain a healthy tank using only one of these tests - and which one would you think is the most important?

I haven't used either product yet and I'm sure the pet shop would let me exchange them if necessary

Cheers

Judy

I kept fish for years (successfully) without knowing about these tests so rarely use them but, having said that, if your fish do start dying these tests will help you work out why. I still don't test regularly, just occasionally for curiosity. They help in a new tank though as they tell you if the tank is cycling correctly - especially if you have stocked too much and too quickly.

I am against adding anything unnecessary to the tank so would not use Ammolock, pH up, down, whatever etc.

I understand Ammolock upsets test results so you can't use it and an ammonia test as well. Your frequent water changes are a better idea.

I suggest the ammonia and nitrate would be the most useful but others with more experience of these test kits may disagree.

To answer your question though, it is possible to maintain a healthy tank using no test kits at all - if you do it properly.

I've never used test kits

it would help if we knew how long the tank has been set up and what the stock is

btw, i've heard good things about new and improved cycle, you could try that never needed it personally though

OK, I think I'll exchange the kit and stuff. I can always get them to test the water if I have any reason to worry.

And sorry, I'm just too embarrassed to admit how many fish are in a 2week old tank. Its 16 US gallons and the fish are tetras and loaches. But I'm not saying how many! I actually started with just a few but then somebody else got carried away and bought more ................ so I decided that if he was going to fill it with the fish he wanted, then I had better get in quick and get the fish I wanted ............................

Something tells me we will end up owing his and hers tanks ........ LOL

So far so good though. The fish seem healthy and I am doing frequent small water changes. The tank came with a bottle of stress zyme which is probably like cycle - it says it sets up the good bacteria which makes biological filters work well so I've been using that

Cheers

Judy

The good bacteria stuff with cycle and stress zyme is BS, by the way. It doesn't do a thing for bacteria, it just adds more rubbish to your water.

OK, I'll go into 'profile' now and change my nick to 'sucker'. Another way to make us spend money huh?

Cheers

Judy

hi the only time i test the tank is if something is wroug

Hi Jude

When you're first starting out it gets very confusing as to what you do need and what you get told you need! (I went through bottles of stuff I'd been assured by the local store I must have till I knew better :lol: )

However, I found the ammonia and nitrite kits very useful ......meant I had a better idea of what was happening in the tanks until I knew a bit more about my fish and their behaviours. Other option is of course to take water into the lfs and get it tested there. By knowing if you have ammonia/nitrite present you'll know if you need to do more w/changes, and where in the cycle your tank is.

I think I read you had an ugf, do you have any other filtration in the tank? Is the tank planted, and it would help if you could give us an idea of the no of fish you've got.

it's very addictive this fishy business..........one tank very quickly turns into 2

sue

I wish Suemack

How do I stop getting more??

Alan

:lol: How many now Alan?.................................... tanks!!!

sue