What can I get to measure this?

Ksologistt · 01/10/2009, 11:51 PM

Hey everyone!
I'm relatively new to marine aquariums and have a tank that is a week old. Today, after having my water tested, I was pressured by my LFS to put in a chromis, 5 hermit crabs, 2 snails, and a pep shrimp to eat my aptasia. Although I questioned them frequently about their assurance that I could put a fish in a one week old tank, they insisted and gave me the pep shrimp free. After putting them in about 4 hours ago, they all seem to be doing absolutely fine. The crabs have eaten the brownish algae that was gathering on the sand and the snails have been climbing around the live rock/glass. The shrimp is eating and ate some of the fish food that sank down to the bottom of the tank. The fish has been hiding, but it seems to be swimming fine.

My question is:
What can I get to easily measure ammonia and nitrates in my tank?
Can someone direct me to a link of something that I could buy?
What is the best way to take water samples and what product works best?

ronin_man · 01/10/2009, 11:58 PM

clickHERE
any LFS should have these or something like them

ronin_man · 01/11/2009, 12:00 AM

oh, and dont skimp out and get the really cheap ones. i have had luck with API kits although some people dont like them, and seachem seem to be pretty good kits aswell. other will have there own opinions im sure.
test kits are life savers in this hobby. get one !

you might also want to check out the skickys at the top of the section and do some reading
here
and
here

reefworm · 01/11/2009, 07:58 AM

+1 on the reading links. invaluable resources. trust them more than your lfs.

crvz · 01/11/2009, 08:32 AM

agreed, anyone trying to sell you something should be listened to with skepticism. I'm not sure I would have added the fish so soon, but get a couple good test kits to measure the water parameters.

reefworm · 01/11/2009, 04:53 PM

LaMotte, Elos, Salifert very trust worthy kits [I put them in that order, but that may just be me]

ronin_man · 01/11/2009, 10:55 PM

where can you get these? i've never heard of any of them, although salifert sounds familiar.
are they like an order only thing?
or maybe just because im in canada... lol

reefworm · 01/12/2009, 11:37 AM

most any of our on-line supporters will carry them. go to the sponsor list

ronin_man · 01/12/2009, 11:45 AM

cool, was just wondering. might try one against the few i use now.

WaterKeeper · 01/12/2009, 11:53 AM

What is it with these LFS that test a tank and don't provide the numeric results? You're not the first to post a question on a tank tested without providing the data Ksologistt. It seems to be a trend. If the LFS does testing on a new tank ask them for the hard data. Tell them you would like to make your own decisions based on that.

01/10/2009, 11:51 PM	#1
Ksologistt Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 47	What can I get to measure this? Hey everyone! I'm relatively new to marine aquariums and have a tank that is a week old. Today, after having my water tested, I was pressured by my LFS to put in a chromis, 5 hermit crabs, 2 snails, and a pep shrimp to eat my aptasia. Although I questioned them frequently about their assurance that I could put a fish in a one week old tank, they insisted and gave me the pep shrimp free. After putting them in about 4 hours ago, they all seem to be doing absolutely fine. The crabs have eaten the brownish algae that was gathering on the sand and the snails have been climbing around the live rock/glass. The shrimp is eating and ate some of the fish food that sank down to the bottom of the tank. The fish has been hiding, but it seems to be swimming fine. My question is: What can I get to easily measure ammonia and nitrates in my tank? Can someone direct me to a link of something that I could buy? What is the best way to take water samples and what product works best?

01/11/2009, 12:00 AM	#3
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	oh, and dont skimp out and get the really cheap ones. i have had luck with API kits although some people dont like them, and seachem seem to be pretty good kits aswell. other will have there own opinions im sure. test kits are life savers in this hobby. get one ! you might also want to check out the skickys at the top of the section and do some reading here and here __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube Last edited by ronin_man; 01/11/2009 at 12:06 AM.

01/11/2009, 07:58 AM	#4
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	+1 on the reading links. invaluable resources. trust them more than your lfs. __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

01/11/2009, 08:32 AM	#5
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	agreed, anyone trying to sell you something should be listened to with skepticism. I'm not sure I would have added the fish so soon, but get a couple good test kits to measure the water parameters. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

01/11/2009, 04:53 PM	#6
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	LaMotte, Elos, Salifert very trust worthy kits [I put them in that order, but that may just be me] __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

01/10/2009, 11:58 PM	#2
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	clickHERE any LFS should have these or something like them

01/11/2009, 10:55 PM	#7
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	where can you get these? i've never heard of any of them, although salifert sounds familiar. are they like an order only thing? or maybe just because im in canada... lol __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/12/2009, 11:37 AM	#8
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	most any of our on-line supporters will carry them. go to the sponsor list __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

01/12/2009, 11:45 AM	#9
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	cool, was just wondering. might try one against the few i use now. __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/12/2009, 11:53 AM	#10
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	What is it with these LFS that test a tank and don't provide the numeric results? You're not the first to post a question on a tank tested without providing the data Ksologistt. It seems to be a trend. If the LFS does testing on a new tank ask them for the hard data. Tell them you would like to make your own decisions based on that. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29