Strange readings:

[cudaguy]

   Hey all, as stated new to this board, but been around the hobby my whole life.  Just did a couple tests and I am thinking one of my kits may be bad, any advice would be helpful.

    Ph  8.6

    Kh   27     Yep 27, or 490 ppm, could this be correct, I know we have hard water here and I do use buffers regularly, but that just seems a little high to me.  My fronts are showing no signs of issues, just curious I suppose.

[Marty]

Are you on well water?  Because if you're on city water, I'd be willing to bet your test kit is defective.  Try taking a water sample to a lfs and have them test it.

[Ron]

Test kits do "expire" at a certain point and become less accurate.

FWIW I've never owned one in 18 years. Not sure it's really worth worrying about the details. I've accepted I can't keep soft water fish needing lower pH, but otherwise things work for me. If you're using anything active to try and keep certain water parameters, it's better to keep things stable than to try and hit some perfect number while having parameters fluctuate all over IMO.

[cudaguy]

  Thanks guys,


     No Marty, not well water, I would tend to agree, I believe the kit may not be accurate. Going to take to local store just as a reference.

  Thanks Ron,   not really anal about parameters, but I was curious as to where I was at, started this tank with RO water and recently switched to tap with buffer, and had hoped to get a baseline to be able to keep them stable.

[mightieskeeper]

Thanks Ron, I did want to be the first person to admit that I don't use test kits.

[Ron]

  Thanks Ron,   not really anal about parameters, but I was curious as to where I was at, started this tank with RO water and recently switched to tap with buffer, and had hoped to get a baseline to be able to keep them stable.

Yes, a baseline is always good. I will admit I did have the LFS check the pH once when on well water and relied on reports from the city when I was on city water.

Thanks Ron, I did want to be the first person to admit that I don't use test kits.

The topic of measuring this or that has come up a quite a bit recently on here. I could talk long enough to bore a large majority of people here about the nitrogen cycle, effects of water parameter upon one another, etc, but in the grand scope of the home aquaria, with special exception IMO to reef ecosystems and water-sensitive wild-caught fish, a lot of it can be generalized and doesn't require scheduled testing IMO. I think if we threw up a poll there's be more who'd join us among the "doesn't own a test kit" group.

[JeffroM]

I never test either...  But as Ron said if I had WC South Americans I probably would be testing.

I also probably overstock / or stock too much too soon.  I try to make up for those issues with frequent water changes.  I lose fish to murder (#1 suspect is my Demasoni), the occasional skiddish tank jumper, but that is almost always the only issues.

[mightieskeeper]

I have the same problem Jeff fish murder was a clarki clownfish.  Then he committed suicide in the powerhead.  Bad fish!

[Cadman2000]

Fishacide is an ever growing problem. The american association for the proper keeping of aquatic life, AAPKAL says "As fish are kept in captivity, successive generations begin to become more aggressive in terms of jumping from tanks. It is best that a tight fitting hood be installed on your tank to eliminate this concern." I find this to be total hooey, who are we to keep a fish from participating in risky activities, if your fish wants to carpet surf it is their right. Would you allow someone to tell you that you can not bungee jump or sky dive just because its not natural. I say we stand up against this atrocity and promote healthy free expresion where ever it can be found.

[mightieskeeper]

Cadman that's great!lol