Water Tests and advice

[jaykinch]

Hello All

Ive been getting my water tested by my local Fish shop, they use a machine to test, ive only started to test this year as had a tank crash in Oct 24 lost all my fish bar my Regal tang and valentini puffer
so in Jan 25 started to stock fish again and brought my love for my tank back again hence why getting water tests done and not thinking i know best :)
results are so up and down
after the test on 25/1/25 i done a 75l water change (3 barrels) after the other test just 50l( 2 barrels)
tank is 1200mm wide x 550mm x 550mm
Fish i have now is
x2 clowns ( nanny and poo poo) kids named them :)
Derek the dory (regal Tang)
Bojo the (midas blenny)
spike the (firefish)
puffer roo roo (Valentini puffer)
toby the destroyer (orange spotted goby)
I am planning on more fish
got a Foxface on order and not sure what else i want yet

if this was your tank what would you do to steady the test result
should i be changing 75l of water a week?

thank you and have a great day

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The water parameters are all over the place.....Specific gravity is very low, alk is very low with huge fluctuation,nitrate and phosphate are very high, calcium has wild fluctuations.....

Personally I do feel weekly water changes are in order to bring down the nutrients and bring the parameters back in line.

And get your own test kits when you can, don't rely on the LFS for anything.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't think the testing is all accurate. Calcium and magnesium cannot jump up and down like that, making me suspicious of all the results.

First thing I'd do is get your own alkalinity test.

 

[jaykinch]

Ah i was thinking the test they do would be better than i could do, so now im in the market for a test kit
any advice on what one to get, quick look on amazon loads on there

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ah i was thinking the test they do would be better than i could do, so now im in the market for a test kit
any advice on what one to get, quick look on amazon loads on there

In the absence of having a pH meter, I'd elect Hanna or Salifert, but there are other good ones. With a pH meter, I think a DIY using a standard acid is a better test for alk.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

I wouldn't rely on those results, way too much fluctuation. Even though they are using a machine there are too many variables that can affect the results.
As mentioned above Hanna, Salifert are good test kits. I would focus on, Nitrate, Phosphate, Alk, Calcium, and salinity. Once things seem to be normalized you can address tweaking Mag and PH if necessary.

 

[jaykinch]

Hey, thanks for the help so far its been a interesting, i take it you mean these electronic testers like these
https://www.swelluk.com/shop-by-bra...)&utm_term=aquarium &utm_content=All Products
Might have to buy 1 a month to try and hide it from the missus :) and like someone said just start with the KH one

my 3 hobbies i have cost a fortune, marine tank, PC gaming and fresh water Fishing might try knitting that sounds cheaper and get myself a great jumper out of it lol

 

[brandon429]

how was a parameter you can measure on hobby test kits, identified as the crash cause per descriptive #1
that's in question as well

disease is about 99% what caused the crash, originating in the fish. tracing crash causes=good science

 

[jaykinch]

i just feel when the tank crashed it was a poorly fish or disease never added a fish for over a year then just losing one after another in a space of a week full of white spot, some with no signs, it proper gutting to see it happen in front of you, i feel neglect paid a big part with a busy job house move kids and just life got in the way and laziness and just not making time to do water changes prob changed water once in 3-4 months

I used to have a tests kits but found was spending hours testing and retesting but not doing anything about the test results, then just stopped testing

now its a new year new me