New and having problems!

LisaLB24

Thank you for all the help! I can't attach my local water quality assurance report (too big) but didn't see any readings for hardness. I have an email out to the water board inquiring about the hardness of my counties water supply. I am totally perplexed by my water testing. I have had the seachem tabs (little stickies stuck inside the tank) for ph and for ammonia readings in the tank since the weekend. The ph tab was as red as could be indicating 8.2 or above and the ammonia reading was "safe". I bought the API master kit and did those tests last night and got a reading that my ph is closer to 7.2-7.4 and my ammonia was .5+! I'm doing the fishless prawn method for cycling and was expecting high ammonia. Nitrites and nitrates still at 0. How could these readings be so different!? Should I trust the API kit? Thanks!

1077

Would place much more trust with the API test kit than with strips or stick on type tabs.With pH of 7.2 to 7.4 there aren't many fishes you could not keep so long as you acclimate them properly to your tank once it has cycled.

AaronCombs

remember it is possible to not use tap water.. and buy it in juggs... however you still will have to test the water and all that.

Where I live the water conditions from tap are amazing, just have to treat it first and I'm set. But good luck, keep us posted.