Water Testing
One of the most important aspects of keeping aquarium and pond fish is keeping the water quality optimal. The earlier you are in keeping your aquarium, the more testing you will have to do to make sure your parameters stay under control. Here we will outline the easiest and most accurate way to test your water quality regularly. We recommend using API’s Freshwater Master Test Kit
Testing Your pH
Step 1. Fill water in one of the included vials up to the line.
Step 2. Add 3 drops of the bottle labeled pH.
Step 3. Cover vial and shake for 30 seconds.
Step 4. Compare your results to the included pH chart. We generally recommend a pH of over 7.0, as the water most of the tropical fish we sell on the Farm is in straight well water that has a pH of about 7.6.
Testing Your Ammonia
Step 1. Fill water in one of the included vials up to the line.
Step 2. Shake the bottle labeled Ammonia Bottle #1 and then add 8 drops to the vial.
Step 3. Cover vial and shake for 30 seconds.
Step 4. Shake the bottle labeled Ammonia Bottle #2 and then add 8 drops to the vial.
Step 5. Cover vial and shake for 30 seconds.
Step 6. Compare your results to the included Ammonia chart. We recommend trying to keep your Ammonia levels as low as possible. If your vial turns any shade of green, your tank is starting to be risky for your fish. If your tank has a risky ammonia level, we recommend changing a portion of your aquarium water (how much depends on how bad your water is) and then adding live bacteria to the tank to give it a helping hand at keeping the ammonia under control going forward.