AngelSta

OK, i have bought a 117gallon tropical fish tank and have bought all the food/filter/heaterS!!/plants/ornaments etc. I've had goldfish for a few years now and am moving on to bigger things (tropical!!) i know about the pH and have tested that in my goldfish tank whilst waiting for the trop tank to finish cycling, got it to neutral=every thing fine and dandy in that tank.
So the question is
=what is ammonia?
=what is nitrate?
=what is nitrite?
=what is"water hardness" is it the same thing as one of these?

I need someone to give the lowdown of what all of these mean, do i need to buy test kits for all of these things??
I really need help from someone who knows what they're talking about!! I don't want to buy all these fish and the next day having them DEAD!!!!!

Thanks for all your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AngelSta

Gunnie

You will understand the importance of ammonia, nitrite and nitrates by reading the "FishLore Articles for Beginners". I have a link in my signature. Your tank is cycled when your ammonia and nitrites are at zero, and you have a reading of nitrates.