Camacho

well i actually got the API master kit for my tank on sunday but im not 100% if im using it right im following the directions to a T. on sunday it said that i had 0 amonia 0 nitrites and 5 nitrates this was after i did a water change i think thats were i went wrong but not 100% sure. last night i did the test and it said i had .50 amonia .50 nitrites and 20 nitrates.... then i did a 6 gall water change( dad doesnt want me to do a full 25% cause he says it doesnt do anything) i know hes wrong but i did a 6 gall water change to make me feel alittle better. how ofter should i do a water change and am i using the master test kit right? also on the plus side i remover all my decerations just cause i think theres something wrong with them and im going to clean them better what should i use... but once i took out the decerations my JD's turned black and my barbs all seemed happier my jds stay black with all spots glowing with color. also my buddy doesnt want his jds back so im the new owner of 2 jds

Tony G.

Have you been shaking up the bottle really well? you have to really bang it against your hand while testing it. Also, i suggest you test before you do a WC

Cleaning the deco(are they aquarium safe?) ... i would suggest not cleaning it as it contains bacteria, but if you really do need to clean it i would just use tank water. Like the water you get out when you do a WC just use that water shake it or scrub it(make sure the brush has never come in contact with soap) untill you feel its clean...

Congrats on the 2 JD's

Camacho

the vile? or the white chem bottles

Tony G.

the test tube LOL

Camacho

its made of glass wont i break in my hand? lol yes i shake it but not against my hand

btate617

The jacks turning black when you reached in and removed the decorations is normal. You just stressed them out and that is what they do.

Brian

Camacho

.... i thought the jds would turn to their brown color if they were stressed out and their black color when there happy?

btate617

They are all different, really the point is most of the time a cichlid changes color something with its mood has changed... stressed, breeding, etc.

When I had jacks I had a few that would go pale but most went dark when something was up.

Brian

Tony G.

Brian's got ya covered on the JD's LOL

The test tube shouldnt break. I hold the lid with my index finger and the bottom of the tube with my thumb and shake really hard, then i tap the bottom of the tube on my hand, so it shouldnt break....

btate617

And Tony can help with the test tube questions, I don't really know what a test kit is anyway.