steveangela1

What exactly do I need in a master kit, I know I want nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, ph, hardness,... However the master kits I have found do not have clorine test in them... should I just buy separate test strips just for clorine for my own preference? The one I picked out runs about 26 dollars...

NextstepAquatics

If you age your water for 24 hours or more any chlorine from your tap should have evaporated. It is the one chemical that simply vanishes, much like a pool you have to keep adding chlorine to keep any sort of concentration. and unlike salt in a reef tank the salt does not evaporate at all.

NextstepAquatics

If you age your water for 24 hours or more any chlorine from your tap should have evaporated. It is the one chemical that simply vanishes, much like a pool you have to keep adding chlorine to keep any sort of concentration. and unlike salt in a reef tank the salt does not evaporate at all. Secondly stay away from strips they are not acurate.

finmama

what about chloramine? does that evaporate too?

susitna-flower

Most here at fishlore recommend the API Master test kit. It has tests for ph, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

IF you are on a water system that you know uses chlorine or chloramine, you HAVE to use a water conditioner, I wouldn't even worry about testing, just use Prime, Amquel, or some other conditioner that will remove it. Prime does this as well as dealing with heavy metals, and stimulates the slime coat.

The OLD SCHOOL - Ha Ha- thought about letting water sit for 24 does deal with chlorine, but not chloramine if I'm not mistaken...Most people have one or both in their water.

steveangela1

We have both in the water.. I actually called our local utility company and asked them what all was in our water.... (I couldn't help but ask I don't even drink our water and if I was going to put my fish in it I wanted to know what they were going to be swiming in...) We do use a conditioner.. I use start right... and then I still use stress coat (scared after netting them if I move the rocks I take them out I don't want to accidentially drop one on my fish I don't want to damage their fins so If I do I know treating them w/ stress coat will help w/ that).... Lucky for us our water is Cichlid Heaven! High Ph, Hard Water!