AquaCare Aquarium Master Test Kit

Maidenhead Aquatics

Most problems you will face with your aquarium will stem from spikes or fluctuations in your water parameters. Quickly measure and modify 6 aquarium levels that are all important to the health of your aquarium and fish. Fish need properly balanced and stable levels of Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH, Phosphate and KH. These levels can change rapidly and create harmful conditions when fish waste, uneaten food or other organic matter accumulate, or when untreated water is added. Kit Includes: 6 Test Tubes 9 Reagents 5ml Syringe Instruction Manual Colour chart on box Ammonia: Any ammonia present in the aquarium water will cause major health problems for the fish. Toxic ammonia can build up in aquaria where there are not sufficient beneficial filter bacteria to deal with the total waste from all the fish in the aquarium.  Take a 5 ml sample of aquarium water into the test tube. Add 5 drops of the reagent Ammonia 1 and 5 drops of Ammonia 2 and 5 drops of Ammonia 3. Replace the test tube cap and mix. Wait 10 minutes, and then compare the colour of the sample to the colour scale provided. Zero ammonia is represented by a yellow colour. Any hint of green in the sample indicates the presence of ammonia. Nitrite and Nitrate: Although not as toxic as ammonia, nitrite is still very damaging to the health of the fish. Nitrite itself is broken down into nitrate which in low concentrations is much less harmful. Though high levels of nitrate can still be dangerous. Any nitrite present in the aquarium will be very damaging to the health of the fish. Toxic nitrite can build up in aquaria where there are not sufficient beneficial filter bacteria to deal with the total waste from all the fish in the aquarium. To carry out the Nitrite test, take a small 5ml sample of water from your aquarium. Shake the nitrite solution well, and add 5 drops. Once finished wait 2 minutes and match the water colour to the colour chart on the reverse of the box to find out your aquarium’s nitrite level. To carry out the Nitrate test, take a small 5ml sample of water from your aquarium. Shake the nitrate-1 solution well, and add 6 drops. Repeat this process with the nitrate-2 solution. Once finished wait 10 minutes and match the water colour to the colour chart on the reverse of the box to find out your aquariums nitrate level. Phosphate: Phosphate is less toxic to established aquarium fish but exposure to excessively high levels can be damaging and lethal to delicate species. Phosphate is also a major nutrient for plants and algae. Excessive phosphate in the water is a major contributor to the excessive growth of unwanted algae. Take a 5 ml sample of aquarium water into the test tube, preferably using the syringe provided. Add 5 drops of the phosphate reagent, place the cap on the tube and mix gently for a few seconds. Wait 5 minutes for the test to develop, remove the cap and look down through the test tube to determine the colour. Compare this colour to the colour chart provided to determine the phosphate concentration. KH Total Alkalinity: This is the measure of the buffering capacity of your aquarium water. The buffering capacity refers to how well your aquarium water can resist changes to pH. A spike either way in pH can be leathal. Take a 5 ml sample of aquarium water into the test tube. Add one drop of the KH reagent and the water should turn pale blue. Keep adding drops slowly until the water turn yellow. Every drop added is then equal to your KH level. If one drop turns the water yellow your KH is at a dangerous level. PH: Different species of aquarium fish require different pH levels. Fluctuations outside these preferred values can cause stress to the fish. If the water becomes too acid or alkaline the fish soon die. It is important to regularly test the pH, as pH can occasionally rise in new ponds, and older aquaria tend to acidify over time.  Take a 5 ml sample of aquarium water into the test tube. Add 5 drops of the pH reagent, replace the test tube cap and mix. Compare the colour of your sample to the colour scale provided.  Should you have any further concerns regarding your water quality please visit your most local store with a water sample and our friendly staff members will do their best to help and advise you on further