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Water Chemistry: Testing the Waters

You should initially test for chloramine and chlorine, pH, and alkalinity.

Once the levels of pH and alkalinity in your raw water have been established, you can decide how you want to handle the situation. Some raw water is just about perfect for discus with little or no modification. Some water needs extensive conditioning before the first fish can be introduced.

Once you know these values, you may decide you want to keep another kind of fish! After the initial battery of water chemistry tests, you should continue to test the above, certainly after the first few water changes, and add a few more tests to the list: nitrite and nitrate, phosphate, and in the planted tank, iron and CO2.

Simple, isn't it? Test kits have become very user-friendly in recent years.

All these tests can be researched in a good chemistry book and the reagents assembled through chemistry supply outlets; however, the test kits and probes available for the aquarium hobby are generally inexpensive and easy to use.

Written by Mary Ellen Sweeney