Water test strip interpretation

[Careym13]

Can someone with more experience look at these results and tell me what the best course of action is? I did a 50% water change this morning and re-tested and the results were the same. I've not done a 100% water change since I started the tank, which was last September. I am planning to clean the canister filter tonight (Marineland 360). I have a 40 gallon tank with water that is about 5 inches deep. I know the nitrates are really high. I use tap water which when tested by itself, has no chlorine and is very hard. Alkalinity is also high on the tap water test.

This is the test strip after the water change


The chart for reading it is attached.

 

[Moozillion]

Sorry I can’t help- I don’t use the test strips. I use the API Master Test kit because I find it easier and had heard it was more reliable. I hope someone can help you out!

 

[Careym13]

Sorry I can’t help- I don’t use the test strips. I use the API Master Test kit because I find it easier and had heard it was more reliable. I hope someone can help you out!

I just picked one of those kits up this afternoon when I picked up filter parts, going to use it tomorrow after work. I did a partial change, again, and cleaned the filter and replaced floss and foam. Hopefully that'll help!

 

[Moozillion]

I just picked one of those kits up this afternoon when I picked up filter parts, going to use it tomorrow after work. I did a partial change, again, and cleaned the filter and replaced floss and foam. Hopefully that'll help!

Cool!
The API test kit seemed a little confusing at first, but after testing a few times, it got a lot easier.

I had super high nitrates too, back when I had sand as my tank substrate. I was advised to remove the sand and leave the tank bare-bottomed. I have not had nitrate problems again!
What do you use for your substrate?

 

[Careym13]

Cool!
The API test kit seemed a little confusing at first, but after testing a few times, it got a lot easier.

I had super high nitrates too, back when I had sand as my tank substrate. I was advised to remove the sand and leave the tank bare-bottomed. I have not had nitrate problems again!
What do you use for your substrate?

That is interesting! I do have sand! Not a lot, but it’s still a thin layer covering the bottom.

 

[Moozillion]

That is interesting! I do have sand! Not a lot, but it’s still a thin layer covering the bottom.

The sand may be your problem, even though it’s not much. I had about 2 inches of sand, and (back before I knew any better) was doing 100% water changes, and vacuumed the sand thoroughly each time. Made no difference. Removed the sand and use a different water treatment product, and my water has been great! I do 50% changes weekly (sometimes 1 and 1/2 week creeps by).

My turtle didn’t like the bare bottom: she’s a mud turtle and a very poor swimmer. She likes to walk on the bottom of the tank, but couldn’t get good traction on the bare glass. So I heard on an aquarium site to use porcelain tiles (like in a shower stall) on the bottom. You can get a sheet of 36 little tiles inexpensively at Home Depot or Lowe’s. I needed 2 sheets for my 20 gallon long. Some of the tiles stick well to the sheets so you can just lay it in the tank, but some tiles have water soluble adhesive on the back and come off the sheet.

For my turtles upgrade (40 gallon breeder) I’m going to use calico Rock from Home Depot. It’s large pebbles in a bag, also very inexpensive. I have to pick through them, though, because any that are less than about 1/2 inch would be small enough for her to accidentally swallow if she was picking at food in the rocks. Just going to use a single layer- approx 1 inch deep, which can be easily vacuumed and shouldn’t cause the nitrate problem like the sand did.
I use Neutral Regulator by Seachem. It removes chlorine, chloramines, ammonia and keeps the pH pretty neutral.

 

[Careym13]

Those are great ideas, thank you! I haven't tested the water with the new test kit yet, by the time I got done changing water and cleaning the filter I just didn't have the focus left to learn how to use the kit. So, I brought it with me to work and I'm going to read the instructions today and test tonight when I get home. Where do you get the Neutral Regulator? I've only seen the API chemicals at PetSmart.

 

[Moozillion]

Those are great ideas, thank you! I haven't tested the water with the new test kit yet, by the time I got done changing water and cleaning the filter I just didn't have the focus left to learn how to use the kit. So, I brought it with me to work and I'm going to read the instructions today and test tonight when I get home. Where do you get the Neutral Regulator? I've only seen the API chemicals at PetSmart.

I ordered mine off Amazon, but I’ve also gotten it in pet stores like PetCo and PetSmart.