# bought my tank and supplies yesterday



## manda (Feb 9, 2006)

i bought a 5 and 1/2 gallon glass tank yesterday. i also bought a filter, heater, theomometer and a couple of live plants. along with some gravel, and a rock decoration.
i got some test strips too. however they are not helpful at all. its called quick dip five. i bought it at walmart. it test the ph, nitrate, nitrite, hardness and alkalinity. but it doesnt give you an acutally number. it has a chart on the box with what colors it needs to be. doesnt tell you if its too high, too low, or anything. it tell you how to fix it. but thats useless if you dont know if its too hight or too low.
bascially NONE of the colors are what they are spose to be on the box.
any recommdations for a testing kit for dummies?


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## RockabillyChick (Nov 18, 2005)

do you have a petsmart near you? if so, i suggest getting a liquid test kit. they are more accurate, and last like 10 times longer. while i was cycling my 10 gallon tank, i was testing twice a day for a month, i would have gone through 3 bottles of those dip strips, but haven't even used half of my liquid tests.

http://www.petsmart.com/global/prod...<>ast_id=2534374302023693&bmUID=1133632283063

print out this page and take it to your local petsmart and have them price match the "Freshwater Master Test Kit" that is $13.49. they are normally $25 in the store, so that will save you about $10, and even more in the long run compared to the dip strips.


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## goodie (Sep 2, 2005)

The type of fish you have will dictate what ph/gh(general hardness)/kh (alkalinity or carbonate hardness) you need. Thats your first step in knowing what is too high or to low. Nitrite should read 0 after your tank has cycled. Try to keep Nitrate below 40 or less with your weekly water changes. I'm guessing the strips that ou have are the Jungle brand. Thats the type in my local Wallyworld anyway. They are a bit a pain to read sometimes. I'll use them just to get a quick idea at where my water parameters are at, but if I really want to know I'll use a test tube type. Presently I'm using Aquarium Pharmaceutials tests kits.


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## RockabillyChick (Nov 18, 2005)

actually, MOST fish don't really care what the pH is so long as its STABLE. stable pH is much more important than high or low pH, unless its something very picky, in which case you probably wouldn't be able to fit it in a 5 gallon tank anyway, so you probably don't have to worry.


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## manda (Feb 9, 2006)

yes, its the jungle brand. i need to get some better ones. these just make NO sense to me. it doesnt tell me what anything is, just the color the strip should say.
stupid isnt it? or is it just me?

by the way, i am wanting a betta and snail.


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## manda (Feb 9, 2006)

i figured it out!


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