Live and Learn!

**lilithraine** · 11-30-2012, 01:29 AM

Ok, as some may remember, we were cycling with fish. I was using ammonia and 6-in-1 test strips to check our tank's levels. I knew test strips were not as accurate as the liquid test kits.. However, I didn't think it would make that much of a difference! Live and learn! All the newbies out there, do NOT bother with strips! Spend the extra cash (if you're unlucky to catch the API Master Test Kit on sale as I did, yay black friday at Foster and Smith!), it's worth it!

We kept doing water changes and the ammonia levels would spike to 3.0 every time we did! So I decided to check our well water.. According to the strips, our well water registered 3.0 ammonia as well. This kind of freaked me out and I was preparing to completely redo the tank's water with bought water and figure otu how to fix whatever might of been wrong with our well.

However, before I made it that far the API test kit made it to my door. We tested the tank, 0 ammonia! So I tested our well water, also 0 ammonia! Relief doesn't even begin to explain my reaction to this! I learned my lesson, the strips we have left over, I'm throwing away!

As for our tank, we're cycled! 0 ammonia. 0 nitrites. 5-10 nitrates! Thanks again to all of you who offered their advice! :)