How to TEST YOUR WATER! Complete step by step guide on testing with the
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- This is possibly the most comprehensive aquarium water testing video I will ever make but everything you will need is in this video (nearly).
I like to test my water regularly as it gives me the knowledge of what is happening with my fish tanks over time. The @NTLabsOfficialSite aquarium lab has been my go to test kit now for many years, mostly this is because of the user friendly nature and affordability of the test kit.
Testing can be the difference between a successful aquascape with thriving tetras, catfish, shrimp and plants or a tank of green soup with no fish in sight.
NT labs UK affiliate links
NT labs aquarium lab test kit amzn.to/44A0RNn
NT labs KH buffer amzn.to/3VV8E4F
NT labs Filter starter amzn.to/3HOu5hT
Sorry US people cannot seem to find NT labs on Amazon for you but I know its available in the US, probably best to check with your local fish shop.
Subscribe to NT labs on CZcams @NTLabsOfficialSite
Below I've listed all the starting points of all the different water tests, this way if you need to revisit and see one you can do so at the click of a button.
Testing chapters:
0:00 - Intro to testing water
8:46 - Ammonia
13:04 - Nitrite
16:26 - Nitrate
20:06 - Ph
23:20 - KH
25:44 - GH
Where to buy the NT labs test kit:
www.ntlabs.co.uk/stockist-fin...
Read more about the NT labs test kit here:
www.ntlabs.co.uk/browse-produ...
#fish #aquarist #aquarium #aquascape #communityfish #fishkeeping #fishshopmatt #fishtank #tropicalfish
Makes a refreshing change to have someone like yourself to actually break down stuff like this so us average Bob's can fully understand it. Instead of someone saying buy a test kit and follow the instructions 🤦♂️
Another great video, Very much appreciated 👍✌️
Thank you buddy, very kind of you to say. Gives me drive to keep going and making more.
I think it would be really cool if you did an intermediate-level video about how hardscape materials can affect water parameters and why you should therefore make those choices with the inhabitants in mind: how rock can affect pH, why tetras thrive in blackwater setups, etc.
Brilliant idea I will jot it down, I feel a few setups might be in order.
Thank you! You make it easy to understand 💛
That's awesome to hear, it's certainly what I aim for! ❤️❤️❤️
Brilliant video once more Matt, keep em coming 😊
Will do, thank you so much! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for explaining gh and kh. My kh had dropped to zero and I couldn’t find anything much about it online except to add crushed coral but I keep shrimps and I couldn’t see a way to do it accurately. I went to my local Maidenhead aquatics and they helped but it’s nice to know there’s internet help now!
Thank you! I'm planning on doing a more in depth video at some point but at least this gives you an understanding.
Why cannot I stop saying "can I have a 'P' please Bob" when watching this video 😂
Another great video Matt, really informative. Especially the relationship between ammonia and pH below 7 👍
Hahaha brilliant.
You're more than welcome! ❤️
Great Video, thanks for the insight!
Thank you for having such brief intos and outros. So many new creators have them wayyyy too long.
Thank you Matt, it's making sense to me now. 😊
Best video on water cycle ever!!! Great job Matt
Thanks Matt, this is my go to test kit because it is easy to do...
Fantastic absolutely 100% helpful video! Thanks for going into more detail with everything
Thanks
Excellent again!
Thank you!
Thanks Matt, great video!
Thank you! ❤️❤️❤️
Awesome 👍👍👍simple n easy, cheers for sharing 👍👍👍
Cheers Andy 🍺🍺🍺
Ty that makes the test kit even easier to understand !
Thank you 🙏🙏🙏 I've been searching for this kind of video for ages with very little success! This is extremely helpful
Absolutely ❤ the decor on the wall behind you Matt.
Thanks Matt great instructional video, just bought the test kit from your link
Fantastic thank you! ❤️
Nice one mate. Very useful 👍🏻
Thank you! ❤️
Thank you for doing this video.
You're welcome! ❤️
Thanks Matt, very informative. Take care, be well
Thank you! ❤️
great vid matt and very well explained 👍
Thank you!
❤❤❤ thank you for all this information
You're welcome, I know it's a lot but I couldn't help myself but get it all out there! ❤️❤️❤️
Nice explanation, thanks
You're welcome! ❤️
I was over your shop last week on way home from hols. Super place, great to see the tanks from YT vids and shop tour with MD. Love your content and always appreciate your knowledge. I love tetras ❤
Quality video
I was literally looking for a water testing kit as this was posted
Thank you, glad I could be helpful!
Hi Matt, saw you in the shop today and wanted to say thank you for the advice, looking forward to getting discus from you soon.😁
I never understood the testing until I saw your video. Thank you so much for breaking it down. ❤
No better fish teacher on CZcams. Bravo good sir.
Would love to see your in-depth video on this!
Thank you for your efforts and knowledge in the aquarium hobby. Keep being you and love your personality 👍🏻
Excellent video. First time using the NT kit and really pleased that i found yours. My daughter and I watch you and MD nearly every night since we set up our aquarium. Mango the goldfish and spike the bristlenose are very happy and their levels are all good.
Keep up the great content its really appreciated. 👌
watching all the way from jamaica. Love watching your videos
Amazing!!! I think you're my first to comment from Jamaica, thank you for watching! ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for this! You make it sound so simple compared to most on here 👏
Literally a talking guide for fish keeping dummies
love you soon 100k fella
🤣🤣🤣 fingers crossed
Thank you, I now really understand❤
So glad I could help
Brilliant, I really needed this video. These kits always look a bit complicated and so I’ve always stuck to just dippy sticks, but this looks quite simple.
Thank you for explaining it so well too. Not just how to do it, but what it is we are testing for and what causes it. 🙏🏼
Another excellent video 😊
You can’t go wrong with the NT LAB 🧪 KIT 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Thank you! I'm glad it helped you! ❤️❤️❤️
Matt, excellent advice about keeping a log. I've always done this, and until I had a feel for what was going on I tested daily! It's a great path to confidence. Also, LOTS of plants. I have so many, including wild gathered ones that I actually have 0 nitrates. I also have 37 nano fish in a 15 gallon. It works. Only topping off for the time being.
Thank you! Sounds like you have it nailed! ❤️
Nice to hear an experienced aquarist saying water changes are essential for a change. All this talk that you can do without water changes can only work when you have a densely planted tank with three fish in it. Keep up the good work.
Great explanation, I would like to see you compare some strips against these test. 🤞🤞🤞🤯
Thanks, Matt, good video. Are there any devices on the market that can do it digitally?
I use that kit and use kh up buffer at every water change, no tanks if i don't. My natural water kh is 1, this video is brilliant wish i had seen this when i started out.
Brilliant Video. I want this kit. I'm using the sticks that look like diabetes blood test kits it's so hard to differentiate the colours
Super handy
Certainly my aim! ❤️
I found you from MD clips. Love everything both of you guys are doing. You are a great storyteller. Better than MD 😄😄
Hahahaha thank you! ❤️❤️❤️
@@FishShopMatt this video really helped me to better understand all the water paramaters because I keep shrimps and also fish. Really helpful video. I have to get a water testing kit like the one you used. Thank you!
Hi Matt, first time ‘fish person’ here & I’m finding your videos massively helpful! I’m in my first week of cycling the tank (230l) so nowhere near ready for actual fish yet, but could you do a video on water changes please? I’m a bit worried about the drop in temp & adding straight from the tap, so some straightforward advice on the best/easiest way to do this would be great. Want to be prepared 😁 thank you!
Hey Matt thanks for your videos. It’s off topic but I’d like to see you and MD put together a local stream biotope full of sticklebacks what do you think? Cheers Malcolm
Great video as always Matt my nitrates are a deep red basically of the scale I’ve tested all the water from my local fish shops and they are high the same as me and that includes my local Maidenhead fish shop what can I do …I have high nitrates in my tap water so water changes don’t work
First of all great video and good explained like always! Keep going! I have a little question about drop tests. Those test sets are mostly expensive and i feel like there is a marketing trick on it but im not sure about that (IDK if you are sponsor right now). For example you use 5ML per test and drop (mostly) 5 -6 drops in it. What if you half the tests with for example 2ML per test with 2 drops, or 2,5ML with 3 drops? do you get the same results i you hold the portions the same? What do you think? its just basic maths. Because then you can use your tests way more times then buy afther 40tests a new expensive test set......
Hey Matt, This was really helpful relating the different tests and results to what can be expected in the tank when each test measures at different levels. It's great to know. I'm going to have to re-watch and take notes.
In another video on the GH topic, they mentioned GH measures Calcium and Magnesium and the need to measure for Calcium specifically particularly if raising shrimp. Apparently it's the Calcium that's most necessary in the water hardness for healthy shrimp molts. Your thoughts?
But seriously . . . whose Annette? 🙂
Coming from the reefing community, just another tip I didn't hear Matt mention.
If your testing does reveal values that requires you to do something about your water, do the test one more time to see that you actually get the same result.
False test results do happen...
Hi Matt, Brilliant video. Just on the clip you inserted of your Betta eating, Does a shrimp that size pose a threat to a betta or similar sized fish? In the clip he was giving the Betta some Karate moves so just wondered.
Good one Matt. You sound more confident when MD is filming though, lol. Just joking :-)
What about us in Australia dude.
A little bit of Organic Peat Moss in a stocking stuffed inside your canister filter also helps with PH balance ;)
Hi Matt I want to go for community species tetras galaxy rasboras Corys bristlenoses rummy noses maybe some rainbows Mollys guppies we have hard water will this have a affect on what species I can go for
👍🏻👍🏻
Im considering a blackwater setup. Does the tint of the water make it harder to use these test kits? Would strips be better? Is there a specific blackwater kit to use?
What do you do with the tests afterwards, as the chemicals added seem rather toxic. Can it be safely thrown down the drain or should I treat it as chemical waste?
I use aqua care test kit. Is that as good as ntlabs?
Help. Just tested for the first time with my new NT Labs kit (Xmas prezzie) Everything fine but the PH is 6 (I live in Bideford). I’ve heard that you can put cuttlefish in the water to raise the PH … is this safe do you think? I don’t know how to raise it really. 😮. 30Lt tank, 10 shrimp, 6 neon tetra.
Hi Matt, RE: KH
- You said the minimum it should be is 4 but I heard the minimum you could actually go to is 2.
Does the NT labs kit have an expiry date for the chemicals in the tubes? Keep it going pal! Love from Wales
They do, but I believe the one I just opened has a year and a half on the expiry.
I suffer with very high silicates in my tap water causing diatoms even though my tank is over a year old
Silicates can be a nightmare. Really the only way I've found that works well is using Ro water.
See Matt testing water, promptly tests all 8 tanks.
Cheers
Hahahah sorry! 🤣
Matt .. I am requesting few tips for beginners (planted aquariums) thank you… ❤❤ 🇮🇳
Absolutely! I will work on putting something together! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you so much … MATT
You’re asking the right guy. Matt really knows his stuff.
@@wickedmikes5281 thank you! ❤️❤️❤️
@@FishShopMatt I’d seen something about using a product called Oil-Dri for substrate, so I tried it. You have to really wash it thoroughly, but my plants absolutely thrive in it. Check it out if you haven’t yet.
One thousandth like!
Can a too powerful filter harm your planted tank?
🎉❤😊
Thank you! ❤️
this is breaking bad season 6 isn't it ? :D
Hahaha I nearly went that way with the thumbnail.
Could anyone else not see the ammonia tube colour?
Matt, you're an adorable ginger care bear with your lack of polish and naturalness.
Hi matt can you teach our local maidenhead aquatics shop in St. Albans, to stock hardscape like your shop please 😂
🤣🤣🤣 you cannot teach that, it's a natural gift.
@@FishShopMatt just get them to do the scatter gravel boxes 😁
Hi Matt could you explain what air stones are used for, are they needed and will fish be fine without one
If you’re not at 0 there’s no hope for the rest of us rofl 😅😂😂😂😂
Good British company been using for years :)
0 ? For nitrates? Nooo.... u need it for plants
I'm intrigued that you have a planted tank with zero ammonia, zero nitrite and zero nitrate. These are the three compounds that plants utilise as a food source. If you have zero for all of them what are your plants feeding on? I have been led to believe that having zero ammonia, zero nitrite and a reading of 20-30mmp of nitrate was the ideal place to be for planted tanks.
You shouldn't be able to measure any ammonia or nitrite in your aquarium as this should be used before you get chance to find it.
I dose a couple different fertilisers into my aquarium to keep the plants happy. Also they will be getting nitrate as my aquarium will be producing it, but it's being used up quicker than it can be produced.
Plants will survive on very little sometimes, the more you do the more they thrive.
@@FishShopMatt With the nitrate very low will it slow the growth of the plants, therefore lowering plant maintenance?
@@leahnichol6665 yeah more than likely, you can add minerals in to help the plants along.
@@FishShopMatt Or add fish? 😉
When your tap water is in the 30s for GH and 40s for Nitrate so have to use 90% RO water and 10% tap....
Still get KH 8 to 10 depending on tank, PH 7.5 , GH 15 to 20 depending on tank and Nitrates to 10.
Shrimp are like Godzilla 😂
Completely opposite to here in south wales, almost zero.
Disclaimer the following is blasphemy: I never test my water, plants and fish all healthy so why bother?
Love your dogs❤