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 👍✌️
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.
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 👍
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!
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. 👌
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 ❤
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 👍🏻
@@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!
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.
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...
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 😊
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!
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.
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.
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
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? 🙂
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......
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.
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?
@@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.
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.
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?
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
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.
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 😂
