to test alkalinity You add your indicator reagent to establish a color. You then add your follow up Alkalinity reagent, drop-by-drop, always counting as each drop is added. It takes 10 drops to fully change the color. Therefore, your alkalinity is 100 ppm.
(10 drops x 10 = 100 ppm = Alkalinity reading).

thats how he got a alkalinity of 180.(but he had a strip so had a easy option)I know that if he has a alkalinity higher than 50pph he has stable PH. so a alkalinity of 180 means very stable PH. )


kywater.org/ww/ramp/rmalk.htm

The total carbonate and bicarbonate concentration is also called alkalinity or carbonate hardness (KH)

its day 14 on my new tanks cycle,i performed a 30 gallon water change today and my ammonia levels never drop. they have always been 1.0 but they aren't rising either. the only levels that seem to change are my nitrite[.25 today after change,down from 1.0 on feb. 21] and my ph changed very little[from 7.6 to 7.2] nitrate staying at 5.0 down from 10 on feb. 21. 20 gallon change yesterday. since set up of this tank on feb. 12 i have done a 30 gallon change on 2/17, a 20 gal. change on 2/18, a 25 gal. change on 2/20, a 25 gal. change on 2/22, a 30 gal. change on 2/23,a 20 gallon change on 2/25, and a 30 gal. change on 2/26. how much longer till my ammonia level gets into the comfort zone for my fish? also today i added a second HOB filter to my tank, now i'm filtering 800 gph instead of 400 gph.

Have you checked your tap water for ammonia?

The cycle usually takes about 50 days... so I would not worry too much as you are only on day 14.

But the fact that you have a nitrate reading at all is a great thing.

Maybe you should try letting the tank go without a water change for a few days. we will see what happens.You still need to check your water everyday...

yes i checked my tap water today the test showed no ammonia.i will take your advice and let it go for a couple days. fish seem very active and are eating well. gave my o frozen krill today for the first time and he loved it!!

Hello I'm having bit trouble with the testing kits
at my LFS I only find tester for
ph
kh
ci
cu

all over only found one LFS with ammonia test kits it said test for nh3 and nh4 ammonia from brand name API is that one, the one I should be getting?

can't find any nitrite and nitrate tester yet, from here I learned I need ph nitrate and nitrite tester but all I can get now is ammonia tester so now I'm changing about 20% of water every 1 or 2 days to make sure water are not poisoning with ammonia. adding anti-chlorine to bucket of tap water and run a powerhead in it for few minutes before putting it in the tank hoping no chlorine in it so the beneficial bacteria won't be killed.

no algae grown at all yet it's over 2 months time no major cleaning just regular gravel vac, filter cleaning and water changes but the tank are so called overstock
4 giant gourami 4 Oscar 2 Hujeta Gar and a pleco
biggest are the pleco all others 4 inch and below

should I just test ph and ammonia only? so when I'm not seeing ammonia it would be like beneficial bacteria should have ionized the ammonia to nitrite and to nitrate when I see 0 ammonia ppm? it's tested before water changes

I'm still keep searching for test kit, the LFS said they are not going to import anymore test kits he said 10 pack of test kits took him 1 years to clear he is better of selling glass tank and plastic cover at least they are more demand, sad sad I had search over 10 LFS.

You have posted under somebody elses thread. you will not get a very good result for answers this way and it is considered hijacking. always open a new post of your own to get a reply and help. thanks.

for ammonia look for NH3/4+
for nitrite look for NO2
API is a good brand to choose from and used by many on this site.

btd71 wrote:
its day 14 on my new tanks cycle,i performed a 30 gallon water change today and my ammonia levels never drop. they have always been 1.0 but they aren't rising either. the only levels that seem to change are my nitrite[.25 today after change,down from 1.0 on feb. 21] and my ph changed very little[from 7.6 to 7.2] nitrate staying at 5.0 down from 10 on feb. 21. 20 gallon change yesterday. since set up of this tank on feb. 12 i have done a 30 gallon change on 2/17, a 20 gal. change on 2/18, a 25 gal. change on 2/20, a 25 gal. change on 2/22, a 30 gal. change on 2/23,a 20 gallon change on 2/25, and a 30 gal. change on 2/26. how much longer till my ammonia level gets into the comfort zone for my fish? also today i added a second HOB filter to my tank, now i'm filtering 800 gph instead of 400 gph.

what size tank are you running
filters
fish stock and size.

there are other reasons that could mean ammonia does not drop. 1 is too many fish for a filter to cope with? to large a tank under filtered too could have the same effect.

its a 75 gallon tank with 2- 400 gph marineland HOB emperor 400's for filtration,my fish are one red oscar approx. 5 inches and one pleco about the same. upon mylutino's advice i bought and used prime, water conditioner, and ammonia levels are starting to drop. must have been issues with crappy water conditioner i was using[tetra], and possibly not enough filtration. now i think it'll just be a matter of time and patience. ammonia level was .50 this morn. down from 1.0 yesterday!,nitrite was .25,nitrate 5.0,and ph, as always, was 7.6

ok i think you are right. the fact you have nitrites present means your filter is cycled or cycling. if the ammonia goes any higher do a water change to keep it 0.25 and the same for nitrites. you don't want these 2 getting any higher with a ph of 7.6 or some damage to your fish may occur.

even though your filter was rated to 400gph its only suitable for tanks up to 80g so could have been a little under filtered. you have sorted that now ) just keep an eye on conditions.

thanks marcus! Will do! and i will keep everyone posted.

Glad this is sorting it's self out... Just keep an eye on it!

definetly will,& thanks for all your help too nickisue!!