Why do I need to test the water values?
Even water that looks clear and clean may not necessarily be healthy for the creatures in the aquarium. For this reason, you should check the 6 most important water values on a regular basis, ideally every week. These are the pH value, general hardness, carbonate hardness, nitrite level, nitrate level and chlorine level. This will allow you to quickly detect any critical developments in the water quality and resolve the problem immediately.
What do I do if one of the values is not within the acceptable range?
The enclosed instruction leaflet suggests many potential solutions, such as a partial water change, adding suitable water conditioners and other cleaning measures. The Tetra website https://www.tetra.net/en/en/discover/tools/practical-tools/care-system also provides plenty of further information and measures. The free Tetra Aquatics app (https://www.tetra.net/en/en/discover/apps/tetra-apps/tetra-aquatics) is also very useful for checking water values. Simply install it on your smartphone and use it with the Tetra test strips or liquid tests.
How exactly do Tetra 6in1 test strips work?
The strips are extremely simple to use: swirl them in the water for one or two seconds, take them out and shake off any excess water. Then use the colour chart on the container (pack of 25) or packaging (pack of 10) to read off the chlorine value. You can read off the other five values after 60 seconds. If they are all within the acceptable range, then everything is great! If any of the values fall outside this range, the instruction leaflet and Tetra website https://www.tetra.net/en/en/discover/tools/practical-tools/care-system will tell you what to do. If you use the Tetra Aquatics app to calculate the values, the app will automatically suggest suitable solutions.
Can children use Tetra test strips?
Depending on how old they are, children can use Tetra test strips as long as they are assisted and supervised by an adult at all times. Many children enjoy conducting water tests, which also teach them about water biology and chemistry in the aquarium.
What’s the difference between test strips and liquid tests?
Test strips read the 6 most important water values: pH value, general hardness, carbonate hardness, nitrite, nitrate and chlorine. This provides the aquarium owner with a quick overview of the current water quality in their aquarium. Liquid tests provide even more precise readings and test for further water parameters such as the iron content, the carbon dioxide and oxygen levels.
