Water+Test

=**Ammonia Facts** =

Ammonia is chemical that is released through the gills, urine and solid waste of tropical fish directly into the aquarium. If not treated quickly it will lead to fish death. Even small amounts of ammonia can kill fish by suppressing their immune systems. This increases disease spread and fish loss. An over buildup of ammonia can happen if the biological filter is unbalanced. You can prevent the buildup of ammonia by making sure it stays at 0 ppm or by making sure the biological filter stays balanced. Overfeeding can cause ammonia buildup. To stop this make sure that all food is eaten within a few minutes. Uneaten food decomposes after time and adds ammonia to the water. In case of an emergency the water should be changed daily. ==

= **Nitrate** =

Nitrate or NO3 is produced by the biological filter when an imbalance converts ammonia to nitrate. A high buildup of nitrate is caused by high-levels of fish waste and organic compounds, with the result of poor water quality, which can further cause fish disease. The level of acceptable nitrate is 40 ppm or less is recommended for fresh water aquariums. Fish won't feel the affect till it reaches of Nitrate until it reaches 100 ppm. If nitrate does build up you should change the tank water right away. Normal filters do not have the bacteria do remove the nitrate, but there are special filters that can clean and remove nitrate. You can also stop build-up of nitrate by doing the following,
 * Always keep the tank clean
 * Don't over feed the fish, the food will decay causing nitrate build-up
 * Change water regularly
 * Keep live plants, live plants utilize the nitrates

= Salinity =

Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. Different bodies of water have different amounts of salt mixed in, or different salinities. Salinity is expressed by the amount of salt found in 1,000 grams of water. Therefore, if we have 1 gram of salt and 1,000 grams of water, the salinity is 1 part per thousand, or 1 ppt. The easiest and most common instrument to measure the salt concentration in aquaria is the hydrometer. A hydrometer is a device that measures the density or specific gravity of a liquid. The more salt in the water the more dense it is. It is important to understand that salinity and specific gravity are related - but not the same. Salinity can be measured by (a) boiling down a water sample, (b) measuring conductivity by electronic means, and (c) other laboratory methods which are either too complex or too expensive. Specific gravity indicates density, while salinity refers to the actual weight of the salt. ==

. http://www.algone.com/salinity.php

http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/watercare/a/nitrates.htm http://www.onr.navy.mil/Focus/ocean/water/salinity1.htm