Understanding results

[JamieB]

So I’m using the aquarium dip strips, I know, the liquid is supposed to be better, but I had to spend all my extra money on a new pump for the well, so... I got the Tetra 5-in-1 strips. Nitrates were low, like just a hint of color, so I’d guess about 5 ppm. Nitrite was 0, I guess my plants use it all up. Total hardness (GH) was around 150, I knew our water was hard. Total alkalineity (kh) was around 300. I don’t understand that other than it’s dupposed to buffer ph swings. Ph is higher in the aquarium than the pond, 8.4 or so vrs 7.8.
I wrote them down when I did it.
Can someone explain to me what these readings are other than the nitrite/ nitrate, which are breakdowns of fish waste. Once my well works again, I’ll do a water change on the aquarium, 0.7 difference seems too big a change to me. I need to understand what effects them, how to balance them, and if they are ok or not. Once the well is running again, I’ll be testing that water too, just so I have a better baseline.

 

[Dave 54]

Personally @JamieB I wouldn't use test strips in either senario give me API Pond drop test kits any day or at a Push Tetra drop test kits .
Test strips are known to be inaccurate .

Dave 54

 

[JamieB]

Yeah, but I spent all my money on a new well pump. $408.58, on top of the $700+ we have tied up in the one that won’t work, couldn’t return it today, have to argue with the company we bought it from for a refund. So I’m broke till then. But I found that Tractor Supply has garden pond pumps! And a wide variety of other pumps that I may see if it’ll work for what I want. Heck, at this point, I may end up modifying a well pump to become a filter pump. So, if these readings are close to accurate, do I have any worries about gh, kh, ph? From what I was reading, ph is a bit high at 8.4, when they say 7-7.6 ish is ideal. The kh of 300 is high end ok for a marine tank, but high for a fresh water.

 

[MitchM]

Those water test results are fine.
The KH and GH are measurements of various minerals that are necessary for a stable PH and bacterial growth, plus the bacteria will of course keep the water healthy for your fish.
The PH is higher in the aquarium because it is probably better aerated than the pond. Aeration drives off CO2 from the water. Excess CO2 will drop the PH value.

 

[sissy]

Itaked to a friend who does wells and he said the same thing newer pumps in a shallow well will not work properly .He said they need primed to pull the water and that a well that is shallow should always be set up with a jet pump .Do you have a pressure tank that the water goes to before the house or an expansion tank .They need back flushed to clean out silt in them .The bladder is what pushes the water into the house .You may need to go on youtube to see how a well works .It is not just a pump and the breakers need to be checked also .A loose breaker or a bad breaker will not allow a pump to work

 

[JamieB]

The the well was set up who knows how long ago, it’s had this kind of pump longer than the property has been in the family. Yes we have the pressure tank, at this point it’s either a problem with the water colum or the pipe has a crack that leaks under pressure.

 

[Dave 54]

Yeah, but I spent all my money on a new well pump. $408.58, on top of the $700+ we have tied up in the one that won’t work, couldn’t return it today, have to argue with the company we bought it from for a refund. So I’m broke till then. But I found that Tractor Supply has garden pond pumps! And a wide variety of other pumps that I may see if it’ll work for what I want. Heck, at this point, I may end up modifying a well pump to become a filter pump. So, if these readings are close to accurate, do I have any worries about gh, kh, ph? From what I was reading, ph is a bit high at 8.4, when they say 7-7.6 ish is ideal. The kh of 300 is high end ok for a marine tank, but high for a fresh water.

How long did you have the $700+ pump that didn't work Jamie ?
Here in the UK the customer is always right as long as you had the receipt we are covered by trading standard law's.
If that doesn't wash with the supplier then we take it to the Ombudsman to decided on, which nines out of ten falls in favour of the customer.
Do you have anything like that in your country ?

Dave 54

 

[JamieB]

Less than a day. Dad will be calling ( cause he was still to hit under the collar to do so today) the manager, then corporate if that doesn’t fix it. And then if they still won’t take it back, I’ll post the darn thing for sale at just under what we spent.

 

[Angel]

Less than a day. Dad will be calling ( cause he was still to hit under the collar to do so today) the manager, then corporate if that doesn’t fix it. And then if they still won’t take it back, I’ll post the darn thing for sale at just under what we spent.

can't you take it back to where you bought it for an exchange?

 

[JamieB]

They don’t want to take it back cause the well guy I was talking to told them it must be impacted with sand. Mind you, he hadn’t been out here to see the well, that was just what he thought was the most likely problem.