Free tool
Decode your water test in plain English
Type in what the kit says. Every number gets a read, the tank gets a verdict, and one tap sends it all to Jason if you want a second opinion.
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Enter whatever your kit gave you. Leave the rest blank.
Your read
Type a number and the read appears here
Ranges are the ones Jason uses on client tanks in Palm Beach County. They are a guide, not a diagnosis. When in doubt, text him the results.
About the ranges
Where these numbers come from
The ranges are the ones Jason holds client tanks to across Palm Beach County. Test kits vary, and a single reading matters less than the trend, which is why scheduled testing beats a panic test. See the schedule planner for how often your tank should be tested.
Salinity 1.025 to 1.026 (35 ppt), temperature 76 to 80, pH 8.1 to 8.3, ammonia and nitrite zero, nitrate 2 to 10 ppm, phosphate 0.03 to 0.1 ppm, alkalinity 8 to 9.5 dKH, calcium 400 to 450 ppm, magnesium 1250 to 1350 ppm. Stability matters more than hitting an exact number.
Temperature 74 to 80 for most tropical fish, pH 6.5 to 7.8 depending on species, ammonia and nitrite zero, nitrate under 20 ppm, GH 4 to 12 and KH 3 to 8 for most community tanks. Boca Raton tap water is softened to roughly 4 dGH with a pH of 8.0 to 8.5, which suits most community fish but is too alkaline for some soft-water species.
Stop feeding, do a water change with conditioned or prepared water today, and look for the cause: a dead fish, an overfed tank, a filter that stopped or was cleaned too aggressively. Above 0.25 ppm in saltwater or 0.5 ppm in freshwater, call Jason before adding anything.
Usually low alkalinity, or carbon dioxide building up in a closed air-conditioned house. Fix alkalinity first. Opening a window or running an airline outside often lifts pH on its own.
Yes. The decoder above builds a text message with your numbers and sends it to Jason at Jason's Aquarium Service. He reads it himself and replies, usually the same day.
Numbers you do not like
Text them to Jason with a photo of the tank. He will tell you what is going on and what to do first.