Why Test Water?
Establishing and maintaining proper water quality is essential to a healthy aquarium. Crystal clear water does not guarantee an ideal environment for your fish. Many disease outbreaks and fish death can be directly linked to stress caused by poor water quality. Improper pH and uncontrolled levels of ammonia and nitrite create conditions harmful to fish, while excessive nitrate levels can encourage undesirable algae growth. Inappropriate water hardness and alkalinity can create long-term problems and may prevent the hobbyist from keeping fish active and healthy. Excessive organics can foul the aquarium and cause fish losses. Most diseases can be prevented by maintaining optimum water quality. Wardley has developed a comprehensive series of water test labs and kits, which, with regular use, will help you recreate and maintain the fishes' natural environment.

What Happens In Your Aquarium?
The introduction of fish, plants, and food into your aquarium begins a series of processes, collectively known as biological filtration. In biological filtration, naturally present bacteria safely convert waste into less toxic compounds. (See Fig. 1)