Re: dodgy LFS water testing

[NetMax]

"Paul" > wrote in message
...
> I went to an LFS shop today that I don't usually frequent, (just
looking for
> something different), and I happened to need a water test done. I gave
them
> my bottle of water and the first thing she tested was for ph. It
immediately
> came up as "off the scale" (less than 5.0), and I freaked out!! She
told
> me I was lucky to have any fish alive in the tank at all, and that I
should
> probably just euthanase my fish and start again. Or she suggested that
I
> could pruchase an expensive product that would get my ph back to 7.0

Euthanise the fish and start over?!? What kind of ignorant advice is
that? FWIW, many fish will blissfully accept a gradual drop of pH. A
recent experiment in Germany to see at which pH fish would die at failed,
as the fish were fine into the 4s. This was a particular species, so it
may be totally unrepresentative, but the point remains. Also note that
there are many different test kit ranges (so a low or high level will be
read differently depending on the range), and test kits are not as
accurate as we would like to think they are.

ps: I misplaced my link to this test done in a German university, so if
anyone has it handy.. thanks
NetMax

> Rather than take the advise of this woman though, I quickly headed to
my
> trusted friend at my trusted LFS. He tested some more water from the
same
> bottle and found that the ph was actually only at 6.2 (still too low,
but
> nothing as bad as 5.0!!!) he suggested a few water changes this week
and
> everything should be fine.
>
> It just goes to show not all people are competent and/or honest, even
when
> it comes to the lives of people's pets.
>
> p.s. I also had 0 ammonia and nitrites!
>
>

[jessejoe]

In article >,
"Paul" > wrote:

> I went to an LFS shop today that I don't usually frequent, (just looking for
> something different), and I happened to need a water test done. I gave them
> my bottle of water and the first thing she tested was for ph. It immediately
> came up as "off the scale" (less than 5.0), and I freaked out!! She told
> me I was lucky to have any fish alive in the tank at all, and that I should
> probably just euthanase my fish and start again. Or she suggested that I
> could pruchase an expensive product that would get my ph back to 7.0
>
> Rather than take the advise of this woman though, I quickly headed to my
> trusted friend at my trusted LFS. He tested some more water from the same
> bottle and found that the ph was actually only at 6.2 (still too low, but
> nothing as bad as 5.0!!!) he suggested a few water changes this week and
> everything should be fine.
>
> It just goes to show not all people are competent and/or honest, even when
> it comes to the lives of people's pets.
>
> p.s. I also had 0 ammonia and nitrites!
>
>

You know, I'm going to have to play devil's advocate here. I work for a
chain pet store (I won't say which, because it doesn't matter) and I do
maybe 5 or 6 water tests per day for customers, besides two per day per
system for in-house use. That having been said, I've performed more pH
tests than I care to count.

Once in a while, I get a pH reading of about 5.2, or let's say, four
point something. In any case, too low for the kit to read. What do I do?
I throw it out and try again. Refuse to believe the test. Maybe the pH
/is/ low, but it's not /that/ low. Point is, testers (both dip stix and
dropper tests) can screw up, for various reasons. Including, but not
limited to, stupidity on the part of an LFS clerk.

So surely, you were correct in ignoring the super-low test results, but
maybe you should have made her test your water again. Coulda just been
an honest mistake!

Just my two cents,
Jesse Joe

--
Remove SPAMASSASSIN. from email for a real addres.

[Paul]

>
>You know, I'm going to have to play devil's advocate here. I work for a
>chain pet store (I won't say which, because it doesn't matter) and I do
>maybe 5 or 6 water tests per day for customers, besides two per day per
>system for in-house use. That having been said, I've performed more pH
>tests than I care to count.
>
>Once in a while, I get a pH reading of about 5.2, or let's say, four
>point something. In any case, too low for the kit to read. What do I do?
>I throw it out and try again. Refuse to believe the test. Maybe the pH
>/is/ low, but it's not /that/ low. Point is, testers (both dip stix and
>dropper tests) can screw up, for various reasons. Including, but not
>limited to, stupidity on the part of an LFS clerk.
>
>So surely, you were correct in ignoring the super-low test results, but
>maybe you should have made her test your water again. Coulda just been
>an honest mistake!
>

you are quite right, it could very well have been an honest mistake.

[Racf]

"Paul" > wrote in message
...
> I went to an LFS shop today that I don't usually frequent, (just
looking for
> something different), and I happened to need a water test done. I gave
them
> my bottle of water and the first thing she tested was for ph. It
immediately
> came up as "off the scale" (less than 5.0), and I freaked out!! She
told
> me I was lucky to have any fish alive in the tank at all, and that I
should
> probably just euthanase my fish and start again. Or she suggested that
I
> could pruchase an expensive product that would get my ph back to 7.0

She sounds like a super duper retail sales person. Probably makes a lot
of money for her shop. I disagree a bit with her conclusions, but
admire her salesmanship.... Remember this when you encounter other sale
folks in other industries.....

[Toni]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
...
> A
> recent experiment in Germany to see at which pH fish would die at failed,
> as the fish were fine into the 4s. This was a particular species, so it
> may be totally unrepresentative, but the point remains. Also note that
> there are many different test kit ranges (so a low or high level will be
> read differently depending on the range), and test kits are not as
> accurate as we would like to think they are.
>
> ps: I misplaced my link to this test done in a German university, so if
> anyone has it handy.. thanks


Dunno about any German study, but in the Aug 03 TFH magazine Jack Wattley
discusses his dropping the pH on his tanks to 4.0 for one full week to
combat a bacterial disease "discus plague".
Again- only a single species, but at one point it fell to 3.8 with no
repercussions.


--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/aquarium.htm

[Geezer From The Freezer]

euphanise the fish, hahahahaha ridiculous!

[Donald Kerns]

Geezer From The Freezer wrote:

> euphanise the fish, hahahahaha ridiculous!

Well, I do believe that euthanasia is called for in this case...
but not for the fish... }:-)

-D
--
"When you've lost your ability to laugh, you've lost your ability to
think straight." -To Inherit the Wind