@#$^@$@# help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

no agreed, for nitrates and nitrites, I find they are accurate, but other then that they are really just "2 in one" test strips lol..

 

First things first... relax.

The numbers do not seem even reasonable so I would not even consider them. Softies don't mind so much so nothing is in danger. Adding fish isn't really a concern here. doing your water changes... you should not really have to dose anything with what you have.

The last thing you want to do is start screwing around with Alk.... things tolerate alk swings much much less. And you definitely do not want to be chasing your tail and reacting every test you take. The advice you have been given is solid. Have a shop test your water for a cross check. Get a salifert kit... learn to use that and test. If indeed your alk is high, move it with water changes.

 

I think the API kit is fine. It might tell you it is 7 when it is 8 but all it really matters is that it is stable and not 27. The Hanna checkers and stuff I want one cuz they sound easy but who really needs a 0.00 reading of alk or nitrates?

 

This is to funny NanoMano you got us all running in circles lol j/k at 27 drops yer right..you got a bad kit.

 

i had alk of 17 at one time thats when i was fighting keeping my ph up before kalk.

 

Do you really have all those fish in a 35g tank?

 

yes i do

 

lol well your doing something right then haha, everyone gets so worked up about overstocking, but you can do it, you just have to be careful, like my cichlid tank is 3 fish over stocked, this is just to spread aggression out so no single fish is bullied too much. you just have to have the bio filtration to keep up with it

 

over stocking can be done when you pick your fish wisely,and watch for aggression as you say, research them and see if they get along and what they like. stress is a killer.
i have more problems with corals than fish.

 

Stocking levels have nothing to do with aggression.. that is compatibility. Stocking levels is about how much O2 the water holds and how fast they will suffocate when the power is off.