What if your physician didn’t use either blood tests or stethoscopes. It would be almost impossible to get a glance inside your body! Water tests enable you to take a look at the structure of your aquarium/ pond. Water can look crystal clear but can still contain poisonous substances. If problems like green water or diseases occur, water tests are an important option when determining the causes. Unfortunately, you can't tell by looking at your water what quality it is and what problematic substances it may contain. With the help of water tests, you can quickly and easily analyse any type of water (tap, well, aquarium and pond water) and use the results to understand whether and what steps you should take to optimise it.
Water testing - the most important step to understanding your aquarium
For each water analysis JBL provides water tests in the form of quick tests or colour change tests. These determine a certain value or several values in one go. These water tests help you recognise algae problems and negative nitrate, nitrite, potassium, magnesium values etc.
The quickest and easiest way to carry out water tests is with test strips. In just one minute you have the results for the most important 7 values.
Ohne Wassertests ratest du nur herum. JBL PROAQUATEST. Hier findest du eine Übersicht.
Test strips
The strips test pH, GH, KH, NO2, NO3, chlorine and calculate the CO2 content. You dip a test strip into your aquarium water for three seconds, dab it a few times HORIZONTALLY to make sure that excess water beads off and compare it with a colour scale. With JBL PROSCAN you place the test strip on a special colour chart, which you can "photograph" with your smartphone and a free ProScan app after waiting 60 seconds. The app reads out the colours and shows you the resulting values extremely accurately, as well as a recommendation for possible optimisation of your water values.
JBL PROAQUATEST EASY 7in1 - the orientation quick test for aquarium, pond, well, spring and tap water.
JBL PROSCAN - water analysis and diagnosis via smartphone. Simple and safe monitoring of freshwater water values.
Colour comparison tests
Fill two cuvettes with your aquarium water. Put one cuvette on a colour field of the colour chart to compensate for any inherent water colouring during the reading of the colour (JBL comparator system). For better handling put the cuvettes into the plastic holder which you can move back and forth on the colour chart’s colour fields. Place the second cuvette on a white field and add indicators to colour the water. Now compare the resulting colour with the colour on the colour chart and read the value.
JBL PROAQUATEST pH 3.10-10.0 - Quick test to determine the acidity in ponds and freshwater/marine aquariums. When setting up a new aquarium, you need to measure daily during the first week, then once a week.
JBL PROAQUATEST pH 6.0-7.6 - Quick test to determine the pH value in the range 6.0-7.6 in freshwater aquariums. When setting up a new aquarium, you need to measure daily during the first week, then once a week.
JBL PROAQUATEST pH 7.4-9.0 - Quick test to determine the pH values in the range 7.4-9.0 in ponds, freshwater and marine aquariums. When setting up a new aquarium, you need to measure daily during the first week, then once a week.
JBL PROAQUATEST Cu Copper - Quick test to determine the copper content in fresh and marine water aquariums & ponds. When setting up a new aquarium, you need to measure daily during the first week, later in cases of invertebrate and fish deaths and when dosing copper-bearing medications.
JBL PROAQUATEST Fe Iron - Quick test to determine the iron content in fresh and marine water aquariums & ponds. After setting up a new aquarium, you need to test once, after that weekly and whenever green algae problems arise or when plants don’t grow properly.
JBL PROAQUATEST SiO2 Silicate - Quick test to determine the silicate content in freshwater & marine aquariums. A test is needed when setting up a new aquarium, when changing the water, and when diatom problems arise.
JBL PROAQUATEST NH4 Ammonium - Quick test to determine ammonium/ammonia content in freshwater/marine aquariums & ponds. For checking the biological balance or bacterial activity. Test daily when setting up a new freshwater aquarium, test weekly when setting up a new saltwater aquarium or when fish diseases or deaths arise.
JBL PROAQUATEST NO2 Nitrite - Quick test to determine the nitrite content in freshwater/marine aquariums & ponds. Nitrite is a toxic nitrogen compound formed when the bacterial balance is disturbed or when setting up a new aquarium. The test shows the exact nitrite content of the water. For a new freshwater setup test daily for three weeks. Test weekly for a new saltwater setup and when fish diseases or deaths arise.
JBL PROAQUATEST NO3 Nitrate - Quick test to determine the nitrate content in freshwater/marine aquariums & ponds. Test weekly if you are setting up a new freshwater or marine aquarium, or if you have green algae problems.
JBL PROAQUATEST PO4 Phosphate Sensitive - Quick test to determine the phosphate content in freshwater/marine aquariums & ponds for optimal plant growth or possible causes of algae. Test weekly when setting up a new freshwater or marine aquarium, when algae problems arise, or for monitoring the tap water.
Please make sure to use the narrow end of the measuring spoon. If you do not, the test result will remain clear or appear slightly yellow even though phosphate is present.
JBL PROAQUATEST PO4 Phosphate koi - Quick test to determine phosphate levels from 0.1 up to 10 mg/l in garden and koi ponds. Test routinely and when algae problems arise.
JBL PROAQUATEST Mg Magnesium Fresh water - Quick test to determine the magnesium content in freshwater aquariums. For fertilisation control for perfect aquarium plant growth. Magnesium deficiency leads to stagnant growth and light leaf colour in aquatic plants.
We hope you were able to get a good overview in Part I. In Part II we will show you the other water test types, such as the turbidity test, permanent test and colour change test.
If you want to know more about this topic, then take a look at our Themeworlds Aquarium and Pond: Water tests or The water tests – all parameters .
Tell us in the comments which JBL water tests you use!
© 22.01.2023
