Water testing is a very important part of keeping the Mbuna aquarium. Testing should be done on a weekly basis just before you do your weekly water change and after you complete your water change. This will allow you to see if there is anything abnormal with your water quality before you alter it and how much you have altered the water after the change.

Regular tests will let you know if you have a problem with your biological filtration when your Ammonia and/or nitrites are high. Testing will also remind you that you are over-due on your water changes when your nitrates start to rise. Low oxygen will let you know you have to do something different with your water circulation.

There are several different tests that should be done on your water. I recommend getting a master test kit which contains all of the tests that you require. I also recommend using the same brand of tests for all of your testing. Many brands offer the basics but do not offer everything that you need so this will limit your choices. Below are the different tests that you need.

Ph - Test kit will measure the Ph of your aquarium water. Ph will directly effect the toxicity of ammonia and nitrite in the water. Ph in your aquarium should be at 8.2 Ph for your Mbuna.

Ammonia - Test kit will measure NH3/NH4 in your aquarium water. Ammonia is toxic waste caused by your fish before a bacteria breaks it down into nitrite. Ammonia is ten times more toxic at an 8.0 Ph than it is at 7.0 Ph. Ammonia in your aquarium should be at 0ppm (zero - parts per million).

Nitrite - Test kit will measure NO2 in your aquarium water. Nitrite is toxic waste caused by the break-down of Ammonia before another bacteria breaks it down into nitrate. Nitrite is ten times more toxic at an 8.0 Ph than it is at 7.0 Ph. Nitrite in your aquarium should be at 0ppm (zero - parts per million).

Nitrate - Test kit will measure NO3 in your aquarium water. Nitrate is non-toxic waste caused by the break-down of Nitrite by the nitrification process. Nitrate levels indicate how much waste cycled through your biological filtration process and should be removed by water changes. Nitrate in your aquarium should be at 0ppm (zero - parts per million).

Oxygen - Test kit will measure O2 in your aquarium water. Low oxygen can cause fish to be susceptible to disease and cause biological filtration bacteria to work inefficiently. Oxygen concentration in aquarium water is dependent on a number of factors including; temperature, overstocking, decaying matter, and poor circulation or surface films that interfere with natural gas exchange.

Hardness - Test kit will measure GH/KH (General Hardness and Carbonate Hardness) in your aquarium water. Alkalinity or Carbonate Hardness (KH) is a measure of the ability to resist change in pH. Aquariums where alkalinity is allowed to drop can suffer a pH crash to levels below 5.0 - leading to a total loss of biological filtration.

There are several brands that offer all the tests that you need. I have always used the Tetratest® Laborett Kit because it is an excellent master test kit and very affordable. RedSea® also makes a complete master test kit but I think they are grossly over-priced.

I have always been a big fan of Hagen® products such as the Aqua-Clear® power filters and the Aqua-Glow® florescent aquarium light bulbs and now Hagen® also offers all the test kits needed except the oxygen test kit. On a second though, I think I'll stick with the Tetratest® Laborett Kit.

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