Water Testing

Why test your water?

Most fish problems start in the water long before you can see them. Ammonia and nitrite are invisible, pH can drift slowly for weeks, and a reef can run low on calcium or alkalinity without any warning. A quick test takes the guesswork out, so you can fix small issues before they become sick fish.

It's especially worth testing when:

• You're setting up a new tank and waiting for it to cycle
• You're about to add new fish, corals or plants
• Fish are hiding, gasping, losing color or not eating
• You've had algae trouble, cloudy water or an unexplained loss
• It's just been a while. A regular check-up keeps a healthy tank healthy.

How it works

1. Bring a sample

   We only need a little water: a quarter to half a cup from your tank is plenty. Easiest of all, ask at the counter for one of our free water sample bottles and keep it for your next test. Testing more than one tank? Bring a separate, labeled sample from each.

2. Check in

   Sign up on our in-store kiosk with your name and phone number, and tell it what kind of tank you have and roughly how many gallons. The kiosk shows your place in line. Then drop your sample off at the counter.

3. We run the test

   Your sample goes in our digital tester. Our digital tester reads 10 parameters at once with a centrifugal photometer, so there's no squinting at test strips or guessing between colors. Each test takes about 5 to 10 minutes, so feel free to browse while you wait.

4. Get your report

   We print your personal Squeaky's Water Report and walk you through it. If something needs attention, we'll show you the fix, and it's on the report so you can take it home.

What we test

We test both freshwater and saltwater. Saltwater samples always get a salinity check. For freshwater, just ask: it's handy for brackish tanks or if you've added aquarium salt as a treatment.

Graded for your tank, not a generic chart

"Good" water depends on what lives in it. The same hard, high-pH water that's perfect for African cichlids would be wrong for a betta or a discus. So before we grade your results, we set your tank type: community, betta, discus, angelfish, livebearer, goldfish, African cichlid, planted, shrimp, fish-only saltwater, soft coral and LPS reef, or SPS reef. Your report then shows the target range for that kind of tank.

What's on your report

• An overall score and grade. A quick read on how your tank is doing:

• Every result explained. Each parameter gets a star rating (great, keep an eye on it, or needs attention), your number, the target range, and a one-line plain-English explanation.
• Your trend. We keep your results on file, so next time your report shows what changed since your last test, like "nitrate down from 40".
• A specific fix. If something is off, we recommend a product we have in stock to correct it, sized for your tank's gallons, with your preferred brand first if you have one. No pressure: if a water change is the better answer, we'll tell you that instead.
• Who helped you. Your tester's name is on the report, so you know who to ask for next time.

You can look up your past results any time on the in-store kiosk with your phone number.

Three ways to get your test

Common questions