Cheap ammonia testing thing?

Ammonia testing and cory questions?

• Okay, a few questions: 1.) My 10 gallon tank is very tannin stained from the driftwood I have in there. Unlike most people, I really like this effect. However, it does present a problem--how do I test for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate? The brown water distorts the test colors, and I'd rather not use strips since they're not as accurate. 2.) This is going to sound like kind of a strange question, but...I've got 3 bronze and 5 panda corys in my 20 gallon, and they both spawn almost EVERY night, especially the pandas. They can't wear themselves out doing this, can they? Will this overly stress the females? They all look fine, are very active and eat like pigs, and I certainly don't know how I could STOP them from spawning. I know it's normal for corys to spawn all the time in fish tanks, and it's cool to watch, I just want to make sure it's not causing any stress, primarily for the females. Again, I know, weird question--I'm just paranoid about my fish, heh.

• Answer:

  Spawning every night??? Wow How many males vs. females do you have? this should not be going on every evening. Try lowering the temperature of the tank. Yes it could stress out your females if this is going on every single night. Also, tannins can stain dip strips but for the 3 seconds they need to be in the tank they are not going to change the color of the readings that much. Use the strips. You can also set a vial of water out on the counter and let the tannins settle (and they will) then test the water. You can also separate the males from the females.