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# Track water quality in a tank or pond

Each tank or pond in Locations keeps its own water records: every test you log, your latest results and the full history. You don't need animals or a care plan to start.

## Start with a new tank or pond

Open **Locations** and select the tank or pond. A new one's page offers **Log water**, **Add a routine** and **Add an animal** (or **Add animals here** when you have animals to move in). Water records, routines and animals are all optional, so start with any of them.

![Reef Tank page with Check who's here, Log water, Add a routine and Add an animal, and the line Start with any of these. Water records, routines and animals are all optional.](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/f0a/129/fd1/6d1cc.png?width=1604)

The **Water** section on the page shows your latest results. **Log water and browse history** opens its **Water records**.

## Log a water test

1. Select **Log water** on the tank's page, or open **Water records**.
2. Under **When did you test?**, choose **I know the time** or **Just the date**.
3. Under **Results**, pick each **Test** and type its **Reading**. Pick the test that matches your kit's label, such as "as NO2". Not sure? Choose "basis not recorded". Type a "less than" result as it reads, like <0.25. For water temperature, pick °F or °C under **Unit**. **Add another test** adds a row.
4. Add the **Kit or meter**, **Source** or **Notes** if you like, then select **Save water session**.

Zero is a reading. A blank value means you didn't measure it.

If tanks share water, such as tanks on one sump, open **Water records** for the tank that holds the shared water. Under **Shared water (sump or central filter)**, select **Use this tank as shared water**, then add the others with **Connect tank or pond**. When you log water there, **What did you test?** asks whether you tested that tank or the shared water. A shared-water test applies to every connected tank or pond at the time of the test.

## Read your results

**Current values** at the top of **Water records** shows the latest reading for each test. **Water history** below it lists every test. **Filter history** finds tests by date, test, kit or notes. **Show trends** charts one test over time: each dot is one test, and readings like <0.25 stay in the table. **Download water records** saves a spreadsheet file, or a .zip of them when there are shared-water tests.

## Set your own ranges

Owners and co-owners can open **Your range and freshness settings**, choose a **Parameter for your range**, then select **Edit settings**.

1. Pick the unit to show and to enter the range in, such as °F for water temperature.
2. Enter a **Minimum**, a **Maximum** or both.
3. To flag old results, fill in **Mark stale after (hours, optional)**.
4. Select **Save settings**.

Each latest result then shows **Within your range**, **Below your range** or **Above your range**, and, if you set a stale time, **Freshness: current** or **Freshness: stale**. These settings never send alerts.

![Water records for Reef Tank with Current values: Water temperature 77 °F and pH 8.2, each Within your range, and Nitrate as NO3 5 ppm](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/5a3/2c3/4d0/c44c3.png?width=1368)

## Fix a mistake

In **Water history**, select the test's date. Change what's wrong, fill in **Why are you correcting it?** and select **Save correction**. The original stays in the record's history. If the whole test was wrong, for example logged on the wrong tank, say why under **Void this record** and select **Void record**. A voided record can't be corrected or restored.

## Bring in records you kept elsewhere

Owners and co-owners can select **Import water records** on **Water records**.

1. Choose a CSV, or a water ZIP downloaded from Creatures, and select **Inspect file**.
2. For a spreadsheet from somewhere else, check the suggested columns under **Map columns**, choose the **Date format**, then select **Choose destinations and parameters**.
3. Pick the tank or pond for the readings, and the exact test and unit for each column, such as °F for temperature.
4. Select **Preview every row**. Check each row, then select **Save reviewed batch**. A big file is split into batches, and you save each one.

Nothing is added before you save, and importing never creates places or animals.

## Schedule regular tests

To get water tests on **Today**, add a care plan for the tank or pond, for example with **Add a routine**. Open **Start with a tank or pond routine** and pick a **Routine starter**. **Established tank or pond**, **Cycling: observe and test** and **Grow-out** include a water test. **Quarantine: observe** is observations only. Set how often the tasks repeat and the water tests you use, select **Add starter tasks**, then select **Save care plan**. Starters are lists you can edit. They never set treatments, dosing or target ranges.

You can also add a single task: choose **Water test** under **What care is needed?** and, if you like, the **Tests to record**, then save the plan. See [Create and manage a care plan](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/care-plans-f11gsu/).

![Water test chosen under What care is needed?, with This tank or pond only and pH and Ammonia / TAN under Tests to record (optional)](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/9af/6fe/9ed/bf637.png?width=1760)

On Today, **Record test** opens the same form with the plan's tests listed. **Save test & complete task** saves the readings and checks the task off.

![Water test for Reef Tank with pH 8.2 and Ammonia / TAN 0 ppm already listed, Add another test, When did you test? and Save test & complete task](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/48c/3cc/41b/cedfe.png?width=1084)

## Link a spawn to a water test

On the tank or pond's page, **Record a spawn, drop or colony** under **Aquatic observations** has a **Water test (optional)** choice. Pick up to five tests from the seven days through the observed date. The record links to each test and shows **Corrected since linked** if a test changes later.

To count fish tank by tank, or sell some from a tank, see [Track animals without individual profiles](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/track-animals-without-individual-profiles-nbado5/).

### Related information

- [Set up and organize locations](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/set-up-and-organize-locations-1f4oo3o/)
- [QR location signs and place chores on Today](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/qr-location-signs-and-place-chores-on-today-otbo3v/)
- [Create and manage a care plan](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/care-plans-f11gsu/)