Water Quality Analyzer

Pond Water Test Decoder: what your pond water test results mean

The Pond Water Test Decoder is a free tool from Play It Koi. Type in the results from your pond water test kit and it explains what each reading means for your koi and fish, what matters most right now, and what to do next. With a Play It Koi account, each test is saved to your Pond Tracker, so you can see how your pond changes over time.

What it reads

Temperature, pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, KH, dissolved oxygen and salt, along with what you notice at the pond: how the fish behave around dawn, surface movement, aeration overnight, recent treatments and top-ups with tap water. Readings don't stand alone. Ammonia is far more harmful at a high pH and a warm temperature, so when you enter both, the Decoder works out how much of it is in the toxic form, free ammonia.

Which test kits it understands

API liquid kits such as the Pond Master, NT Labs PondLab kits, test strips and other liquid kits. Kits report nitrite and nitrate in different ways, as nitrogen (NO2-N, NO3-N) or as the whole compound (NO2, NO3), so the same number can mean very different water. Pick your kit and the Decoder reads your numbers the way that kit reports them. Need a kit? See our pond water test kits.

Questions

Is it free? Do I need an account?

It's free, and you can use it without signing in. Sign in with your Play It Koi account to save each test. We send a 6-digit code to your email, so there's no password to remember.

Where are my results saved?

When you're signed in, each test is saved to your account and shows up in your Pond Tracker, on any device. Without signing in, tests stay in the browser you used. You can also download a copy of any result, or copy a short summary to send us.

What do Looks Good, Monitor, Needs Attention and Act Now mean?

They are the Decoder's overall rating for a test. Act Now means something in the test or at the pond may need action right away. Follow the safe steps it gives first, then call, text or WhatsApp Play It Koi at (206) 350-7580.

My readings look fine, but my fish aren't. Why?

A test kit measures a few things in the water. Low oxygen before dawn, a recent treatment or a sudden change in temperature won't always show up in a test, which is why the Decoder also asks what you see at the pond. If your fish are gasping at the surface or acting differently, call us.

Does it replace a vet or a water lab?

No. It explains your results and suggests safe next steps. It doesn't diagnose disease, and it doesn't prescribe medications or chemical treatments.