Do you ever break the "rules"

[Crookster]

What I wonder about is....does anyone monitor their nitrites and ammo and nitrates? The only time I check mine is if I have a sick fish or the water seems cloudy...I was just wondering if perhaps I should more often....

I check my parametres about 2 hours after I've done a water change, which is every week. I only check nitrites and ammonia. I'm going to start checking PH too as I've recently had probs with it.

It'll save a lot of hard work in the long run if you spot a problem b4 you have one.

 

[CFC]

Im going to be absolutely honest here and say that the only test kit i now own is a Nitrate one, and this is mainly so i can moniter the tapwater levels before a water change ) I just take it for granted that i know what the parameters are like just by looking at the fish and smelling the water.

 

[Becca]

I only own an Ammonia one - and that's mainly because I had a huge ammonia problem (due to not doing water changes or gravel vacs - ever...) when I started out. I would like to get a kit of my own, but I haven't gotten a chance to get around to it. It's next on my list of items to get, though.

 

[Nidge]

I own lots of test kits but i only use them very occasionally, Like CFC said i also never skimp on water changes and change about 30%weekly and if i go over the week its on my mind so much to get it done.

 

[rain-]

I usually change 50% once a week. But now I am starting to think that it's too much. I was away from home for two weeks and after coming back home I checked nitrate and phosphate from my large planted tank (500l, 30 silver tipped tetras, 10 honey gouramis, 4 bettas, 20 pygmy cories, 10 flagtail cories and one G. joselimaianus)... My mother fed the fish and they were given frozen bloodworms, granulate food and tablets every day.

Nitrate was 5mg/l and phosphate 0,1-0,25mg/l.

My puffer tank is the only one that really needs partial water change once a week. Planted tanks are cool 8)

 

[aquarius]

i don't test my water that often as i don't think it's necessary in an established tank. i guess the rule that i break is the number of fish i keep in an aquarium. the 1 inch per gallon thing is not even close to what i have