I agree totally with seangee (post #15). Success in this hobby will only come if one accepts that it is a scientific hobby and the aquarist must understand the basics, and then build on that knowledge. We are bombarded by ads in magazines, and staff in stores, into buying so many products to prevent this or treat that...and 90% of them are useless and will cause more harm to the fish than they benefit anyway.
I rarely test my tank water because after keeping the record of each test over a period of four or five years (not regular tests, just periodic to see what was changing, if anything) I determined that each tank had its own pH, and they remained identical for each test. Ammonia and nitrite have never tested above zero, and I only do these now if I see something is clearly wrong such as fish deaths obviously not just old age related; knowing they are still zero eliminates some possibles and allows me to concentrate on the more probable. Nitrate is always in the 0 to 5 ppm range, so I haven't tested nitrate for two or three years now; if I did I know it would be identical. But as there is nothing unusual occurring, there is no incentive to test anyway.
It is the initial beginning stage where trouble can occur, and at this period it is wise to get used to testing what matters. As the aquarium establishes over several months, and provided the fish load is not beyond the capacity of the system to begin with, and the fish species are compatible (not only temperament but all environmental aspects) and in adequate numbers (shoaling species, etc), and regular once a week significant water changes are routine...things will be stable and problem-free.
I rarely test my tank water because after keeping the record of each test over a period of four or five years (not regular tests, just periodic to see what was changing, if anything) I determined that each tank had its own pH, and they remained identical for each test. Ammonia and nitrite have never tested above zero, and I only do these now if I see something is clearly wrong such as fish deaths obviously not just old age related; knowing they are still zero eliminates some possibles and allows me to concentrate on the more probable. Nitrate is always in the 0 to 5 ppm range, so I haven't tested nitrate for two or three years now; if I did I know it would be identical. But as there is nothing unusual occurring, there is no incentive to test anyway.
It is the initial beginning stage where trouble can occur, and at this period it is wise to get used to testing what matters. As the aquarium establishes over several months, and provided the fish load is not beyond the capacity of the system to begin with, and the fish species are compatible (not only temperament but all environmental aspects) and in adequate numbers (shoaling species, etc), and regular once a week significant water changes are routine...things will be stable and problem-free.
