Water testing

[mhoward1999]

I have had aquariums for around 15 years, but have always stuck with the same types of fish until about the past 3 years. I never tested my water or knew about it until then. Literally! Of course, learning of my gross neglect, I went out and bought a test kit and began altering my H2O chemistry, which resulted in dead fish, which were fine before! I worked in a pet store that summer and was told that it's best not to mess with the chemicals that change your H2O Chemistry, just do partial water changes until the levels are fine. What do you say to that? Should you own a test kit and test your H2O but not use the chemicals to change your H2O chemistry levels. If so, how often should one test?

 

[tstenback]

I test weekly before water changes and i do not try to adjust PH with chemicals as this usually creates an ongoing unstable water chemistry and this causes the fish a great deal of stress. The water changes will deal with the nitrate levels and if the tank is established there is hopefully no ammonia or nitrite anyway, but i do the tests to ensure all these levels are where they should be...Preventive maintenance i guess. HTH

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Playing chemist tends to backfire more often then not, and leaving things as they are is almost always the superior solution for the average fish keeper.

Still though, it's good to have an idea of what's going on in your tank, and testing both ph and nitrates regularly can tell you whether your water changes and tank maintenance is not enough, just enough, or more then necessary.

 

[DrOizo]

I only have a nitrite test kit and thats it. I used it for cycling. I can tell when their is a water quality problem because all my fish start to flick. Once you know how a cycle works etc then you don't really need kits you can look at the signs form the fisah and tell whats happening. Although Kits are useful when diagnosing strange fishy illness'

 

[mhoward1999]

Thanks so much ya'll this is helpful. I will be saving for a kit. Do I need to get one of the super-deluxe models that cost around $25 or what kind? TIA!

 

[tstenback]

Up to you but the main ones are ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate these will enable you to check what is happening in you r tank in regard to general maintenance, possible causes for disease or fish deaths etc.
Price them out sometimes the master kits are a deal other times it is better to buy them separately. There are 2 kinds liquid and test strips.

 

[Artuk]

I got the liquid test kits but discovered that my girlfriend had a serious aversion to the chemicals involved.. and it has become cumbersome to find some way I can do this without getting in trouble.

I plan to go out and get some test strips just because, while less accuarate, I can use them without a major household incident if I inadvertantly get the "fish stuff too close to the people stuff."

The chemicals employed (in small small amounts) do include hydrochloric acid amongst other lovely chems, so I understand her concern.

Regards,

Artuk

 

[blakwidoe]

I test my water everyday HOWEVER I only do water changes to correct problems
I test
ph
nitrite
ammonia
gh & kh
gh and kh have never altered so therefore never had to alter it

 

[mhoward1999]

Artuk, What are the chemicals that yor girlfriend has a problem with, and what do they do? I am very concerned about this sort of thing, but I had no idea that it could be a problem with H2O testing equipment...

Everyone, which is better, strips or liquid, and why?

DrOizo, How did you learn to read your fish to determine H2O quality? Did you test for a long time until you learned?

One other thing. Is there a test you can do to determine how much salt is in the water? I use salt, but not at every water change, so I don't know exactly how much is in my tank. I always make sure not to ere on the side of overdose, but I might be underdosing if I am using it for a treatment...

 

[blakwidoe]

Ph is the only thing affected by salt ...... if you follow directions on the salt you should be fine
Ph is the only water test affected by salt

 

[DrOizo]

I test my water everyday HOWEVER I only do water changes to correct problems
I test
ph
nitrite
ammonia
gh & kh
gh and kh have never altered so therefore never had to alter it

Testing your water everyday is completely unecccesary unless you are cycling. kits are expensive!! You need to make sure that you do weekly water changes of 25% otherwise you will start to notice problems on your test kits!!!

I've just learnt how my fish are feeling by their actions. Once a Tank is established you dont really need to worry about Nitrite/ Ammonia as your bacteria will have reached levels able to cope with the bio load. I can tell when my fish need extra water changes because they start scratch and flick off objects.

 

[JAYJT]

Ive never tested my water yet.....In 4 years or so, with no problems. I like to keep things simple

 

[cutechic]

The only thing I test for is pH. My tap water has a low pH (6.6 ppm), and the pH is lowered even more because of the driftwood in my tanks (it drops to 6.0 ppm).

Before I add any fish to a tank (i.e. when I am cycling a tank) I use chemicals to raise the pH to 7.0 ppm, and make sure it stays there for a couple weeks (so I know it won't flucuate). Once I add fish, I do frequent water changes (every couple of days) so the pH stays around 7.0 ppm.

I just want to say again: the only time I mess with the water chemistry is when there are no fish in the tank. I've been doing this for a couple years, and it works for me.

 

[DrOizo]

Never mess with pH unless it is seriously needed. Mucking about with it can really screw your tank up unless you know what you are doing.

 

[blakwidoe]

thanks but I been doing tanks for awhile and never had a problem yet and as for testing I can afford and prefer to test daily that way I am on top of any change and I do water changes weekly