MountieDoug Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Can anyone tell me if regular testing of the water in the aquarium is required, or should one go by the health by which the fish appear? I can not seem to get a straight answer from the aquarium store! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peckham125 Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 bit of both i would have thought pretty sure you can tell if your fish look ill if not do a test anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I haven't tested my tanks in years. I just make sure I do regular tank maintnance, QT new fish, and up the water change frequency if the something looks a bit off in the tank. Sometimes test kits can be handy but I always found I didn't use them enough to make it worth buying. But some people like testing their tanks on a regular basis and keeping track of all the numbers. They can also be handy for people who are new to the hobby to learn and recognize some things. Its pretty much up to you. Nothing in this hobby is required Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrin34 Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 i usualy test once every couple months just to be safe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nanmer Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 With patience a tank will properly cycle on it's own and then all is good. Vallisneria is quite right, regular water changes may be a pain but are important. I keep some sensitive species and never had a problem. I have done testing but find the test kits go out of date. A biggie for me is if the fish are not swimming happily and the snails are not snailin, something is wrong. Testing usually confirms this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingin' It Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I personally don't test my water. Though when I had saltwater, I was in the habbit of checking weekly. I think people who are seriously interested in breeding and what the water parameters are at, are more interested than the average keeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayba Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I no longer test my water, when the tank was under a year old I tested almost daily for a while, then once things become more stable I tested less frequently. Once you get to know how it the tank works you can slow down testing, like I can go almost 3 weeks before my nitrates get high and I should do a water change. So I water change at least every 2 weeks. When it was heavily stocked, I had to do it weekly. The water volume you are dealing with also determines things too. Little tanks are far more unstable than larger ones etc One thing you will learn is that allot of LFS staff come and go, some are just plain morons and some are wicked! You will figure that out in time. But now that you are on AA you can get the proper answers from us, the fish nerd community... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sicklid Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I have never owned a water test kit.....maybe i shouldn't say that!! Anyway the biggest error I made early on was keeping the tank TOO clean.....best just to let things settle , do water changes and let things take their course. Everyone finds their own comfort zone in regards to their own tanks. Jay you are right though that some of the satff at the LFS are morons and some are very good. The advise here though has been very good and inciteful......being a member of this site has enhanced the hobby for me ....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nautilus Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 New fishhead with new tank, test regularly until tank is established and fish head knows what to look for when things are "off". We have all lost fish when we didn't spot the early signs of problems. Bigger tanks can take more punisshment and buy you more time to right things but if you wait too long, then you pay the price and EVERYTHING dies. Ouch!! Water changes are of upmost importance and when you are unsure- ask. someone here will either have screwed it up before (ME!) and someone here will have the fix. My 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaFishMommy Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 i used to test like i had OCD, lol! now, i think my test has sat in the cupboard so long it's either expired or under an inch of dust, hahaha. like others have said, after a while you get a feel for your tank and your fish, and know if something is off without even having to test. one good time to do frequent testing is in the spring, when run-off is happening and the water treatment plants tend to add more crap to the water. i usually test water straight from the tap during the spring, so i know what's going in my tank and know if i have to adjust my dechlorinator dose (more dechlor added when there is more chloramine in the water). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubr0ke Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 (edited) testing is pointless if your kit hasn't been calibrated. Edited March 17, 2011 by ubr0ke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ty_s Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Water testing all depends on what your doing with your tank. if nothing changed that you are doing you can most likely live it. But if you change things add a rock or some fish do a huge water change wash your filter media in tap water been there did that have the t shirt . the power gos out for 3 days and you need to know how often to change out water yes a few basic test kits come in handy even a 15 pack of test strips. comes in handy when your trouble shooting a problem with your tank. i think i have every kit there is for freshwater just due messing with plants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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