18 replies to this topic

[jebediah_fan]

How often do people test their tanks for pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, hardness, etc??

I found on one site that it said to do the first three every week, & to do nitrate & hardness once a month.

Until the last few days, I'd never really tested for any of the above (unless fish got sick).

Megan

[Mudjimba]

I spend my days at work testing environmental water samples for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, ph, hardness amongst other things using modern electronic instrumentation so am 'lucky' i can slip some tank water samples in if i wish.

Usually I try to test each tank once every 2-3 weeks but this often stretches to once every 1-2 months. With a regular tank maintenance routine of weekly/fortnightly water changes I find my water parameters are usually fine. If I stretch it to two months sometimes I may encounter slightly higher readings but very little difference really(I can test each to 0.01ppm) and with a water change, parameters soon drop to normal levels.
South American tank is the one I feel I need to check regularly due to high waste producers but still my parameters haven't altered much in months- again regular water changes make the difference I feel.
cheers

[benckie]

i only test a few time when setting up a new tank but once they been running for a while the testers get coverd in dust

[alec]

i only test a few time when setting up a new tank but once they been running for a while the testers get coverd in dust

you and me both

[Mudjimba]

I wouldn't bother if it wasn't so easy to test at work either. I think I'm testing just for the sake of testing....... But, I have collected some interesting data as to minimal changes in parameters coinciding with spawning and other behaviour changes. ( I have recorded every series of results for years.) This is the purpose of my testing really. Don't know if it means anything or is just coincidence.

I think you can get a sense of how things are in your tank and really, if the fish are happy/healthy there can't be too much wrong.
cheers

[keenas]

Never done it yet. I guess if I start having problems I may look at it, but everything is OK ATM

[Ham]

NEVER .
just straight from the tap

[malbone]

next to never but the template tp ask a question requests

7. What are the water parameters? (where relevant)
- pH =
- kH =
- gH =
- Temp =
- O2 content =
- CO2 additions =
- NH3 =
- NO2 =
- NO3 =
- Metals (copper, iron, lead) =

probably counts 99% of us out from fullfilling the template requested to ask a question as how many people would have the test kits for all of that - not me thats for sure

cheers
mal

[NicholasC]

For my marine i test everyday or sometimes every 2-3 days as i am super parinoid about marine been hard except they are the easiest tanks, i test:

Ammonium, Nirtate, Nitrite, Hydrometer (salinity(water hardness/density))

For my tropicals mabey once every 5-6+ weeks as they are quite stable. For my new tanks every day Ammonium,Nitrate,Nitirite.

[Ashana]

Ok, for brand new tanks i test every other day unless they start showing ammonia etc and then i test every day until fully cycled

For cycled stable tanks i test approx once every 1-2 months just to make sure all is well.

When adding new fish i test once a week for a couple of weeks just to be sure the tank is handling the new load

Aimee

[Terry]

I checked the Ph on one of my tanks about 6 months ago.

Terry

[Ashana]

I checked the Ph on one of my tanks about 6 months ago.

Terry

pH is not something i worry about generally but have been testing more now that we have Cichlids, although i probably should not worry since our tap water is about 7.4 anyways.

I am making an effort to also keep a close eye in the tank with the BGK because of the natural high pH of our tap water

Aimee

[madasa]

I regularly test PH in discus, BGK, and front tanks until desired PH achieved..

Nitrates on discus weekly

[Wacker]

I don't test my tank either.. never had a problem..

[alec]

test kits,
too expensive

[Neakit]

i can under stand about the price, i just bought a sera marine test kit and that was $160, well worth it in my starting stages but ouch

[benckie]

as said befor only test new tanks and or if im breedin g some thing but test kits are that expensive

i got a maters salt/fresh every test you can think of around 50 bucks

and a digital ph for 15 bucks and its pritty corect

but if you have it you can spend big bucks

[FishGal]

We have test kits that are sitting on a shelf collecting dust. With such frequent and big water changes, we find we don't really need to do tests. Hubby may occasionally do one just for the hell of it.....but to be honest I think if your fish are all swimming around happily and healthy and are growing, you're obviously doing something right, so why test?

[madasa]

Testing is important for the following reasons;

1. Cycling a tank

2. Concern re: water quality

3. Trying to achieve a chemistry condusive to breeding

4. In the case of fish like discus its important IMO to keep a weekly eye on nitrates even if you are doing 3-4 weekly changes.