How often do you test?

[rreekers]

I would say 1 or 2x a week which ever makes you feel satisfied. but you don't need to waste money on test kits.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Haha ya a whole test kit in a month?!? Thats alot of tests.....i really feel like testing my water now.. LOL

 

[00youknowit00]

Hmmmm, I MIGHT test once a month.. IF I think about it.. If I think there is a problem I do, or if I'm cycling. Other than that, it's almost annoying to have to test now

 

[ashleynicole]

When cycling a tank I test everyday, when dealing with issues such as illness or cloudy water, etc, I will test as needed.

Otherwise, i rarely test my water, maybe once a month just out of curiosity. I do weekly water changes of at least 50% and on the occasion that I test the water before the water change my parameters are always o.k. So once I have a good established tank going on then I don't worry so much unless issues arrive. I will also usually test a few days after adding new livestock to make sure there are no issues.

 

[Gboy66]

I spend more time searching for my test kit than I do actually using it.

Lol!!!

 

[steez]

Very rarely do I test my tanks anymore now that I have a good routine going. I'd have to see something weird to test it. I'd say maybe once every month or so.

 

[ejaramillo01]

My 100G tank has been running for 7 months now, I also have a good weekly routine, 30 to 50% PWC, vacuum half of the sand weekly, clean canister filters ( in tank water) like every three weeks. So I test my water like twice a month....

But in my 10 gallon, even with a similar routine, I test weekly, I noticed also that small tanks can go wrong faster than the big one...

 

[Convict2161]

My 100G tank has been running for 7 months now, I also have a good weekly routine, 30 to 50% PWC, vacuum half of the sand weekly, clean canister filters ( in tank water) like every three weeks. So I test my water like twice a month....

But in my 10 gallon, even with a similar routine, I test weekly, I noticed also that small tanks can go wrong faster than the big one...

Just curious, wanna make sure I read right. At every water change you clean out your canister and clean filters in old tank water? I thought you didn't have to do that? Sorry in still new. I just got the fx5 so should I be cleaning it and rinsing sponges in tank water at every water change?

 

[barterking85]

Just curious, wanna make sure I read right. At every water change you clean out your canister and clean filters in old tank water? I thought you didn't have to do that? Sorry in still new. I just got the fx5 so should I be cleaning it and rinsing sponges in tank water at every water change?

Not every water change I rinse my canister every 3-4 weeks

 

[ashleynicole]

Just curious, wanna make sure I read right. At every water change you clean out your canister and clean filters in old tank water? I thought you didn't have to do that? Sorry in still new. I just got the fx5 so should I be cleaning it and rinsing sponges in tank water at every water change?

I have an AC HOB filter and I have to rinse the sponge often due to plant detritus that clots it quickly.

 

[LyndaB]

We test before each water change which is usually weekly.

We would also test if there were a sign of illness or something quirky with the tank.

 

[Convict2161]

Well thanks for all the responses!! I think I'll tone down the testing if my OCD let's me!

I've gotten out of bed at night and said to my wife, I should probably go test the water. She's like you just did this morning. And I'm like yeah but ya never know.

 

[barterking85]

Well thanks for all the responses!! I think I'll tone down the testing if my OCD let's me!

I've gotten out of bed at night and said to my wife, I should probably go test the water. She's like you just did this morning. And I'm like yeah but ya never know.

I have major OCD as well but the more comfortable you get with you tank you will find yourself testing less often

 

[BBradbury]

Tank Testing

Whoa!

That's a lot of time spent testing and money spent on the testing kits. When I found out about large, weekly water changes, I stopped testing any of my tanks.

My testing kit is likely expired by now and I wouldn't remember how to use it anyway.

Just an "old school" water changing fanatic!

B

 

[ashleynicole]

Whoa!

That's a lot of time spent testing and money spent on the testing kits. When I found out about large, weekly water changes, I stopped testing any of my tanks.

My testing kit is likely expired by now and I wouldn't remember how to use it anyway.

Just an "old school" water changing fanatic!

B

Yeah but its a good idea to have a test kit on hand if you are cycling a new tank so you can base your water change percentage on toxin levels.

And also in the case of illness or algae issues to see if any parameters might be out of control. Years ago even with weekly water changes I had nitrate issues in one of my tanks. I tested because of an ich breakout. Came to find out I had nitrates in my tapwater! I added fast growing stem and floating plants to that tank and started using prime, and stopped getting illness .

I wouldn't have found the source if I didn't test. Luckily where I live now there is not nitrate in my water.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Yep water and the salt you use are big factors with nitrates. Then the more common, fish waste..

 

[librarygirl]

I thought I'd be more paranoid than I am now that I have fish but I'm not. I test a couple of times a week if everything seems OK. I'll test daily for a while after making changes such as adding new fish or if I ever need to change filter media, etc. If I see a fish acting weird I'll test then of course but other than that a couple of times a week is how often I usually test. I might test PH a bit more just because my water is soft and want to make sure there aren't any swings even though I do two weekly pwc and have crushed coral in the filter to keep things stable. I think you can relax a bit and enjoy the tank.

 

[barterking85]

I thought I'd be more paranoid than I am now that I have fish but I'm not. I test a couple of times a week if everything seems OK. I'll test daily for a while after making changes such as adding new fish or if I ever need to change filter media, etc. If I see a fish acting weird I'll test then of course but other than that a couple of times a week is how often I usually test. I might test PH a bit more just because my water is soft and want to make sure there aren't any swings even though I do two weekly pwc and have crushed coral in the filter to keep things stable. I think you can relax a bit and enjoy the tank.

Are you still using bottled water or are you back to tap now?

 

[ejaramillo01]

Just curious, wanna make sure I read right. At every water change you clean out your canister and clean filters in old tank water? I thought you didn't have to do that? Sorry in still new. I just got the fx5 so should I be cleaning it and rinsing sponges in tank water at every water change?

No, not every time... I clean the sponge filters of the canisters just once every three or four weeks!!
And yes, just with tank water.

 

[Megacichlid]

I test um....hardly never