Hey guys I'm new here! I'm 17 and I've had an aquarium off and on for the past few years. I am only 17 so I don't have alot money to spend and my parents let me do my own thing with the fish tank. I have a 10 gallon tank with a aqua tech 5-15 gallon filter, I've done alot of research and the only thing I don't really understand is testing the water, I have had fish live for over a year in the tank but never have I ever used any sort of chemical to make the water safe. I always changed the water weekly or every 2 weeks and would just let the new water sit in a bucket for 24 hours before adding it. It's worked fine or I have just gotten lucky but I know if I actually knew how to take care of the water my fishies would live longer. Any advice or knowledge back on this would be greatly appreciated!
New here need advice
- Thread starter Fishboy2
- Start date
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Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
The only problem with letting the water sit in a bucket overnight is that it wont remove Chloramines from the water as well as heavy metals. A standard water conditioner such as prime which is very affordable will take care of all of those potential issues and make the water instantly safe for the tank.
Testing the water gets to be more and more important when the tanks become more stocked. For example, I have a Mbuna cichlid tank. To keep things happy in a tank like that it has to be way overstocked. But the problem with overstocking is the increased amount of nitrate production. The only way I know how much water I need to change is by testing for nitrates and do a water change accordingly. If I did a 30% water change routinely then I would have seriously out of control nitrate levels in my tank.
The 3 major tests that should be done are Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Once the tank becomes fully established then ammonia and nitrite kind of takes a back burner to testing for nitrate.
Testing the water gets to be more and more important when the tanks become more stocked. For example, I have a Mbuna cichlid tank. To keep things happy in a tank like that it has to be way overstocked. But the problem with overstocking is the increased amount of nitrate production. The only way I know how much water I need to change is by testing for nitrates and do a water change accordingly. If I did a 30% water change routinely then I would have seriously out of control nitrate levels in my tank.
The 3 major tests that should be done are Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Once the tank becomes fully established then ammonia and nitrite kind of takes a back burner to testing for nitrate.
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
Prime - 500 ml
That's enough conditioner to treat 5000 gallons of water.
Freshwater Master Test Kit
Those test kits last a long time.
That's enough conditioner to treat 5000 gallons of water.
Freshwater Master Test Kit
Those test kits last a long time.
Mumma.of.two
Aquarium Advice Obsessed
If you can purchase it online you'll save yourself some coin.
