Water Checks

[salmon]

When and how frequently do you do the following?

1. check pH
2. check nitrates/nitrites
3. check hardness
4. check for other impurities?

Any others you should check for?

 

[krap101]

oh just saying you coulda put all these questions on one thread but i dont care. just i know sum1's going to say it so i might as well. like titled *all my questions* or *newb questions* etc.

check ammonia, gh (which is hardness) [another word for it] and kh (which i havent gotten to yet)

 

[Maillis]

If you don't have any live plants I'd just test nitrates weekly until you get a feel for how high they get between water changes. The rest don't really need to be tested regularly (maybe monthly). The only time I ever test for ammonia or nitrites anymore is if my fish look stressed or become ill, which doesn't happen often if you keep a good water changing schedule.

 

[flipz]

I agree with maillis. I check monthly... sometimes longer. Unless something appears to be wrong, then I'll check right away.

-brent

Edit: If it's a newly cycled or cycling tank, I would be checking every day.

 

[Bearfan]

When and how frequently do you do the following?

1. check pH

Weekly since I have CO2 in the tank

2. check nitrates/nitrites

Regularly when I first set it up, now monthly

3. check hardness

Actually pretty often since I mix tap and RO water to get to the right levels. I'd say every other week with my water changes.

4. check for other impurities?

Never

Any others you should check for?

Not really in FW. In the beginning you check NH3, NO2, NO3, PH, GH and maybe PO4 when you start, but then not so much.

 

[Menagerie]

salmon, since you are new to our happy family, I will say that putting all the Qs in one place would make it easiers for those that want to help
Since you have not chosen fish, I will guess that you have not cycled the tank yet. Definitely check levels on a daily basis--especially if you cycle with fish!! Remember, there is a less stressful way to cycle using straight ammonia with no added soaps! You can start cycling the tank right away since it will take an average of a month while you decide on which fish you want.

After the tank is cycled, check your water parameters weekly until you get a hang of things and then check as needed (i.e. stressed fish).

 

[oscarbreeder]

I've been keeping fish for years and I still check my water params every week when I do water changes.

Better to be safe then sorry.

 

[salmon]

My apologies! I haven't really used a forum like this before, and I'm so excited about all this that I got a bit carried away...sorry if I offended anyone.
I will keep all my questions to this thread. Here's a couple more.
1. Should you worry about cleaning or disturbing the detritus in the gravel?
2. What kind of water should you use and how should you treat it before putting it back?

 

[oscarbreeder]

You can use a gravel vac to clean the gunk out of the gravel.
You can get on at your LFS.
Try and find one called the python it makes cleaning your tank a snap.
You can also use it to refill your tank with tap water just remember to use a good declor to remove the chlorine.