Hi there had a question.

[Ckingz77]

I was wondering when is the best time to test your water?Just purchased kit and didn't know if before or after water change or if it makes a difference?Thanks for any replies.


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[ScotJudd]

Water testing is best done before a water change. This gives you a guide as to the percentage of WC required. If you want to test after WC to check that you've achieved the result you wanted them that is ok but after a while you should have confidence to stop that. It's worth checking your water source every now and then to see if the water supply is consistent.


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[BBradbury]

Originally Posted by Ckingz77

I was wondering when is the best time to test your water?Just purchased kit and didn't know if before or after water change or if it makes a difference?Thanks for any replies.


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Hello C...

To get the hang of testing, you can test before and after the water change. An even better way, is to set up and follow an aggressive water change routine. Smaller tanks up to 20 gallons will do best with a 50 percent water change a couple of times a week. Larger tanks need a 50 to 60 percent change weekly. The reason is, small or infrequent changes leave a lot of dissolved wastes in the water to stress the fish.

The moral of the story is this: If you remove and replace half the tank water every few days, wastes never build up and the fish stay healthy. I've followed this routine for more than a decade and never test the water. I know it's always waste free and safe for my fish and plants. Pretty easy.

Have fun!

B

[Ckingz77]

Thanks for all the good info.


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