# Water Testing with test kits WHEN?



## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

hello everyone, Another newbie question for everyone. I know i'm going to get some slaps for this one but i'll take em to learn. I inherited a test kit for my aquarium and i have yet to use it... 8 months no test... I know i should be shot and not allowed to have fish  I do water changes now though and i know how to do them correctly thanks to the good folks on here.... 

K, seriously: When should you actually do the water tests on aquarium water? 
1. a few hours after feeding? Before? What if you feed 2 or 3 times a day?
2. Shortly after a water change? how long ?
3. Before a water change and then after?
tks all for the help......


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Test kits come most handy immediately after a tank is set up. After that, I do not test my water at all, unless I notice something odd is happening with my fish/plants. Only then would I test the water.

Also, if a disaster were to happen (i.e. fish dies, all my plants start melting, etc), test kits are also helpful for diagnosing the problem.

If anything, they are more of a security blanket/insurance policy. I do not test my water at all after water changes, etc. 

Edit: The last time I tested my water was after my 7+ year old Clown Loach died (it was already about 4 inches long when I got it, and I had it for another 7 years after I received it)


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

Darkblade48 said:


> Test kits come most handy immediately after a tank is set up. After that, I do not test my water at all, unless I notice something odd is happening with my fish/plants. Only then would I test the water.
> Edit: The last time I tested my water was after my 7+ year old Clown Loach died (it was already about 4 inches long when I got it, and I had it for another 7 years after I received it)


Thanks Darkblade, always a good responder to questions, that's what people like myself need and i try and answer others to....
I actually Do water changes pretty much every saturday now, once a week about 20-25 % and i use prime now which i learned i should use with it.. last 2 changes no water conditioner.. doh!!!!


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

I usually test my waters every month or so. Aside from that, I also test the water when I sense problems in the tank (judging by behaviour and look of the fish and such.)


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

Hitch said:


> I usually test my waters every month or so. Aside from that, I also test the water when I sense problems in the tank (judging by behaviour and look of the fish and such.)


tks for the info hitch, always good info from you as well.... 
cheers!!!!


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

You can test it just about any time you'd like. But I test mine just before I do a water change. So I know how bad the water is before I change the water. I used to test it every week and takes notes of my water parameters. I saved them under a spreadsheet and chart the progress of my tanks. It helps when your fish are breeding and you look back a the pass few weeks and noted the change is the water leading up to the breeding.

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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

great thanks Zebrapl3co,,,, good points to know...... will try and follow a regimen and start making my own log......
sheldon


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

I agree with Darkblade and Zebrapleco.

When I came back to fish keeping around ~Apr/2009 and when I first got my first test kit ever I made a ruled sheet with date, perimeters tested, and comments. I this for about once a week before water changes till later I did not do it anymore (costing a lot on the kits) unless something was feeling wrong with the fish or the tank. My tanks were ~2-3+ months so I knew through testing I was getting nitrites 0 each time consistantly and that my biofilters are stable. All I did was just water changes frequently and sucking out the waste from the tanks and saving my test strips when I needed it.

Mind you I'm on a 5.5gal and 10gal tank here. I tend to water change about 5-10% every two days and use that water for my hydroponics setup (no not weed...tomatos!!) so I don't waste the nutrient rich water and just do my normal 10-20% water change a week. Now a days I only test about once a month if I'm curious just to fill something into my log sheet.



> K, seriously: When should you actually do the water tests on aquarium water?
> 1. a few hours after feeding? Before? What if you feed 2 or 3 times a day?
> 2. Shortly after a water change? how long ?
> 3. Before a water change and then after?
> tks all for the help......


1. I don't think you need to test after a few hours of feeding. Once a week testing if your tank is new.

On a side note on a Aquaponics (growing plants with fish water, combo of hydroponics and aquaculture) which the small systems use goldfish the fish sometimes are fed 5-10times a day pending how large their grow bed systems are to bio filter out the waste. More waste is more nutrients for the plants especially heavy feeders like zucchini.

2. Unless you're having water perimeter issues you don't really need to test after a water change.

3. Definately test before the water change for more accurate readings then. Unless you need to adjust water perimeters bit by bit to make adjustments (ie. ph up or down, nitrite) then test after the water change IIRC every 4 hours till you reach your desired perimeters is what I did when I had to pH down before using vinegar.



Darkblade48 said:


> Test kits come most handy immediately after a tank is set up. After that, I do not test my water at all, unless I notice something odd is happening with my fish/plants. Only then would I test the water.
> 
> Also, if a disaster were to happen (i.e. fish dies, all my plants start melting, etc), test kits are also helpful for diagnosing the problem.
> 
> ...


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

AquaNeko said:


> I agree with Darkblade and Zebrapleco.
> 
> When I came back to fish keeping around ~Apr/2009 and when I first got my first test kit ever I made a ruled sheet with date, perimeters tested, and comments. All I did was just water changes frequently and sucking out the waste from the tanks and saving my test strips when I needed it.
> 1. I don't think you need to test after a few hours of feeding. Once a week testing if your tank is new.
> ...


Tks Aqua, Yes i have to test a lot right now.. having a huge tank issue, you can see that in my 911 fish post for Jd's... but thats a side issue. Log book is great for sure.. just started keeping one. Now the Aquaponics sounds like a fab thing.....
cheers!!!!


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