How often do you test your water?

[pmtuneman13]

I use my local Petsupermarket for water testing since it is free. I love annoying the old fish guy. I don't check it often though. If I am going to add a new fish, or I notice a problem are the only times I vary from my once-in-a-while testing. Maintenance is the key. I am also stingy with food unless it is nice clean live food. My tanks do very well. Must be doing mostly right... and a little wrong.

Dig the thread... good to know I am not alone.

 

[bigcichntwisted]

KH and GH aren't done often, twice yearly... maybe.

Raising African these (KH, GH) are relevant in many degrees.

But what about Chlorine and Chloramines, you don't mention these.

I already feel like I'm writing a novel most of the time. Your correct, I forgot to mention the use of aged the water & time to time using a dechlorinator. And yes, I forgot & left out the testing for the 2 chem.'s you mentioned, I also didn't mention phosphate testing I do. Have yet to achieve that perfection in myself yet, LOL.

Lastly, I think you should re-aim your blame of non-testers off of the young. I know many young people who test their water just as I know many old "experienced" people who don't, they use the reasoning "I know my tank, I've been doing it long enough".

It is easy to blame the young when you are old and visa-versa.

. Answers aren't surprising though, most of this has to do w/ age/maturity, most all of us go thru it, then we learn.

In my "quote" I aim at no specific age group, this is simply a grey area, that yes could be interpreted as blasting the young, but was in no way meant to. It was "aimed" at the hobbyist & the age/length of time they had been involved. BTW, for the record, I had been keeping fish for 15+ yr.'s, stopped testing after the 1st 5yr.'s for about 10 yr.'s, thinking I "knew my tank's" & suffered a catastrophic loss due to improper "complete" maintenance (which was in large part not having had tested anything in yr.'s, however not do to lack of water changes), cost me $$$$ to replace what I could, some couldn't be replaced. Now 15+ yr.'s later, I strongly advocate doing things the right way, because it's the right thing to do, no slacking.

I can't imagine the amount of time and money that I would have spent doing rigorous testing as you do.

As cost goes, using API tests, I avg. 150-180 tests, at a price of avg. $2-3 per test kit, $10-$12 per mnth. or so. Time wise, maybe 30 min.'s a wk while already doing water changes, i.e. time already dedicated to maintenance, nothing additional. To replace any of my fish currently it would be min. 10-20x's + that each fish. Pretty simple math, even for me, lol. I guess I justify the cost per yr. because I have never run a UVS on any of my 30+ tanks over the yr.'s, so that has freed up a bit of $$$$ up, if you will, LOL.

It's the basics & they're there for a reason. All the best to your fish.

Cheers

 

[hle_81]

I try to test my water weekly after water changes. I probably don't have to test that often, but I want to make sure everything is OK for my fish.

 

[CichlidAddict]

I never test my water. As long as you change water and don't overfeed there's nothing to worry about.

 

[Bud8Fan]

I never test my water. As long as you change water and don't overfeed there's nothing to worry about.

Until something happens at the water works and you tap water is screwed up.

 

[Nova 8]

Raising African these (KH, GH) are relevant in many degrees.

If I rasied fish that were sensitive to the KH or GH of the tank I might worry about it but since I don't (I don't even like africans) I think I will go on the way I am.

What does testing your sorce water really help accomplish any way, if the water is high in nitrates what are you going to do, nothing most likely or add a double dose of conditioner? What if you get a RO unit but it doesn't produce enough to do all your water changes, what do you just do a % of your normal water change, no, your resort to the sorce water. We all rely on the local water sorce, blindly or not if its bad how are we ment to fix it esp if you have dozens of tanks and change 100's of gallons a week. The only difference is you see the smack in the face coming.

 

[Onion01]

waah, don't use white font

 

[Wolf3101]

My RO/DI unit produces about 80 gallons of pure water per HOUR more or less and on those rare occasions when I need more water than it can produce a short drive to the local water store solves the problem. (about the only time this is necessary is when setting up 200 gallon tanks and larger.)

Testing the source water lets you know in advance what your dealing with and gives you options. (Note: we don't drink or cook with the local water even though it's concidered 'safe' by the FDA..) Simply ignoring the test results and using the water anyway is a personal choice rather than a necessity.

Large public aquariums test the water in their tanks on a daily basis. Many of the fish they maintain are of course worth more than our entire collections but I don't think a lower monitary value is any reason to cut corners on the care.

 

[Greenaveli]

I have tested my water 2 times in the last four years. Its funny because I was just saying to myself last week that I need to buy a master test kit. I aggree with Wolf and Bigcich even though I have not had a problem I am going to start testing twice a week. The last test I did my water was 6.0 when I thought it was nuetral because I was on top of my WC's. The saying is very true...safe then sorry.....

 

[Greenaveli]

The truth is that things change without you knowing. And it doesnt matter how meticulous you are with it you cannot control things you cant control. Really!! Test that water people!!