How Often To Check Tank Water?

[Coomon10]

How often and when do people check their water for nitrites, nitrates, PH etc?

Am interested because i have one larger tank (240l that has been running for +6months) and 1 30l tank thats been running a matter of days and would assume they need totally different frequencies... I also assume this becomes a scheduled event (rather than waiting for something to look wrong) and that the frequency depends mainly on the size and age of the tank since things can change a lot quicker in a smaller newer tank than a larger mature one, any guidelines or advice out there?

TIA

 

[jayjay]

Personally I hardly ever check my water stats unless something is wrong in my tank or I want to do something like a few weeks ago I wanted to setup CO2 so needing to test my KH.

 

[sussexgirl]

How often and when do people check their water for nitrites, nitrates, PH etc?

Am interested because i have one larger tank (240l that has been running for +6months) and 1 30l tank thats been running a matter of days and would assume they need totally different frequencies... I also assume this becomes a scheduled event (rather than waiting for something to look wrong) and that the frequency depends mainly on the size and age of the tank since things can change a lot quicker in a smaller newer tank than a larger mature one, any guidelines or advice out there?

TIA

I have a 130L tank and check the levels in that once a week. I gravel vac, algae scrape, rinse filter sponges and do a 25% water change fortnightly and then every month I also perform a more thorough filter clean. Have found this maintains good levels and a spotless aquarium.

I also have a 28L tank for my fry which is very nearly cycled. I'm currently checking levels every day and doing daily water changes of 25%. I used gravel from my large tank and some filter media and API stress zyme every 7 days so it's cycling extremely quickly. The fry seem to be thriving but too. Once everything has stablised I'll be checking levels weekly along with my other tank.

 

[jarmado]

once in a blue moon.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

If the tank is newly set up, i would check your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph stats daily.
With your other tank, if its been running for 6months+ with no problems whatsoever, i would say when you test it is up to you if you keep up with your once weekly water change and substrate cleaning session and/or filter cleaning maintanence- i would say testing the tank once a week or two in a mature, healthy, well stocked, properly filtered tank that is cleaned properly on a regular basis would be sufficient .

 

[docbanzai]

Hi,
personally I would suggest checking ALL tanks on the same sort of rota. I have a 60L and a 120L but have twice as many fish in the 120 than in the 60 so it sort of evens out.

I do water checks (ammonia & nitrAte) every 10 days. If the ammonia shows any kind of positive reading then check the nitrItes (not that it's ever happened yet [except during cycling.] I often do a nitrite test just to check that I'm not being lied to by by nitrate kit!) Otherwise I don't worry too much. Water changes every 10-20 days (20%) for both tanks and have no problems.

I should say that this works for me and probably only applies to mature tanks. If you're setting up a new tank then tests need to be done much more frequently (especially during cycling see here...)

Hope this is some help to you.

Good Luck.
DB

 

[Tolak]

I do tests when the fish tell me to. The behavior & appearance of fish can tell you if things are running smoothly or not. I have tanks that I haven't tested in years. When I do test, it's ammonia, nitrite, & nitrate. The pH here stays pretty stable, 0.2 difference in tap from winter to summer.

Much of this depends on what you are trying to accomplish with the tank. A tank with fish that are spawning on a regular basis doesn't need to be tested. They miss a couple of spawns, tests are done, it's the fish telling me to. Fry growing like weeds, no tests. Loose a few overnight, tests are done. Overstocked quar tanks get tested a few times weekly, this usually happens after an auction where prices are low.

If you are starting out cycling a tank, test daily. Once it has cycled, test at least weekly. I suggest testing before a water change, your nitrate level will determine how often & how much to change. There are many variables from tank to tank, size, filtration, and fish being the most likely to influence your water change schedule. Once you have a mature tank stocked with adult fish, not much is going to change.

 

[Majjie]

I have six tanks (all fairly small) which have been set up for more than two years. I only test for ammonia and nitrite if there is a problem - fish looking unhappy, or an unexpected fish death.

If I miss out on a weekly water change on any of them, then I might test for nitrates - but most of them have been fine for two weeks between changes, so I don't always bother.

I'm doing very regular pH checks on one of them at the moment - but that's because I'm experimenting with peat filtered water.

 

[Qays]

Never checked water stats. You dont need to if you know what your doing. You would need one for fishless cycling though.

 

[Jules H-T]

I do tests when the fish tell me to. The behavior & appearance of fish can tell you if things are running smoothly or not. I have tanks that I haven't tested in years. When I do test, it's ammonia, nitrite, & nitrate.

Snap.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

cycling test daily
first 6 months or so test weekly
any unusual conditions (such as overstocked qt tank, or if your going to prepare a tank for breeding) test every couple of days
mature tank i just test if something looks wrong, fish aren't happy, I've missed a water change, someone's stopped breeding, i'm going/been on holiday or if i'm adding new fish. anything like that would prompt me to test but other than that i don't really bother. If your tanks and fish are mature and you've got a decent cleaning routine you stick to then very little will ever change.

 

[highfire]

I check for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH on weekly basis. My tank is pretty well established, but I still feel happier in myself knowing I've done my water checks.
Water changes are fortnighly, usually about 20-25% of the water, along with a check and clean of the filters if need be.