How many of you still use test kits?

[ROLLIN]

It was a waste of money for me to buy kits, I only used them 3 or 4 times just to make sure the water was good. I just make sure I change 20 - 30% of my water twice each week and I dont use the kits anymore. How many of you test the water after every water change?

[NJ Devils Fan]

Suppose you buy a new fish, or something falls into the tank and you don't know, and the ph or ammonia rises. Then what will you do if you don't know? I always check ammonia and ph before I change my water. No reason in chancing it.

[FishmasteR2002]

I still use test kits. I keep a log of weekly tests on pretty much everything. I invest a lot of money into fish and I don't want them to die. I also do live plants and they can get expensive too.

[cich-o]

I too check before weekly water changes, paying particular attention to pH and nitrate. In my fry tanks I test everything twice weekly.

[eywses]

I used them alot when the tank was cycling, but now I just test occasionally (usually before and after a water change). Just to make sure everything is where it should be.

[Richer]

I use my ammonia, nitrite and nitrate test kits occassionally on my fish only tanks... usually when I remember and am not too lazy (which can sometimes be quite awhile). My plant tanks are another question. I use my pH and kh tests on those once or twice a week to make sure my CO2 is alright. When I first started the plant tank, I measured nitrates daily for a couple of weeks. Now I only test once or twice a week.

HTH
-Richer

[Elmo]

I tested a lot during the first few months that my tank was set up, but now I hardly test at all. Every now and then if I feel like it or if I'm doing some tests on my SW tank I will test, but not often.

[Sum-X]

I test pH, Nitrite, Nitrate, and Ammonia before every water change, each week... So I'd say, yea, I use test kits...:rolleyes:

[goldfish freak]

I used to test about once or twice a week when my tank was newly set up. Then as it matured the frequency went down to about once every two weeks, now that my tank is established and I have a routine I only test about once every month or so. One exception is that I use an Ammonia Alert sensor that constantly monitors the level of free ammonia.

[kveeti]

Ammonia and nitrite once a month or so, just for reassurance. I still test nitrate weekly.

[firetank]

i use them 2\3 days after every water change,,.....

a worthwhile investment i think over losing all the fish in your tank........

think of the cost then.....

[ArkyLady]

I do weekly tests. I was using a kit for awhile, but got sick of it and got strips instead. They cost between $12 and $18 a bottle if I remember right, but there are 100 strips per bottle! I got 5 bottles of strips; ammonia, nitrate/nitrite, PH, KH/GH and chlorine. I do all the tests weekly normally.

[firetank]

hey arkylady,...
(sorry threadjack.....)

i got my new tank setup...sand substrate....

got 2 of my african species coming this week...

pseudocrinilabric multicolor.....x2
sydontic.... x1

lookin good

ps i use the strip tests too, much easier..

[Sumpin'fishy]

I use my test kits to check things out when I do anything new to my tanks. I also test everything about once a month in all my tanks (pH, KH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate) I don't have a planted tank yet, so that's all I'm worried about now. I don't micro-manage my tanks anymore, but I have my test kits most importantly for any apparent problems that arrise! Then I'm glad I have them on hand. It always seems to be a day that the LFS is closed! I would suggest everyone have basics on hand all the time. IMO these include: pH, ammo, nitrate, thermometer -separate from heater. I also observe my fish closely each day. If you have plants, your list of essential tests may increase.

[firetank]

must agree w sumpinf...

think thats a pretty good piece of advice to any starter too really aswell....

basics......very important


:D

[famman]

I mostly check nitrAtes to see how much I'm overfeeding. I sometimes check ph because I'm researching it.
:)

[Fishiebusiness]

I havent tested anything in months, too lazy i guess.

[Darkangel]

I personaly have never even owned a test kit. I have 50 tanks and I test for nothing. I know at least half a dozen fellow hobbiests with large set ups and none of them test either. I have long maintained that you can tell almost everything you need to know just by observing the tank. To high an amonia level, look for blood in the fins. It shows up quickly and is easy to see. There is almost no problem with water quality that a water change will not fix. PH, just call the water company, they will tell you what it is sent to you at. All the results from your tests are not the cause, just an effect. I believe that many people worry far to much about these values then they really need to. I have never had problems with keeping whatever fish I want to keep and I have bred about a 100 different species from Lamp calvus, farlowella acus and many different cories. As they say however IF IT WORKS DON'T FIX IT. I never test and it works for me, if you test a lot and it works for you that is great. Personaly it is one less thing to mess up my enjoyment of my fish. Just my two cents worth and I know all you hard core testers are going to disagree with me but to each there own.

[DrDeath]

I test every other week. Ph, ammonia, Nitrates. I have never had ammonia or Nitrate problems, my Ph has consistently been slightly high. I was surprised to find this week it had dropped to 7.6

I want to get a strip kit. I am now using the test tubes and droppers. major PIA.

DrD

[Z Man]

Correct Darkangel, I have 80 tanks and would use up those strips pretty fast. I don't have that kind of money! All I own is an electronic hardness tester as I breed soft water SA cichlids.

[koolkatzfish]

I check my ph fairly regularly, I have very soft water so it drops fairly easily. I use seachem liquid neutral and it seems to have stabilized it. Nitrates every couple months and same with ammonia. Though I do check my baby tank more often, since I have a lot of babies in a 5.5 gallon tank, and do every other day water changes.
But if someone dies, I check more frequently. Also I am setting up another betta tank and will fishless cycle it, so will need the kits then.
Still its better to have them and not need them, then need them and not have them!!!

[Pootspete]

I continue to use my test kit.

[ewok]

hate to admit it........ rarely anymore....

when i was new i sort of needed it, now they are on hand for problems. i would never get rid of the kit because when problems arise it becomes very important with diagnostics. but day to day stuff mostly gets ignored. i agree that keeping up on water changes can help you with not needing it, but they are still very neccesary to establish a baseline when problems occur. my water is very neutral and soft and has been known to wander around a bit at times and occasionally i catch the ph dropping or other problems happening.

i would and will continue to keep buying test kits for problems, period. almost all problems in my fishtanks can be directly related to chemistry problems and sometimes a simple water change isn't enuf and by using the kits you can tell saturation levels and interactions that could possibly occur.

i am not a die-hard tester, i told you i almost never open the box anymore, just KNOW that sometimes it is a neccesary thing and it is there if i need it.

[RTR]

Ammonia and nitrite tests are needed or required only during cycling of a new tank. After that they are not needed so long as nothing is done to damage nitrification.

Nitrate testing I do on some tanks each week - rotating through them all during the month to be sure my water changes are doing what I want and expect them to do. Planted tanks are tested for nitrate level at least weekly with a low range kit.

Testing for pH and KH rotates through the tanks as does nitrate testing, but is done more in the planted tanks than the FO.

[krowland]

I too test my Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates weekly, phosphates less often and pretty much only when I see algae coming. I use the Jungle test strips that you dip and read.

[Decz]

I also test right after a water change (weekly), just to make sure that I am actually finished... And if there are any problems at any point, it's safe to know why. But that's about it.

[fishlips]

I pretty much stopped testing until I found my PH at or below 6.0 in an established tank. I now test more often.

[AsahiToro]

I only test for Nitrate, PH and KH on my established tanks every once in a while. If I setup a new tank then I'll follow the ammonia and Nitrite levels also.