Testing Water

[Smitti]

I am on day 20 of Cycling my tank I have yet to test my water because i just got a test kit the other day.

But my question is when is the best time to test the water:
A) right befor a water change
B) right after a water change(I really dont think that this one is the answer)
c) a few days after/before a water change
D) other

I want to be able to test my water i just dont know when i should do it

:help:

Thanks for any help you can give me
Smitti

 

[Holly9937]

Do you have fish in the tank?

 

[Watcher74]

Just before the water change. Sometimes I test right before and right after.

If you are doing a fishless cycle and are adding ammonia, then you need to test 24 hours after adding the ammonia to see if all the ammonia is turned into nitrite, and later on, into nitrate.

During a fishless cycle with ammonia addition, when the bacteria in your tank can turn ammonia all the way into nitrate in 24 hours you can do a very large water change and add a full stock of fish.

 

[Arjuna]

I test just before a water change. Rarely after anymore since I can usually predict now what the readings will be after a water change.

 

[zazz]

It depends on whast you are trying to find out.

 

[Smitti]

OK to answer the questions.....No there are no fish......and i'm trying to figure out if i can put fish in my tank yet....

I tested today(well yesterday now because it is 1:15am) witch was about 28 hours after i canged the water in my tank and well the readings came up as

Ammonia --> 0ppm
NitrIte --> 0ppm
NitrAte --> 0ppm
pH --> 8

Is this normal am i not supposed to have nitrAtes in my tank? Or did i maybe mess it up? I'm going to try again tomorrow(or is that today) and see if maybe i did mess something up and to see what kind of readings i get!

Thanks for the help
Smitti

 

[mishi8]

Have you been adding ammonia to the tank? Without a source of ammonia, you aren't actually cycling. Please read this article on how to fishless cycle: http://www.aquamaniacs.net/forum/cms_view_article.php?aid=31 BTW, when you fishless cycle, you won't typically need to do water changes until the cycle is established and you're ready to add fish...and your tank is not ready yet, unless you plan of doing a fishy cycle.