The Importance of Aquarium Water Testing

Water testing is one of the most important practices for keeping your aquarium safe for your fish. If you are just setting up an aquarium, wait for several days before adding the fish. You should then monitor the water quality carefully as the nitrogen cycle begins by testing the water daily. You can help the cycle along with a product like EcoBio-Block. The first stage of the cycle will include an ammonia spike. The second stage will show a nitrite spike as the ammonia is converted to nitrite. All of these can be determined with water quality tests.

Once you have fish living in your aquarium, test the water daily for the first few weeks as the water adjusts to having fish living in it. After this initial period, test the aquarium water weekly. Although most aquarium supply stores will test it for you, it is much easier to purchase a water test kit and do it yourself at home.

You will be presented at the aquarium supply store with a wide variety of testing kits to choose from. There are basic kits with strips that test important water quality indicators like pH, nitrate, water hardness, ammonia, nitrites and others. The strips change color to indicate the quality of the water.

However, although they are convenient, they are not very accurate. More complex tests involve a test tube. Don’t forget a thermometer as part of your water testing supplies.

The results of these aquarium water tests actually have a substantial impact on the health of your fish. The only way to ensure that the water stays healthy is to test it regularly and add products to adjust it as needed.

The ideal pH level of your tank is 6 or 7. pH level is not very easily adjusted. In most cases, fish can tolerate a wide level of pH, so it’s safer to leave the level as it is. You can, if you wish, add chemicals, but that often causes more problems than it solves. A more natural (but much slower) approach would be to add some lime rock or seashells to increase the alkaline in your water. Or if you want it more acidic, just add some driftwood or peat.

High levels of ammonia are lethal to your fish. You can help to reduce ammonia levels by doing a partial water change. Nitrite levels ideally should be close to zero. If nitrite levels are rising, add beneficial bacteria to convert them into less toxic nitrates.

What will work more quickly to establish a good bacteria colony is the Ecobio-Block. This can control the levels of organic waste in the aquarium for long periods of time and keep your aquarium clear and your fish healthy.

Aquarium water testing is a very important part of keeping your aquarium environment safe and healthy for your fish.

Leonard Boyler has been keeping fish for more than two decades. His favorite products make aquarium care and maintenance so easy from start up to clearing up cloudy fish tanks. To find out more about keeping the water clear and having healthy fish, please visit ONEdersave.com.