water testing

[prettykitty123]

How often do I need to test the water in the fish tank I have for my new Betta fish? I plan on getting a test kit to do this to keep my Betta, Swimmers, healthy.

Also, is the test tube method more accurate, or are the 5-in-1 strips just as good? I have seen both sold at pet stores and don't know which ones to get.

[shellieca]

If the tank is new, IMO, it should be tested daily until its fully cycled which with a fish IN cycle can take 6-8 wks. The liquid test kit is more accurate than the strips & is more cost effective. It costs more up front but you get over a hundred tests or more than just 30 as you do with the strips. If you order it online its typically cheaper. What sized tank do you have? How long has it been set up?

[prettykitty123]

Originally Posted by shellieca

If the tank is new, IMO, it should be tested daily until its fully cycled which with a fish IN cycle can take 6-8 wks. The liquid test kit is more accurate than the strips & is more cost effective. It costs more up front but you get over a hundred tests or more than just 30 as you do with the strips. If you order it online its typically cheaper. What sized tank do you have? How long has it been set up?

I just got a 10 gallon tank today and it hasn't been set up yet. I plan on setting it up this afternoon and letting it sit overnight with the Stress Coat in it to remove chlorine and heavy metals from the water.

[shellieca]

My 10g with 1 Betta & 1 Mystery snail took 8 wks to cycle. I tested daily & did water changes when my ammonia or nitrItes were .25 or higher. Water changes averaged every 2-3 days.

[Viva]

What type of method are you using to cycle your tank? If you're doing a fish-IN method, testing the water every day would be best because the ammonia/nitrite levels can spike up very suddenly at which point the inhabitants are in danger and a water change is required. If you're not doing the fish-IN method, then test once or twice a week just so you know the cycle is progressing along normally. The liquid test kits are a lot more accurate than the strip tests. The only downfall is using the fragile, glass test tubes that break if you just look at them the wrong way.