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Why Aquarium Water Testing is Important
One important thing that a person setting up an aquarium must not overlook is aquarium water testing. When you have arranged the decor in your aquarium and put water in, do not immediately add the fish but instead, let the water stand for several days to let the water settle. Beneficial bacteria in a product like EcoBio-Block will help you to speed up the nitrogen cycle. You can monitor this cycle daily with water quality tests, and add the fish a few at a time. At the start of the cycle, you will see a spike in the ammonia level. This will be followed by a nitrite spike when the beneficial bacteria convert the ammonia into nitrites.
After adding the fish, monitor the water chemistry daily for the first few weeks. You can shift to weekly testing if all proves well in your aquarium. Testing can be done in aquarium supply stores but for your convenience, you can just buy a water test kit and do the testing yourself.
Upon visiting the aquarium supply store, you'll notice a wide variety of testing kits. Which one should you choose? The most basic kits are six-in-one strips. Dip the strip in your aquarium water, wait a few minutes, and compare the various colors that show up with a handy guide included in the kit. These kits test pH, water hardness, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, and other indicators of water quality.
The basic kits are convenient, but have some drawbacks. They are cheaper but are not very reliable. You can go instead with more complex testing, which involves a test tube. Add also a thermometer to your testing supplies so you can test the water temperature.
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 ammonia levels are toxic to fish. Nitrite levels too, must be kept as close to zero as possible. What will reduce both will be partial changes of water. An easier way is to add beneficial bacteria. Nitrites will be converted to the less harmful nitrates by the beneficial bacteria.
Even simpler and less trouble is to have a bacteria colony established with the EcoBio-Block which gives long-term, continuous results. The bacteria breaks down ammonia into nitrites and then into safer nitrates. The bacteria live and multiply in the block and disperse into the water, keeping the water clear and healthy.
With regular aquarium water testing, you can keep your fish's environment clean and healthy and provide them the best quality of life that they deserve.
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