Should You Test Your Aquarium Water Regularly?

One of the most important aspects of aquarium keeping is maintaining healthy water for your fish. No matter what type of aquarium you keep, water testing is always important. The key to keeping your aquarium looking and operating its best is consistent, scheduled water testing. Get on a regular schedule with water testing for your aquarium, and you will greatly improve the success of your aquarium and the health and happiness of your fish and other tank occupants.

Avoid Loss of Fish

Aquarium water testing is important particularly when you're setting up a new aquarium because it helps to avoid the loss of fish. In a new setup, nitrite and ammonia elevate rapidly, which is detrimental for the tank’s contents. For this reason, avoiding the loss of fish means testing water and adjusting it for pH (alkalinity) and other factors including nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, and ammonia – usually based on the species of fish. Similarly, you can avoid losing fish down the line by continuing to test your water and making appropriate adjustments to balance it with the species kept in the tank.

Patience, Planning, Supplies

One of the key components to keeping your water tested and in good condition is purchasing the right additives for your fish. Kits that are available on the market ensure you have everything you need in one package to get your water to healthy parameters. You’ll also need to plan for the water testing and addition of additives by researching your fish species and your tank type. Finally, patience is essential to keeping your tank healthy, as water testing is only part of the process. Applying what needs to be applied based on test results is critical.