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When is the best time to test your tank?
By J-ME from the J-ME department, Section Diaries Posted on Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 01:28:42 PM PST Tags: (all tags)

When is the best time to test your tank? Right before the water change, right after a water change, or in between water changes.

I did a test today... 3 days after water change at 25%

29 Gallon:

Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: 2.0
Nitrate: 80
PH: 7.6

10 Gallon:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
PH: 7.2

I am going to be doing a 25% water change in the 29 gallon tank today. See if I can drop a few of those for now. I don't know how to keep them down. I have stopped my after noon feeding to see if that would help.

Still no new fry. I was for sure that one of them would have had them by now. But I have read that if you keep that tank at a low temp that it could take longer. Now that it is warming up here I have shut off my Therm. My tanks are sitting at about 74-76. Sassy is due tommrow, the others I don't know when they are due. I am just keeping a close eye on them.
I think I am going to put the nursry back up today so I have it ready. All that I do is use the water from the 10 gallon tank that way I dont' have to leave it out all the time. I am worried that my kids might spill it. They love to watch the fish.

My males are getting to the point were they are fighting. Are they just in the mood and have no females to play with?

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When is the best time to test your tank? | 13 comments (13 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Babies (none / 0) (#1)
by J-ME on Tue May 02, 2006 at 12:01:32 PM PST

I have babies. I don't know who is having them I am still watching but I have little babies that were not there this morning.... I am not for sure how many are there yet but they are there.

Sassy is in the nursery so I know that it was not her. Well back to the tank so I can see if I can tell who is having them.
Happy fish keeping :-)

Re: Babies (none / 0) (#2)
by J-ME on Tue May 02, 2006 at 12:09:56 PM PST

Ok ok I got over excited I think. Well I do have some new fry in my tank but they were not born today. They look about a week old. I think they had found a very good place to hide and just now are comming out. See in my female tank I have lots of plants for just that reason. I knew that I might miss a birth or 2 and didn't want them in there with out a place to hide....
Happy fish keeping :-)
[ Parent ]

Re: Babies (none / 0) (#4)
by miskairal on Tue May 02, 2006 at 02:52:53 PM PST

Well done! The plants are the way to go. I've noticed that fry will venture out when about a week old too.

I do the testing before a water change. If there is a very high reading I would do it again a few hours after a water change or the next day. How many fish are in the 29 now J-ME? I've forgotten. At least the 10 is looking cycled.

Cheers
miskairal
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help
[ Parent ]

Re: Babies (none / 0) (#7)
by angelhologram on Wed May 03, 2006 at 04:58:48 AM PST

How many plants do you have in the 10gal? That reading of 0 nitrAtes is a little odd. Maybe you should do another test today, there may have been a glitch in the last one. Are you using the strips or the kind where you have a test tube that you add drops to? If it's strips it may have been a defective one which might explain why the females are hovering. I've just never had a nitrAte reading of 0 in a tank before except when it was still cycling but that wouldn't explain the other 0 reading unless ALL the water was new (100%) water change. I'm a little puzzled.
*BEFORE you buy fish make sure you understand what "Cycling" a tank means <- quoted from miskaral* ~Trying to make a difference one fish at a time~
[ Parent ]

Re: Babies (none / 0) (#9)
by J-ME on Wed May 03, 2006 at 10:21:10 AM PST

I have 2 real plants and 5 fake plants in the 10 gallon tank and don't worry I am not going to get any more fish until I can cut down on the ones that I have. I understand waht cylcing is and I know how to do it. My 10 gallon tank has been set up for 9 months now I am sure that its Cycled quit well.
Happy fish keeping :-)
[ Parent ]

As to timing, I think your question (none / 0) (#8)
by unclescott on Wed May 03, 2006 at 08:54:12 AM PST

does a great job of suggesting when testing should be done. Doing it just before and after water changes is also great. Angel's suggestion of a follow-up, especially for an anomaly, is also a great idea.

I suppose, for a good water tester with money and time to spare on tests, a good slogan would be "never leave well enough alone." :)

ATB!
unc

[ Parent ]

Re: Babies (none / 0) (#5)
by J-ME on Tue May 02, 2006 at 03:04:08 PM PST

I have not counted them all but I would say I am at aobut 25-30 males in the 29 gallon tank. I have the same in the 10 gallon but they are female. I don't know why I am having trouble with the 29 gallon still but my 10 is doing good and it (you could say) has more fish. Because its a smaller tank. Right now the feamles are all at the top of the tank and I dont' know why. I thought that it might be warmer on the top so I turned on the Therm. But not much changed an hour after I turned it on. They are all still at the top of the tank. Not much mocing around like they normaly do during the day. Who knows, they are fish....
Happy fish keeping :-)
[ Parent ]

Re: Babies (none / 0) (#6)
by miskairal on Wed May 03, 2006 at 12:37:00 AM PST

Have you got plenty of water movement in there for oxygen exchange?
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help
[ Parent ]

Re: Babies (none / 0) (#10)
by J-ME on Wed May 03, 2006 at 10:22:52 AM PST

Yes I have a 14 inch bubble wand in the back and the Whisper water filter is that not enough?
Happy fish keeping :-)
[ Parent ]

Re: Babies (none / 0) (#11)
by miskairal on Wed May 03, 2006 at 03:28:30 PM PST

Yep, I would think that would be plenty. Maybe your fish are just resting? Are they still doing it? Are they quite active at feed time?
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help
[ Parent ]

Re: Babies (none / 0) (#12)
by J-ME on Wed May 03, 2006 at 04:05:41 PM PST

they are doing good now I am going to bet they were just resting. But in the middle of the day is odd for them and thats why I was worried.
Happy fish keeping :-)
[ Parent ]

Re: Babies (none / 0) (#13)
by miskairal on Thu May 04, 2006 at 12:54:51 AM PST

Glad to hear it.
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help
[ Parent ]

Re: Babies (none / 0) (#3)
by angelhologram on Tue May 02, 2006 at 12:41:10 PM PST

Congrats on the new fry!
*BEFORE you buy fish make sure you understand what "Cycling" a tank means <- quoted from miskaral* ~Trying to make a difference one fish at a time~
[ Parent ]

When is the best time to test your tank? | 13 comments (13 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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