How to check water parameters in aquarium
Introduction
As I mentioned in my “Freshwater Aquarium Water Parameters” article (here), “Your fish eat, sleep, play and stay all the time in your aquarium water. It’s like our oxygen! That’s how important the quality of your tank water is for their health“.
Your fish tank’s water condition is, without a doubt, the most critical thing for you to take care of.
In this article, I will guide you, step by step, on how to check water parameters in aquariums.
There are many ways to test your water. The two most common ones are using:
- Test Strips
- Chemical Reagents.
How to check water parameters in Aquarium using Test Strips
To check your water parameters in aquarium using test strips, follow these steps:
Attention: double check the Test Kit manufacturer’s instructions to make sure my instructions are aligned with theirs. Their instructions, when different, must be followed.
Dip the test strip into your aquarium water.
Slowly swirl it 2 times.
Remove it horizontally with pads face up (the side where you have the colors).
Do not shake it to remove the excess of water !!
Starting with the pad closest to your hand.
*Immediately* read General Hardness (GH) and Carbonate Hardness (KH).
Wait 30 seconds **OR** 60 seconds depending of what your Test Instructions is saying.
Read pH, Nitrite (NO2) and Nitrate (NO3)
Conclusion
I want to stress the importance of keeping your fish tank water safe for your fish.
If there is one thing you need to learn and understand, it is Water Parameters.
Read about pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, others here.
It is crucial to do regular checks and act immediately if any irregularity is found.
Tip: I encourage you to keep a testing log to understand how your aquarium’s water parameters change as it matures.
