What are the regular tests needed to maintain a healthly freshwater tank.?

Question

I have a small tank & add the start zyme & the amonia eliminator as recomended by the fish shop but had a number of fish die. I have now cleaned the tank & filled it with boiled water. I am worried that my fish may die again after 3 weeks.
I was changing the water regularly 1 per week & used the sand pump to pick up the dirt. Only changed max 75% of the water as advised. Can anyone suggest a good guide for setting up a tank with pictures of the variety of fish I can start with.

Answer 1

Once a tank is cycled and stable, you will find no real need to test on a frequent basis at all. I only test such tanks when it appears something is wrong and I am attempting to locate the problem. I have not tested the pH, ammonia, etc in some of my tanks for several years.

When first starting a tank, or in your case restarting a tank, it is a good idea to test regularly and daily for ammonia and nitrites.

I would like to give you a link to some of the basics of aquarium care that will help you understand what is going on in your tank and how to prevent the loss of fish over the next few weeks. Be sure to check out each paged linked at the bottom of this first one.

http://www.firsttankguide.net/

Hope that helps!

MM

Answer 2

You have made the same mistake many beginner fishkeepers make.........listening to the pet store!
To answer your original question, the four basic tests are Amonia, PH, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Your readings once your tank is cycled should be

Amonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate (no higher than 40 ppm) I try to keep mine below 20 ppm (done by regualr water changes)

PH depends on the type of fish you are keeping. Technically most fish can adapt to a ph as long as it remains stable.
Average for community fish is 6.8 to 7.4.

On another note...if you want a healthy stable tank, you need to learnhow to properly "cycle" a tank before adding fish. It can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 or 8 weeks for a tank to properly go through all the stages of the nitrification cycle.

I suggest joining a forum and letting people there help you.
Here is a link to an article about cycling a tank (there are several ways and it's all preference) that should help explain it.
http://www.fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3738

this is also a good forum to join for help and advice.
www.fishforum.com
Goodluck

Answer 3

general rule of thumb- 1inch of fish per gallon. this does not apply to gold fish either. gold fish need a minimum of 15 gallons per one!
first off, do not ever take out more than half of the water.j you should do a 25% water change each week with a gravel suction cleaner!
a water conditioner is necesary each time you add water in, but only for the amount of water that is new.
it takes one month for water to become stable, just doing a 25% water change each week will help this process. the water should be tested for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and the pH. the fish store will probably test this for you, bring in a sample of your tap water and a sample of your fish water. they will tell you if anything is wrong, and what kind of fish you can add witht the pH you have,.


Adding Fish to Your Aquarium:
Start with only a few fish for the first month.

Choosing your fish: Your aquarium can support 1 inch of fish for every gallon of water, i.e. a 20 gallon tank can support 20 inches of fish, the number being dependent upon the size of the fish. In general most fish will get along with each other if you simply remember that big fish make their living eating little fish.

Introducing fish to the tank: When you bring your fish home, float the bags for 10-15 minutes to equalize the temperature between the bag and the tank. Then open the bag the fish are in and mix water between the bag and the tank several times over a 10 minute period. In this way, your fish will be gradually acclimated to the water of your tank.

Always feed the fish in the tank prior to introducing a new fish and then turn the light off for one hour.

A ratio of two females to each male is preferable with life beavers like guppies, swordtails, etc.

Have three or more of each schooling fish, e.g. near tetras.


Beginning an Aquarium





Day 1- set Up the Aquarium:

A) Adjust the water temperature to 76-80 degrees.
Make sure it stays in this area for 24 hours.

B) Dechlorinate and condition the water with chemicals

Confirm that all equipment is running correctly by letting the filter run for 24 hours.

Day 2-3 add starter fish:

Limit fish purchases. 2-4 fish per 10 gallons every 10-14 days.
Choose hardy fish
C) Add live plants (optional)
D) Do not feed the same day fish were purchased.

Day 2-12:

Begin light feedings. Feed every other day, once a day for the first month.
B) Observe fish for stress (rapid breathing, lethargy, clamped fins).

Day 14:

Recommended water change, 1/4 water change with a gravel cleaner.

Day 15 +:

Purchase new fish (optional) using same ratio of 2-4 fish per 10 gallons.
Another rule is 2 inches of fish per gallon of water.
As you enjoy watching your new pets, look out for signs of

Day 15-30:

Observe fish daily for signs of stress or illness
Have water tested at least once a month for ammonia.
Notes:


Day 30 cleaning (Refer to our free how to clean sheet):

Do 1/3 to ½ water change with a gravel cleaner.
Change filter cartridges.
Have water tested one week after this water change

Important Notes:

The first 4-6 weeks a tank is set up is when most people experience problems. This sheet is designed to help you get though this period. By following the above steps you should do great!

Remember!

Do not overfeed.
Buy fish in small quantities.
Have your water tested for ammonia.
Observe your fish for stress.
Have fun & enjoy!

Answer 4

I have kept two 50 gallon tanks and one 30 gallon tank up and running for 6 years with no problems, and I do not test. The main thing I saw wrong with what you wrote was you stated that you changed 75% of the water??? You are supposed to change 25% of the water on not weekly, try bi-weekly.

Answer 5

The PH level of the water you are using is probably too acidic or too basic. Test the PH levels.