Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Canada

I am in Saskatchewan Canada.

i test my water alot, almost every week. i think that is alot?

I think once a week is fine. I will drop back to that after I learn to balance my pH correctly. Some people never test. It is all what you are comfortable with.

A friend of mine was testing her aquarium daily. I told her that all she was doing was driving herself nuts with that frequent a testing cycle. (She was trying to start out a 30 gallon tank with only 8 to 10 fish in it.) After her third die off she talked to someone who has a lot more experience than I do, and was given the same advice.

From what Janet, Steve and others can tell you, when you see signs of a change in fish behavior or water clarity you ought to check and try to make corrections. But when you have you system pretty well balanced you don't need to do daily tests.

Kevin

I haven't tested any of my tropical tanks for in excess of 8 months now, But they are in my room so i notice any problems before any damage is done (left heaters off after water changes a couple of times, huge behavioural diff) I was friends with a fish store owner who hadn't tested anything other than ph for over 10 years!! (and the ph tests were only to ensure ph neutral to minimise stress to new arrivals)

It comes down to experience, and what part of the nitrogen cycle your in. Cycling definately needs more regular tests then a stable established system does....

I did a nitrate test in my pond and found that it had less nitrates than our tap water. For next year I will need alot more fish...lol.

i got a quick question, is there a test for the NPK, i know we test the N, but is there liquid test for PK?

-df

Maybe an aquarium phosphate test would do it?

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/cat/inf ... tegory.web

Can't help with the K.

I never heard of bunnings. I am from Saskatchewan.

brent,
I assume it's like Home Depot, or Revy or is it Rona now?

Welcome to the forum brent! A good garden center should have it.

its like a hardware supermarket wiuth over inflated prices and a "hotdog" stand on the weekends to remove whatever loose change you may have left after exiting the building

Hi Rassd71

Having lived in both 'couver and Austin, I can confirm that Bunnings is almost the same as Home Depot. Bunnings store colour is Green, and the range of 'stuff' is somewhat wider, but they are staffed by the same enthusiastic, knowledgable staff (If you can find them)

Regards

gg

hey

Yup, DF. We've posted several versions of that chart somewhere here. Gives us all the more reason to maintain a near-neutral pH.