Just My 2cents

[OrangeCones]

I have noticed that there seems to be a lot of threads going with similar themes and most result in disease and death.

Some have started out with asking for advice (more often then not any advice is ignored), some just seem to 'announce' that there are yet 'more' problems to report, and most end with 'well, I'll get more [fill in fish type here] tomorrow; I think I still have the receipt so I can the dead one(s) replaced. Maybe I'll get some [fill in another fish type here] while I'm there if they are on sale.'

I've been advocating the use of a liquid test kit for years. Did I always use one? No. But after losing a few fish to preventable conditions caused by poor water quality early on, I educated myself. If I could not afford to own my own test kit, I assumed I had poor water conditions if anything was amiss and then I'd go on the bucket brigade. No fish ever died from having water 'too' clean.

I did buy test strips at first. If you are really careful to keep them dry and stored AWAY from the aquarium(s), they give okish results. Most don't do the 'big 3' of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate though. For some reason, ammonia is frequently left out.

After buying the 3rd bottle of test strips in the first 6 months or so, I sprung for a liquid test kit. For the cost of a few bottles of test strips, you will have a test kit that lasts for years (depending on how many tanks you have).

I guess I just don't understand some of the callous attitudes that seem to be prevalent.

Does anyone else feel like I do?

 

[Thyra]

Yes, I totally agree! I actually, on the advise of OC and Lauraf bought the test kit before the fish. At the time, I think it cost almost half as much as the package deal I got on a 16g set up. I couldn't find any "pure ammonia" and so I did a fish in cycle, but by testing daily and doing daily water changes, I didn't have any problems with the fish. I may have used some of my own logic - like if the ammonia and nitrite stayed at zero, the fish would be okay even if things weren't proceeding quite like some of the written things I read, and suddenly the nitrates were there. I used up the ammonia portion of the test kit in one year but by then I had 6 tanks.

 

[kenny1tothe6]

I feel like you do in the sense that even a single fish death is too much if it was preventable[some can honestly die out of nowhere and no one will truly know how or why]. But I personally haven't had any funds to get a liquid test kit in a while. I'm just EXTREMELY careful with my tanks and keep up with weekly[and bi-weekly] water changes and do a head count every day[even over the course of a day depending on how shy some fish are] and judge how they act[basically not only because I know them so well by spending so much time with them and can tell when they're off, but because I've been in fishkeeping for 7 years now and do my absolute best to remember things that can go wrong and prevent them from happening again].

Actually, now that I have money, that's gonna be the next thing I buy[I get paid the 27th] to atleast have an idea as to what actually goes on...but yeah...to the point, fish are just like any other animal. They literally depend on us with their lives...when we neglect them and they die, that is 100% purely our faults[but then again that's not to say you can't fix the issue and move on].

 

[Lotus]

It's worth noting that some fish stores will test your water for you. While this isn't ideal, and they probably won't do it for you every week, if you have a sudden problem in your tank, it might be worth the effort.

 

[KcMopar]

This is all great advice!! A Master Liquid test kit is a great tool to keep your fish healthy and alive. Weekly testing can prevent disaster by having an early detection of something that is starting to get out of line and can be corrected before a death or sickness occurs. Also, if a fish is acting funny you can test your water parameters right then, You do not have to wait to be able to go to the local pet store to have it tested and by then it might be to late. Fish water is like any other pets water, it needs to be fresh to keep a pet healthy.
Kenny: Thats great advice and a good commonsense way to care for your fish. I know you are a young man and I believe you show great care and responsibility toward your pets. I really respect that!!!!!

 

[OrangeCones]

But I personally haven't had any funds to get a liquid test kit in a while. I'm just EXTREMELY careful with my tanks and keep up with weekly[and bi-weekly] water changes and do a head count every day[even over the course of a day depending on how shy some fish are] and judge how they act[basically not only because I know them so well by spending so much time with them and can tell when they're off, but because I've been in fishkeeping for 7 years now and do my absolute best to remember things that can go wrong and prevent them from happening again].

Agree 100%. If you can't test for whatever reason, keep up with water changes and be prepared for an extra unscheduled one if something seems wrong.

 

[OrangeCones]

It's worth noting that some fish stores will test your water for you. While this isn't ideal, and they probably won't do it for you every week, if you have a sudden problem in your tank, it might be worth the effort.

Even if you are not going to buy something, most will test for free. I would add to take a pen/paper with you and get the results written down, don't let them say 'your water is fine' or 'ammonia is high'...get actual numbers!

 

[OrangeCones]

*sigh* And what's with the offering of advice either in cases that you have NO experience, or making your 'opinion' seem like its the only only way to do something. Some come here that have no clue and when an 'opinion' offered as a 'truth' is given, that person may walk away from here with wrong informtation.