Water quality tests in aquariums or fish ponds should be done as much as necessary. Goldfish and other types of fish require clean water to live a long healthy life and you are the only one that can provide that for your pet fish. There are several factors that will influence how often you should be testing your water quality in fish tanks and garden ponds.
1. Do you have a newly set up aquarium or fish pond?
2. Is this an established fish tank or pond?
3. Is your pond or aquarium overstocked with fish?
4. Has any fish recently died in your fish tank that would cause concern?
5. Do you notice a smell to the water or your aquarium or pond is cloudy?
If your aquarium or garden pond has just been set up it will take some time for it to cycle. Your aquarium or pond needs time for the beneficial bacteria to develop and grow to be able to break down fish waste. This is known as the nitrogen cycle. During the cycling process is when ammonia an nitrite levels will rise that can stress and even kill your fish. It’s very important that you test the water quality daily for fish tanks and ponds that have been newly set up. Do water quality tests for not just ammonia and nitrite but pH and nitrate too.
Remember just because the water quality is clear doesn’t mean it’s safe for your fish. Water quality tests need to be apart of your regular maintenance schedule. If you have an established aquarium, water quality tests should be done at least once a week unless you notice fish showing signs of stress, you’ve recently has some fish die, the water smells or has become cloudy. If you notice any of these above you need to test your water quality immediately. Fish tanks should never be overstocked, if you do you will need to test the water quality more frequently, do more water changes and maintenance.
For fish ponds you should test your water quality every 1-2 weeks. The reason for this is that you have a bigger volume of water, you have more space for your fish to live and grow and you have pond plants such as water lilies and marginals that will help filter your pond. This will help keep your water quality perfect and safe for your fish. If however you overstock your garden pond with fish, you don’t have an adequate filter system and you have no pond plants or water lilies, you will need to test your water quality more frequently. Water plants are excellent for pond filtration and pond owners should aim to have their pond 70% full of pond plants to have crystal clear water and to prevent algae blooms.
When taking care of fish in aquariums or garden ponds water quality tests should be done frequently. Water quality can turn poor quickly if you have an aquarium filter malfunction or if any fish has recently died. Another point to mention is that goldfish are a very dirty fish and create a lot of fish waste. Keep up to date with water changes, water quality checks and maintenance that will help keep your goldfish and other types of fish healthy and disease free.
****Never Overstock Your Aquarium or Garden Pond With Fish****
Sincerely,
Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy
“Helping Goldfish Owners With Advice, Fish Care and Fish Medication Treatments for Goldfish Diseases, Illnesses and Parasites”