advise that does not sit well with me.

[oozy]

my LFS talls me that i dont need to buy an amonia or nitrite test.
they told me that i only need to test for those whil cycling, and after that i will never have to worry about either.
they told me to buy a nitrite ph/alk and Cal test kit, and that all i needed for a reef. while i was cycling they told me to bring my water in and they will test for Amon. and Trite.
does this sound at all strange??? it does to me, because i have been on this board sence the begining (4months) and it seems that these are essential.
please let me know what you think.
-Oozy-

 

[dad]

this only my opinion,ok?
you can look at this board and see that everyone has a different opinion on about everything.
ok, with that said: what works for some doesn't for others. but i am a big beleiver that water test are a must! you need to know what is going on with your tank. testing nitrites lets you know how your filtration system is doing, etc etc etc.
i used to get really frustrated with all the diferent advices i would get, not knowing which one to take.
testing water does not hurt, right?
i know test kits are expensive. i do think that they are a Nesesity.
my 2 cents.

 

[danielle]

Oozy:
Don't listen to them. You should have those test's handy incase something goes wrong.
Who know's what could happen in your tank. Not saying that anything will but, you never know when you could use those test's.
Your lfs is probably trying to get money from you. They would test your water and probably tell you that something is wrong.
Anyway's it doesn't sit right with me. I would get those test's offline.
Danielle

 

[adrian]

I havent tested any of my tanks for ammonia or nitrite in at least 2 years, but I still have the tests in my closet just in case. HTH

 

[orby]

I agree with you dad, I have test kits that have sat on the shelf for months on end, but that doesn't mean they are there for no reason. If you have a problem isn't it better to have the testing equipment you need on hand. Frankly I wouldn't trust the guy at the fish store any further then I could throw 'em, but thats just my feelings on that.

 

[krustytheclownfish]

Sounds like you have some trustworthy LFS. After all, they're telling you NOT to buy something...WOW!!! It is always nice to have tests around just in case, but the liquid tests can go bad and produce false results if they get too old. I have ammonia and nitrite tests that I haven't used on my main tank since the beginning, but I do use them on my QT tank...so there's one reason to have them if anything.

 

[efrank]

I agree with the LFS why waste money when you can run your water over and have them test it for you. I haven't tested for anything myself since the cycle ended. My LFS does it for me once a week.
People on this board are often irrational when it comes to LFS. They hear someone bash a LFS so they think it makes them look intelligent if they do the same. Just be carefull like with everything else in life.

 

[oozy]

thanks for all the input!!!!!
i was not sure quite what to think about this.
right off the bat i told the guy im a poor college student, and need to do this at min cost. which is why he tlod me not to buy them, and that they would do it,
i was just not sure if this was good advise or not, i mean for those emergency cases...
once again thanks!
-Oozy-

 

[burnnspy]

Your LFS is not steering you wrong. But not exactly right either.
I takes time to become familiar with the tanks chemistry. During the first few months it is good to have those kits to learn how your tank is working because that is the time we make the most mistakes.
It is not necessart to have those kits though but you must be vigilant of any sudden changes in the system and ready to have water tested when in doubt.
I don't test for ammonia or nitrites either. I only test calcium and alkalinity because I know what to look for now.
When I setup my 125gal I won't buy the ammonia or nitrite test kits.
BurnNSpy

 

[@knight]

by the time you pay your LFS $1 / test , you might as well just buy thekit yourself and sve your gas. Also, test kits are much cheaper purchased online than in your store.

 

[concon]

I agree with Efrank and BurnNspy. You need to know the chemistry in your tank first. If you lsf test the your water for free, why waste money to buy the test kit again? I would take advantage to have the my water tested free. I do not buy the test kit either. However, I always keep a good amount of saltwater available. In case, anything happens, I will change the water first and then looking for some causes.

 

[i3luedragon]

I agree with everyone who says to buy a test kit. In the beginning if you are a newbie it's a must. But after your tank is settled for a couple of months you will get good constant readings all of the time. If not then there is something seriously wrong with what's going on in your tank.

 

[scy]

Hello,One of my tanks is going on 9 1/2 years, for the 1st year i tested for amonia,nitrite,and i have'nt tested since.I agree with noing the chemistry of your tank.

 

[fishinchick]

But when something goes wrong with your tank and you come here with a question to post one of the first thing everyone will ask is
ph, ammo, nitrates, etc. OR what your setup is. One always follows the other.
A general test kit is 20 bucks, not very expenisve at all and a good investment even if you are going ot use it for only one year!
I use it to teach my children about the tank.

 

[misty]

I got a new master test kit for my tank on-line for under $10. It has pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate testing. I like to have it on-hand since I'm new to SW. Sometimes I take a water sample to my LFS when I need something else just to humor them (they do it for free), but I test every week (at least) on my own.
e-mail me at johnandmisty@hotmail.com if you want the site.

 

[dmh]

It certainly isn't going to hurt to test, while it may hurt not to test. Depends how risk-averse you are I guess.

 

[kc]

How can I not jump in on this one??????
Everybody...myself included... loves to talk about testing.
This worked on my 55 gal at home so I tried it on my office tank. First month, test it weekly, then once a month for the next three months, then annually. If a fish disappears or something big dies, you might want to test. Once your system is fully established, you shouldn't have to worry about it. Other than for your own peace of mind, testing is seldom necessary.
Disclaimer: That was just my opinion which doesn't really mean a whole lot.

 

[ironreef]

test kits have a shelf live of a year. ammo, nitrite probally are waste after the cycle. I only test cal alk and use a ph monitor. I test po4 and nitrate rarely. Once your tsnk is stable most likely you won't need to test unless things go wrong. I only get test kits as I need them.Other than cal and alk