Conditioning during water changes / Which values should be checked, and when?
I have a question about water conditioning, should I do this with every water change? And which product would you recommend? I heard that you should do water tests, how often and with which products can this be done most easily?
Hello,
Concerning "water conditioning":
sera aquatan (binds copper and protects the fish against chlorine, among others) is indeed advisable with every water change. Dosage as per the entire water amount provides some safety headroom in critical situations (e.g. tapwater chlorination recognized too late).
Concerning "water testing":
the following values should be checked at the beginning (before adding fish):
pH, KH, GH and nitrite - plus ammonium in case of alkaline water.
During the start phase:
Nitrite 1 - 2 times daily (!), KH and pH once a week - in case of alkaline water also ammonium, once a day.
A "roundup check" is advisable in weekly intervals as to recognize tendencies into the wrong direction quickly, and to be able to act accordingly.
Best regards
sera GmbH
Dr. Bodo Schnell