Multitest strips show me I'm not a great keeper of fish

[Fishdude]

I've been at this for several years now and with multiple tanks set up. My maintenance schedule has been erratic due to the pandemic and a planned move. I did not realize how badly one of my tanks needed some work until I hit up the multitest strip and now I'm realizing why I have some problems! 

If you're new to the hobby, test that water. If you're not new to the hobby...test that water. Needless to say, these fish look a lot happier.

[Fishdude]

Also meant to add, if you're new to the hobby try not to be too down on yourself if something goes awry - experienced people will tell you that we all mess up at times!

[Cory]

I used to harp on this a lot. Experienced fish keepers often keep worse water than newer fish keepers. Cause we loose the fear of making mistakes and thus don't test. Over time things decline, but it's gradual without to ill of effects. Usually this happens until a big event of loss. It's good to always reaffirm what you think, tests the same way.

[Fishdude]

1 hour ago, Cory said:

I used to harp on this a lot. Experienced fish keepers often keep worse water than newer fish keepers. Cause we loose the fear of making mistakes and thus don't test. Over time things decline, but it's gradual without to ill of effects. Usually this happens until a big event of loss. It's good to always reaffirm what you think, tests the same way.

THANK YOU for the test strips, I bought two jars and they have saved some lives already. I looked at the color and said "my pH is WHAT now? My nitrates are how high? With plants?" Those are going to have a permanent home in my fish room.

[Deku-Corydoras]

I admittedly don't have a regimented water change schedule like I should. But I do test my water regularly so that I can track the parameters. I find keeping a logbook really helps with that. You can see when you last tested the water and then do another test if you feel like it's been too long. Keeps you accountable. (I took a Pokemon notebook and drew in some vertical lines to make a spreadsheet. Very fancy system, I know.)

[Kirsten]

On 3/20/2021 at 12:45 PM, Fishdude said:

If you're new to the hobby, test that water. If you're not new to the hobby...test that water. Needless to say, these fish look a lot happier.

Amen to that!

I'll also add that water tests are only half the story. You can have mulm flying everywhere, fluctuating temps, bullying, all sorts of stressful things in the tank environment but still have perfectly on target test strips. My poor betta's stubbornly persistent fin rot can attest to this.

One thing I love about this hobby is that a tank is always changing and in the end we're all just improvising in a duet with each of our tanks. Endless experimentation as we adapt to each other.

[Fishdude]

7 hours ago, Kirsten said:

Amen to that!

I'll also add that water tests are only half the story. You can have mulm flying everywhere, fluctuating temps, bullying, all sorts of stressful things in the tank environment but still have perfectly on target test strips. My poor betta's stubbornly persistent fin rot can attest to this.

One thing I love about this hobby is that a tank is always changing and in the end we're all just improvising in a duet with each of our tanks. Endless experimentation as we adapt to each other.

Ironically, I too have a now short-finned betta. Poor boy never fully regrew his fins after treatment, but he looks happy otherwise.

[lefty o]

test strips, yeah i have some somewhere. LOL there is little doubt, the longer you do this, the less neurotic you get over things like testing, and water changes every so many days etc.

[Tanked]

18 hours ago, Kirsten said:

One thing I love about this hobby is that a tank is always changing and in the end we're all just improvising in a duet with each of our tanks. Endless experimentation as we adapt to each other.

That is it in the proverbial nutshell.  
All of the fish in my 65 gallon community tank are rescues.  I’m not a great fish keeper, yet I know that my regimen of weekly testing , top ups and 10% water changes is better than the battery acid ph/algae clogged world they came from.  16 months in, I had the “big event of loss” that Cory mentioned.  I lost 2 plecos in 2 days.  My drop tests, test strips and testing at 2 LFSs indicated no water quality issues.  It happens.