Question: water quality

[Sebby]

hi,
sorry if this question has been asked before, does anyone do any water quality tests on thier larvae tanks water?
i am mainly interested in NH3, NO2 and NH3.
also what filtration (if any) is used.
thanks
Sebastian

 

[Mark]

I don't. Larvae are generally more sensitive to poor water quality and therefore it's always best to err on the side of caution; I would much prefer to be doing partial or 100% water changes daily than worrying about testing for ammonia & nitrite. How are you raising the larvae? If you're using small tubs water changes should be very regular. If you are using a large mature tank then there are probably grounds for testing water quality, although the tank should be cycled before you consider using it.

Filters can be a problem for tiny larvae. They get sucked into the intake and unless they are a stream dwelling species they won't be adapted for water movement. An air bubbler to keep the water sweet should be sufficient although it's not necessary.

 

[Daniel]

I do it the same as Mark does - regular (for some types of larvae even daily) partial or full water changes, no testing.

I use an airstone in many of my (small) larvae tanks. The reason for that is that there is a movement of the surface, facilitating the gas exchange between tank water and surrounding air.