Zero Cost Way of Identifying Water Problems

Not everyone who keeps aquariums will spent a ton of money on test kits of all sorts. Getting into the aquarium hobby doesn't require you to be a scientist. The aquarium test kits out there in the market are over priced according to me based on the no of tests allowed. Bescides, if you really get into all this chemistry, you will not only need a test kit for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, but also test kits for water ph, hardness etc. You might as well also go in for water stablizer kits too, as water changes arn't always going to be the ultimate fix.

Phytoplangton (Green Water)

If an aquarium is receiving sunlight, in the presence of nutrients like ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, the water starts to turn green and can get to a state where you wont be able to see the fish at all. Green water is a sign of excess nutrients in the water and call for water changes. This could also be a sign of filter issues. Maybe its clogged and needs cleaning, or maybe the benificial bacteria has died out.

Algae on Glass

If you notice too much of algae on the glass, that too is a sign of excess nutrients circulating in the water. Regular water changes again are needed here. You might want to regulate the amount of water you change till the algae is gone. This depends on the amount of fish you have in the aquarium.

Froth

Another way of detecting water issues, is by watching the bubbles. If the bubbles appear frothy and take some time to burst, this could be a sign of bad water quality. This might not be as accurate, but you can try it out to get a rough idea.

Fish Behavior

Its very essential to watch the behavior of your fish, as that will say a lot about the water conditions. If water conditions are poor, your fish might appear lethargic and will tend to eat less. Fins might droop. Watch the gills. The gills will show if the fish appears breathless. They will also gasp at the water surface for air. Do know, that the symptoms that you see on your fish in order to understand the water quality, should be prevented in the first place, as it takes a considerable damage to the body, for such symptoms to show. Repairs take much longer than the damage done, as it is in all cases. If you notice bad symptoms, its recommended that you increase the water changes frequency or volume rather than doing just one massive water change and then sitting back. You aquarium maintenance habits greatly affect the outcome in the long run.