Does anyone dose without testing?

[MoshJosh]

Maybe a dumb question, but coming from a planted tank background I'm pretty used to adding ferts and other chemicals without any sort of testing, then adjusting doses based on plant growth etc. . .

I see some reef products with similar "basic" instructions to freshwater products, like add X amount X times a week etc. . .

I'm not saying it's a good idea, just wondering if anyone shoots from the hip with dosing. . . without testing.

Edit: here is an example from seachem's website

Product is Reef Plus

"Use 1 capful (5 mL) for each 80 L (20 US gallons) twice a week or as required to maintain coral growth. "

 

[reefz]

Absolutely not. What’s the point of dosing without knowing your levels? lol

 

[Idech]

I would never do that. Too risky and a waste of money.

 

[WVNed]

Some products are just additives and the point is to get a non specific amount into the tank. With these having none is bad but how much over none is not super critical. So you add x amount x times a week based on system volume.
With some of these you can test like iron or iodine but it isn't necessary.

With others a specific range is necessary or stuff dies. To little is as bad as too much. Quite often these interact with other components in the water and they all have to be in balance otherwise you get a bad system pH or precipitation events where calcium and alkalinity combine because there isnt enough magnesium.
These require frequent testing though how often is determined by the animals in your tank and how much they use.

You can keep fish with very little or no testing. Other stuff requires it on a weekly or daily basis.

 

[MoshJosh]

Some products are just additives and the point is to get a non specific amount into the tank. With these having none is bad but how much over none is not super critical. So you add x amount x times a week based on system volume.
With some of these you can test like iron or iodine but it isn't necessary.

With others a specific range is necessary or stuff dies. To little is as bad as too much. Quite often these interact with other components in the water and they all have to be in balance otherwise you get a bad system pH or precipitation events where calcium and alkalinity combine because there isnt enough magnesium.
These require frequent testing though how often is determined by the animals in your tank and how much they use.

You can keep fish with very little or no testing. Other stuff requires it on a weekly or daily basis.

Thanks, that makes sense, and explains why certain products have the "basic" instructions!!!

 

[glb]

I wouldn’t. Saltwater tanks need way more stability than freshwater, and a lot of parameters work together (eg alk and ca). Good luck!

 

[Gtinnel]

My initial instinct to the title was absolutely not, and for most things I think dosing without testing is dangerous. I would never dose alk/cal/mag for instance without regular testing. I dose trace elements and I will occasionally send in an icp for testing.
Then I realized not long ago I started dosing Acropower daily and there is nothing to test for as far as a I know.

So I guess my answer is for everything that I dose I test for it if I can.

 

[fish farmer]

Maybe a dumb question, but coming from a planted tank background I'm pretty used to adding ferts and other chemicals without any sort of testing, then adjusting doses based on plant growth etc. . .

I see some reef products with similar "basic" instructions to freshwater products, like add X amount X times a week etc. . .

I'm not saying it's a good idea, just wondering if anyone shoots from the hip with dosing. . . without testing.

Edit: here is an example from seachem's website

Product is Reef Plus

"Use 1 capful (5 mL) for each 80 L (20 US gallons) twice a week or as required to maintain coral growth. "

I shoot from the hip somewhat. I still test things, but go slow, like glacial when I do things. I only dose kalk and sometime add mag.

I find it funny that these instructions call for amounts for certain water volumes, is that water volume minus rock, sand, corals, skimmer, etc.? I really have no idea what my true water volume is, so I'll either be under dosing or over dosing based on some companies instructions.

 

[glb]

I shoot from the hip somewhat. I still test things, but go slow, like glacial when I do things. I only dose kalk and sometime add mag.

I find it funny that these instructions call for amounts for certain water volumes, is that water volume minus rock, sand, corals, skimmer, etc.? I really have no idea what my true water volume is, so I'll either be under dosing or over dosing based on some companies instructions.

I actually measured how much water went in when I filled the tank for the first time because of this very thing. I have a 40g breeder with a 20g tall sump and my water volume is 47g.