Help - What to Test

patsheridan · Jan 24, 2017

So I have had a mixed reef for about two years - currently 75g with mostly soft and lps corals and various fishes - not looking to move into SPS at the moment. I currently monitor Salinity, Temp, Calc and Alk., and use an auto-doser to dose Alk and Calc nightly. I have a skimmer and a refugium, and run a combo of T5's and LED's.

I am trying to get more serious and diligent about keeping parameters as they should be, and am investing in more corals (currently have and am adding Zoas, Brains, Chalice, Plates, Torches, Hammers, 'Shrooms and a few others), and am wondering what other chemical parameters I should be paying attention to.

Thanks in advance. I've attached a current pic.

Joeganja · Jan 24, 2017

I regularly test magnesium, iodine, iron, and potassium along with those that you test. you can test for strontium and copper as well. Magnesium is in the triangle along with calcium and alkalinity. You'll be surprised on the role it plays. Randy will give you the whole story behind it.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 24, 2017

What are you using to dose calcium and alkalinity?

ebushrow · Jan 24, 2017

Joeganja said:
I regularly test magnesium, iodine, iron, and potassium along with those that you test. you can test for strontium and copper as well. Magnesium is in the triangle along with calcium and alkalinity. You'll be surprised on the role it plays. Randy will give you the whole story behind it.

Not trying to Hijack this thread, but, I hope I can be of some help here

I would worry about Magnesium, Nitrates, and Phosphates here (as well as the ones you already test - do not use API test kits for any of these parameters)...
Iodine kits are known to be unpredictable and the readings are generally not trustable....Iron and potassium I have never tested for and have been running SPS tanks for 20 years....Keep it simple....Zoa's will appreciate the iodine, however, with consistent biweekly 20% water changes, you will replenish the trace minerals in the tank.

Joeganja · Jan 24, 2017

ebushrow said:
Not trying to Hijack this thread, but, I hope I can be of some help here

I would worry about Magnesium, Nitrates, and Phosphates here (as well as the ones you already test - do not use API test kits for any of these parameters)...
Iodine kits are known to be unpredictable and the readings are generally not trustable....Iron and potassium I have never tested for and have been running SPS tanks for 20 years....Keep it simple....Zoa's will appreciate the iodine, however, with consistent biweekly 20% water changes, you will replenish the trace minerals in the tank.

Your talking to me about it? Or the person who started the thread? I only use Red Sea and salifert. My nitrates read 5-10ppm and then phosphates I keep at near 0 with gfo and phosphate sponge when needed. I test for iodine to make sure my levels are not high. I've seen a difference in green and red pigments in keeping potassium and iron at the right level. Potassium for me always depletes fairly quickly.

ebushrow · Jan 24, 2017

Joeganja said:
Your talking to me about it? Or the person who started the thread? I only use Red Sea and salifert. I test for iodine to make sure my levels are not high. I've seen a difference in green and red pigments in keeping potassium and iron at the right level. Potassium for me always depletes fairly quickly.

to the OP

patsheridan · Jan 24, 2017

I am currently using Red Sea for my tests, and have a Magnesium kit I rarely use, and and Algae Control kit (NO3, PO4) that I also rarely use.

I have been told that you can't really do a whole lot about Mag anyway, and have generally fallen into the camp that many seem to be in, that being don't chase numbers and stay with the basics. But as I add more corals to the tank I would like to make sure I am practicing a good routine with respect to chemistry.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 24, 2017

patsheridan said:
I have been told that you can't really do a whole lot about Mag anyway, .

Not sure what that means. You can raise it as high as you want.

patsheridan · Jan 24, 2017

Not sure what that means. You can raise it as high as you want.

Just that the LFS has told me on numerous occasions that Mag fluctuates, and is relatively difficult to keep stable.

patsheridan · Jan 24, 2017

I am dosing Alk. and Calc. using the B-Ionic 2-part system. Have the Alk. solution in one bottle and the Calc. solution in another, and use the BRS paristaltic pumps to dose both.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 25, 2017

patsheridan said:
Not sure what that means. You can raise it as high as you want.

Just that the LFS has told me on numerous occasions that Mag fluctuates, and is relatively difficult to keep stable.

Well, they are wrong. Test results may fluctuate, but the actual level does not unless you are adding it or doing water changes. It is going to be very stable with a long slow decline aside from additions or water changes.

And if it is at 1200 ppm, you can, if you add an appropriate amount, raise it to 1300 ppm, 1400, 12500, 1900, etc. There is no difficulty in attaining any desired boost.