How often and what do you test

[rkpetersen]

1. Continuous monitoring of temp, pH, ORP, conductivity/salinity. Probe calibration at 12 week intervals.

2. The following tests 2 times a week for each display tank:

Calcium
Alkalinity
Magnesium
Potassium
Nitrate
Phosphorus

3. More frequent or additional testing as indicated by observations or known changing conditions.

4. Dual Triton and ATI testing at intervals of 8-12 weeks, again depending on circumstances.

 

[needbiggertanks]

Ahahahahahaha

 

[pharazon]

My tank is pretty new, so we’re testing pretty frequently to dial in results. Haven’t registered nitrates in quite some time - will probably only measure them the day after feeding the tank. Otherwise, just the big 3 every day or two.

 

[Wbrian]

Ph, Cal, mag every 2-3 years with my 5-10 gallon water change. Salinity whenever my swing arm falls into the tank...

 

[BigJohnny]

Temp and pH 24/7 via probes
Salinity 1x a month
Alkalinity every 6 hours via Alkatronic
Triton Test every 2 months which replaced my more frequent testing of calcium/magnesium/potassium/strontium. Although I use it to monitor other things as well.
Nitrate/Phosphate: Not in a long time

 

[cooker]

Can anyone help me,I have a 90 gallon tank ,20 gallon e shopps sump, protein skimmer etc. I have 2 mushroom leather corals that will not open.They last opened in october.The elagance coral looks great polyp not so much. sal.-25-temp 77,po4-0,no3-0 ,cal.450. 4-t5 54 watt light. Thank you so much.

 

[wmwesty]

Calibrate PH probes for main system and calcium reactor once every 6 months or so. They never seem to drift, calibrate correctly, and show the same readings before and after, despite being several years old. I do a visual check of my PH levels 3-4 times a day.

Alk: Hanna every other day

PO4: daily right now. I didn’t test it often for a while or use any PO4 reduction method and it started to get out of control. I’m using phosphate RX right now and it’s kind of yo-yo’ing as the rocks and substrate release newly bound PO4 back into the water. Once i start seeing it stay the same from day to day I’ll back off to weekly or monthly testing

NO3, once or twice a month to adjust my vodka dosing. Try and keep them between 4-10 ppm

Ca, Mg: once a month or so

Salinity: First couple water changes with a new batch of salt to get the exact scoop sized for that batch dialed in. Then I don’t really test it unless I see a problem. It’s never been a culprit. 1.025-1.026 without wavering for 5 years now

Potassium, iodine, all other minor and trace elements, triton or any other ICP testing service: never done it. Never saw the need. It’s a rabbit hole I don’t care to venture down. Just seems unnecessary. I know I say it a lot and some people will disagree, but I really feel like it’s all just a new economic arm or cog in the reef business machine and people have been convinced it’s something they “need” when they really don’t.

I couldn’t agree more about the ICP testing, just another money making farce for newbies that don’t know any better

 

[Young@Heart]

Salinity weekly
Ph: weekly
Ca: once per week
Alk: once per week
Mg: once a week
Po4: once per week
No3: weekly

 

[Kershaw]

Alk daily.
Salt twice a month with water changes. Some times it becomes once a month with water change

 

[Susan Bates]

Everything weekly, but ALK, very couple of days

 

[BigJohnny]

Salinity weekly
Ph: weekly
Ca: once per week
Alk: once per week
Mg: once a week
Po4: once per week
No3: weekly

Why do you test salinity/ph/no3 weekly but alk/ca/po4 once per week and mag once a week?

 

[hyprc]

This is how often...

https://www.aquaticlog.com/aquariums/hyprc/1/parameters

All test are Salifert except for Iron which is Red Sea.

 

[CindyKz]

Salinity - continuous via Apex, manually every 2 weeks with water change
Mg, PO4, NO3, Ca - every 2 weeks after water change (sometimes a couple of days after)
Alk - every 2-3 days, daily if issues.
Triton - have never had a need