How often do I test?
- Thread starter Maine Reefer
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Myk
Aquatic Creations www.ReefDelivery.com
As often as is convenient. The more data you have the better.
Other than that it really depends on what you are keeping. I would say at least weekly overall, but there are some things that would be good to know constantly or at least daily like Temp, pH and Alkalinity.
Other than that it really depends on what you are keeping. I would say at least weekly overall, but there are some things that would be good to know constantly or at least daily like Temp, pH and Alkalinity.
Myk
Aquatic Creations www.ReefDelivery.com
Would start off weekly and then check less if you gain confidence with it. Again, more data is better and keep a log for the results of your testing, so if you feel like you can do more frequent testing and enjoy it and it fits your budget go for it.
Invest in good quality test kits though. You will want consistent and accurate results.
Monitors are nice too for things like pH and Temp. but be sure to calibrate very regularly and replace probes as needed.
Invest in good quality test kits though. You will want consistent and accurate results.
Monitors are nice too for things like pH and Temp. but be sure to calibrate very regularly and replace probes as needed.
Initially, often. After you stay in the hobby for a while you can often figure out if something is wrong by what you see happen in the tank. Salinity and temperathre though definitely needs to be tested regularly. Last year I had a bad heater and almost boiled my livestock. I touched the water and knew the temp was off. Got up to 84. Fortunately, nothing died.
The best investment you can make in a tank is a controller for the heater.
For frequency of testing, once a tank is cycled, I only test when things look unhappy. Maybe alk/ca a couple times a year as my coral grow to make sure I don't need to start dosing.
Myk
Aquatic Creations www.ReefDelivery.com
I am not an Apex guy myself, but they are a high end and good quality controller. This should do very well for you. In the meantime you can pick up a good heater controller for around $75.00 or less.
PatW
2500 Club Member
It depends on circumstances. If you want to keep sps corals, you want stable alkalinity. Many people test alkalinity daily. I do.
For calcium, I test weekly.
For magnesium, I test monthly.
I test nitrate weekly.
Phosphates I track by algae growth. It seems to work.
For calcium, I test weekly.
For magnesium, I test monthly.
I test nitrate weekly.
Phosphates I track by algae growth. It seems to work.
Maine Reefer
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Thank you so much. This was what I was looking for. Thanks again.
ChristmasCorals
New Member
calcium and alk your going to want to test daily until you get the parameters set. then you can go longer periods of testing. generally testing weekly is a good practice. you'll get a hang of your system and develop the proper testing based on your experience. best of luck. keep those parameter stable. 
mjlash22
Well-Known Member
If it's a new set up, test 2-3 times a week until cycled and you keep getting consistent results that you want. I test every other week now but my tank is 2 years old and I have kept the same routine on maintenance/testing.
This will work just as well if you're trying to "revamp" your tank from neglect.
This will work just as well if you're trying to "revamp" your tank from neglect.
grassy_noel
Active Member
I have an Apex Jr. and I couldn't recommend it more highly! It gives me incredible peace of mind when I'm away from my tank.
I will say, I kinda went crazy after buying it and bought the PM1 module, a pH probe, a Breakout Box, and an EB8 (8 more controllable outlets, of which I only use 4). By the time I was done, I realized that I could have just bought the Apex Classic and would have: fewer modules to mount, a better pH probe, some variable voltage outlets that I might use down the line, and would have spent almost the exact same amount of $. So, just keep that in mind if you are about to make the leap. The other HUGE difference is that the Apex Jr. can have a total of only 5 modules and the display counts as one, so you are limited to only 4 more. The Classic is basically unlimited, I think it supports like 256 modules or something crazy like that.
Back to your original question, an Apex would easily allow you to monitor Temp and pH constantly (in graphic form, too), and control some of your equipment based on those values (like turning off your lights if the tank overheats, or turning off an Alk dosing pump if your pH gets too high, etc.).
During my tank's cycle I tested Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate every evening which let me produce some pretty graphs of how the cycle progressed in my tank. I'm a data nerd, so I really enjoyed this. It is definitely not necessary. After the cycle is complete, I don't think there's any need to test for ammonia or nitrite unless you are trying to diagnose a specific issue.
I monitor Temp and pH daily.
I test nitrate and phosphate weekly, but this could probably be done every other week. I do liquid carbon dosing so I base my next week's dose on these parameters.
I test for Alkalinity and Calcium weekly, although initially and anytime I add a significant number of corals I test these more frequently. I base my dosing of Calcium and Alkalinity for the following week based on these values.
I test for Magnesium weekly, although monthly is probably more than enough. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt, which has pretty high Mg levels, so I actually have never needed to dose Magnesium.
I think it's worth testing your makeup salt water at least once, so you have a general idea of what you're putting back when you do a water change. In my case I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt, which has high Ca, Alk, and Mg (450, ~12, and ~1,450, respectively). As a result, all of my foundation parameters increase after a water change and I use this knowledge to dial back my daily dosing so that I'm not accumulating higher and higher levels of these parameters.
Final note, I could not recommend the Hanna Alkalinity Checker more highly. All of my other test kits are Red Sea, but the Hanna Alk Checker is so fast and easy, and it's very consistent. My experience with the Hanna Phosphate checker has been less exciting (it's not bad, it's just not quite as quick and easy).
I will say, I kinda went crazy after buying it and bought the PM1 module, a pH probe, a Breakout Box, and an EB8 (8 more controllable outlets, of which I only use 4). By the time I was done, I realized that I could have just bought the Apex Classic and would have: fewer modules to mount, a better pH probe, some variable voltage outlets that I might use down the line, and would have spent almost the exact same amount of $. So, just keep that in mind if you are about to make the leap. The other HUGE difference is that the Apex Jr. can have a total of only 5 modules and the display counts as one, so you are limited to only 4 more. The Classic is basically unlimited, I think it supports like 256 modules or something crazy like that.
Back to your original question, an Apex would easily allow you to monitor Temp and pH constantly (in graphic form, too), and control some of your equipment based on those values (like turning off your lights if the tank overheats, or turning off an Alk dosing pump if your pH gets too high, etc.).
During my tank's cycle I tested Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate every evening which let me produce some pretty graphs of how the cycle progressed in my tank. I'm a data nerd, so I really enjoyed this. It is definitely not necessary. After the cycle is complete, I don't think there's any need to test for ammonia or nitrite unless you are trying to diagnose a specific issue.
I monitor Temp and pH daily.
I test nitrate and phosphate weekly, but this could probably be done every other week. I do liquid carbon dosing so I base my next week's dose on these parameters.
I test for Alkalinity and Calcium weekly, although initially and anytime I add a significant number of corals I test these more frequently. I base my dosing of Calcium and Alkalinity for the following week based on these values.
I test for Magnesium weekly, although monthly is probably more than enough. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt, which has pretty high Mg levels, so I actually have never needed to dose Magnesium.
I think it's worth testing your makeup salt water at least once, so you have a general idea of what you're putting back when you do a water change. In my case I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt, which has high Ca, Alk, and Mg (450, ~12, and ~1,450, respectively). As a result, all of my foundation parameters increase after a water change and I use this knowledge to dial back my daily dosing so that I'm not accumulating higher and higher levels of these parameters.
Final note, I could not recommend the Hanna Alkalinity Checker more highly. All of my other test kits are Red Sea, but the Hanna Alk Checker is so fast and easy, and it's very consistent. My experience with the Hanna Phosphate checker has been less exciting (it's not bad, it's just not quite as quick and easy).
TheNano
Community Member
I would do it as often as you can. But once a week would suffice
Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
In the beginning I was test several times a day as things kept swinging, esp. mag and cal and I was manual dosing ea day. Once I started using my doser, I again tested often. Now I test weekly to be sure. If something is off, usually mag. I'll test more often just that parameter. Nitrates are always high and Po4 flucuates so I'll test those more often so I know if I need to remove phosguard or add it back. I'll test a couple times a week sometimes and only what I know needs monitoring. Otherwise, once a week or so. Maybe I'll get to the point of every 2-3 weeks
USMC 4 LIFE
Valuable Member
I tested weekly (API) for the first year (salinity, calcium, alkalinity, nitrate). I however did not have coral until my 7th month. I still only test weekly (Red Sea and additionally test for magnesium) but now maintain a log of my results along with my dosing and consumption rates.
Tank is dialed in and parameters are stable. More importantly I TEST AT THE SAME TIME OF DAY EVERY TIME.
Ca: 435-440
Alk: 8.2-8.4
Mag: 1400-1420
Nitrate: 0.25-0.50
Tank is dialed in and parameters are stable. More importantly I TEST AT THE SAME TIME OF DAY EVERY TIME.
Ca: 435-440
Alk: 8.2-8.4
Mag: 1400-1420
Nitrate: 0.25-0.50
