How often do you test alkalinity?

[Reefs and Geeks]

After an unfortunate rise in alk that went unnoticed early this year and caused alot of my coral to STN, I've become paranoid about testing alkalinity. Luckily no complete losses and everything has sprung back nicely, still lost alot of potential growth. I'm curious how frequently others test alkalinity specifically because it tends to be the parameter that fluctuates the most, and is arguably the most important to remain stable. I personally test about every 2 days now and have done so for about 6 months. I do occasionally find I need to make some adjustment doses or minor changes to daily doses, but overall pretty stable consumption.

 

[madweazl]

Generally test alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, phosphates, and nitrates every Saturday around 10am (the lights are on so I can see the levels on the syringe). I see no reason to test more often than that.

 

[TARHEEL78]

I test alk along with all my other parameters 96 times a day.

 

[Mykawl]

If you become best friends with your tank and get to know it after daily testing I think you could easily get away with weekly tests

for alk and calcium that is

 

[Mortie31]

4 times a day but I’ve got a machine that does it for me

 

[Mykawl]

4 times a day but I’ve got a machine that does it for me

So jealous the seneye? I was just thinking yesterday that might be cheaper long term than refilling these Hannah meters lol but not sure if it tests alkalinity

 

[BeejReef]

I test alk most every day.. probably 5 times a week.
However, I won't adjust my dosing based on any one test result. Got to show me something three days in a row, unless there's some sort of dramatic prob.

 

[d2mini]

In the beginning its a good idea to check daily or every other day, especially if tuning a calcium reactor.
Once your tank is healthy and cruising along, you can reduce that to every few days or so. I wouldn't go more than a week without testing. IMO its the most important test you can do, especially for sps keepers.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

I used to test every couple days, but had an issue with missing an Alk swing so changed to twice a day (lights on and lights off. I've since installed an alkatronic though so it tests 4 times a day.

 

[homer1475]

When starting out dosing, every day to every other day. Now that my tanks a couple years old and cruising along, I only test weekly. I see no other reason to unless you adding, or removing corals so your consumption changes.

 

[Clownreef]

Trident. 4 times a day

 

[mattdg]

I mark the opaque dosing containers with a piece of electrical tape, moving it down every few days just to make sure the dosers are running. This and testing every Wednesday / Saturday, I can catch almost anything gone awry.