Inexpensive ways to test tank water?

[kdx7214]

I have a 75 up and running now without lights - they're coming in a month or less. I have a saltwater-bred molly in the tank to keep the cycle going and used Fritz 9 bacteria to seed it. So far things seem to be going well. I have a couple of the API test strips, which I've read are pretty much worthless, and they show things to be pretty decent. My question is this: is there an inexpensive way to get accurate values for the parameters of the tank? I'm on a budget and can't afford to do an ICP weekly or even monthly. Ideally I'd love to be able to get probes and get actual numbers for things like pH and such, but will make do with what is cheap until such time as budget permits.

 

[Jekyl]

I have a 75 up and running now without lights - they're coming in a month or less. I have a saltwater-bred molly in the tank to keep the cycle going and used Fritz 9 bacteria to seed it. So far things seem to be going well. I have a couple of the API test strips, which I've read are pretty much worthless, and they show things to be pretty decent. My question is this: is there an inexpensive way to get accurate values for the parameters of the tank? I'm on a budget and can't afford to do an ICP weekly or even monthly. Ideally I'd love to be able to get probes and get actual numbers for things like pH and such, but will make do with what is cheap until such time as budget permits.

I use salifert for everything. Red Sea is another. Don't get the api set.

 

[newbie2014]

IME, if it's a softies/LPS tank you can get by with the API Reef Master kit. That was what I used for the first 2-3 years of my foray into SW. It give you ballpark numbers for alkalinity and calcium. I never checked pH, nitrate or phosphate.

But for a bit more money, you can get salifert tests for better accuracy. I used it for Kh, Ca, and Mg.

 

[Tamberav]

I have a 75 up and running now without lights - they're coming in a month or less. I have a saltwater-bred molly in the tank to keep the cycle going and used Fritz 9 bacteria to seed it. So far things seem to be going well. I have a couple of the API test strips, which I've read are pretty much worthless, and they show things to be pretty decent. My question is this: is there an inexpensive way to get accurate values for the parameters of the tank? I'm on a budget and can't afford to do an ICP weekly or even monthly. Ideally I'd love to be able to get probes and get actual numbers for things like pH and such, but will make do with what is cheap until such time as budget permits.

You don’t need to test ICP. Tanks existed before ICP tests did! Also pH is not super important either in most cases.

Get some Salifert or Red Sea or Hannah checkers.

Alk is most important (I like Hannah)

Nitrate and Phos (I like Hannah high range nitrate and low range phosphate)

Followed by Ca and Mg (Salifert or Red Sea both are fine).

the reason I say Ca and Mg are less important is they don’t vary too much. I rarely ever test them anymore. You dose 2 part equally off Alk anyways and many 2 parts include Mg.

So I would buy kits in that order as money allowed.

 

[AlienGhost]

You can get some tests done at your lfs. Obviously you can’t go in every day, but it’s a good place to get started. I get my nitrates and phosphates done when I go to my lfs just as a second eye on the results.

 

[Jekyl]

The cost of a set of salifert tests basically covers the cost of 2 coral. Small price to pay in the grand scheme.

 

[mdb_talon]

If you are starting with fish only i personally think just get a nitrate and possibly phosphate test kit. Dont stress on ph/calc/alk/mg/etc and certainly dont stress on an ICP test.

As you are going to add especially stony corals then i would look at getting alk for sure. If you dont want to spend the money just have the LFS(if u have a decent one nearby) do your calc/mg tests for you every month or so.

Most important in my opinion is get a refractometer or hydrometer. Dont rely on just the mixing instruction(or the LFS if you buy premixed water) to get your salinity right

 

[Saltysocks]

Just buy the hanna checkers if you can.. cause you're gonna anyway

 

[ylreefer]

I won't assume to know what you're budget is as everyone's idea of cheap varies,

I had always used salifert for cost and simplicity. And they always gave good results. At least based on what my eyes could tell me. Which I later learned to be quiet a bit off.

On that note i totally agree with Saltysocks.
Hanna checkers are not cheap, but also not silly expensive. but as you mentioned getting numbers for your paramiters these are the cheapest way of doing exactly that.

I've done an ICP once in my 28 years of reefing and that was only to investigate a problem I couldn't figure out with 1 tank. I now use hanna for ALK/PO4/NO3hr/CU and testing is super simple which makes it easy to do regularly.

For PH you could simply use a pH pen. Usually fairly cheap to.

Here are the amazon links to save you some time if you decide to go this route.

 

[kdx7214]

You can get some tests done at your lfs. Obviously you can’t go in every day, but it’s a good place to get started. I get my nitrates and phosphates done when I go to my lfs just as a second eye on the results.

Heh, that would assume we have a LFS. From what I can tell, we don't. There is supposedly a new one, but I've yet to verify that it even exists lol

 

[kdx7214]

I won't assume to know what you're budget is as everyone's idea of cheap varies,

I had always used salifert for cost and simplicity. And they always gave good results. At least based on what my eyes could tell me. Which I later learned to be quiet a bit off.

On that note i totally agree with Saltysocks.
Hanna checkers are not cheap, but also not silly expensive. but as you mentioned getting numbers for your paramiters these are the cheapest way of doing exactly that.

I've done an ICP once in my 28 years of reefing and that was only to investigate a problem I couldn't figure out with 1 tank. I now use hanna for ALK/PO4/NO3hr/CU and testing is super simple which makes it easy to do regularly.

For PH you could simply use a pH pen. Usually fairly cheap to.

Here are the amazon links to save you some time if you decide to go this route.

For some reason none of the links showed up, but I see them in the reply so will check them out. Thanks!

 

[mdb_talon]

Heh, that would assume we have a LFS. From what I can tell, we don't. There is supposedly a new one, but I've yet to verify that it even exists lol

Assuming you are in columbia mo petco will test at least the basic parameters.

 

[kdx7214]

Assuming you are in columbia mo petco will test at least the basic parameters.

The local Petco doesn't carry anything for saltwater. I've actually been in there and asked about it - they're my favorite pet store in town. They are "supposed" to carry saltwater stuff, but the local manager refuses to get it as it doesn't sell.