Newbie, questions with testing

[wjm6449]

Hi all, so i'm two months into the hobby, and my eyes are getting big, and my wallet.... well, is appropriate for what I'm looking at, creating/upgrading to a 125 gallon in wall reef tank. I will continue my own build thread once I kick it off. However, that said I am currently using a 16 gallon biocube as my training wheels for me and my son. That said. I know and read people screaming, test, test, test, test your water parameters. While I understand knowing your parameters will allow you to know if there are any problems, I do weekly water changes of 10%, my corals are happy. I've taken my water to my LFS who's tested my water and said my parameters are spot on. My question I guess is, how critical are testing waters if you do your regular and appropriate maintenance. (That said, the only thing I do test and really truly worry about is my gravity, I dont need Salted Fish Sticks in my tank). I DO plan on getting Hanna or Triton Test units that said, but I mean if everything is staying the course, then is it really that big of a concern?

 

[fodsod]

Testing is basically advance warning of issues that start small and then get bigger. Testing lets you see the issues earlier verses seeing when your start losing your tank inhabitants and you don't know why it's happening.

Think of regular testing as mitigating collateral damage when something goes sideways (and it will even if do everything right). Small tank or big tank, it's just a good habit to get into so you can understand what's going on in your tank.

Every tank is different so you need to be very familiar with yours to keep it healthy and have a complete understanding of what happens to your parameters when you do a water change or add something to it to treat an issue.

As you get further into this hobby the range of allowable mistakes and variance narrows considerably. Testing allows you the data to make good decisions and ensure you're actually giving your tank what it needs to thrive.

 

[doubleshot00]

Yes and no. From someone that went from testing 2X a week to now testing 2x a month and or only when i see an issue testing is important. Its especailly important in the beginning. New tanks swing all over the place. Mine one week was high in nitrates and the next low. Then when i bottomed out i got dinos. Then cyano a few weeks later.

At least test the big 3 weekly until your tank stabilizes then go bi-weekly or if you see an issue.

IMO a 10% wc doesn't do as much as you think. Pee in the bath tub. Do you only change 10%?

 

[bushdoc]

Second importance of testing sg in nano tank.
If you keep "softies" or if your tank is FOWLR than other testing is of less importance.
With soft corals, even Alkalinity doesn't matter that much. I have a Gorgonian tank, with some mushrooms etc and I test param every month or so and tank is thriving.
On the other hand my Large mixed reef tank gets params tested weekly and alkalinity twice a week.

 

[wjm6449]

Second importance of testing sg in nano tank.
If you keep "softies" or if your tank is FOWLR than other testing is of less importance.
With soft corals, even Alkalinity doesn't matter that much. I have a Gorgonian tank, with some mushrooms etc and I test param every month or so and tank is thriving.
On the other hand my Large mixed reef tank gets params tested weekly and alkalinity twice a week.

I see, yes right now my tank is softies, and one LPS. dont get the wrong idea i get the importance of testing; but just question how life and death it can be with weekly tests or daily if your tank is just humming along.