Test Kits/Target Specifications?

[joshfriend09]

Hello guys, I have a tank that has been established for a couple of months. I was told by my local fish store to let it cycle through a couple of times, but I would really like to get some good water test kits. Right now I have the API 5 in 1 and I feel like they're not very accurate. Something not too pricey would be ideal, but I don't want something cheap. I have a 16G biocube so its a small tank. I don't have any coral or fish in the tank at the moment either. I'm not sure if that matters right now or not but I figured I would throw it out there.

 

[KrisReef]

You are correct in your assessment of API. IF the tank has been set up with water for a couple of months the cycle is done, right Brandon?!

You don't need kits to keep water, but if you want fish and coral down the road what you want to keep will tell you what you need to test for.

Salinity, temperature, are basic for all life. The fish don't need you to test if you keep up with water changes they generally can survive what we throw at them.

Coral are different. They like steady dKh, Calcium, and Magnesium (often called the big three)
Salifert dkh is accurate and not pricey, I use Red Sea for Magnesium, and Calcium I can't recall the crazy cheap test I've used that is good enough for me because I have a calc reactor that keeps dKh and Calcium stable so if dKh is solid I know my calcium is rocking. Sorry I can't recall the calcium test. Someone gave me the Hanna Calcium, and I have Hanna checker for dKh and ULR phosphorus and if you get into hobby craziness you might spend extra, for the Hanna Checker ALK ANd Phosphorus later, based upon the answers to these same questions that a few folk post here each day.

Glad you asked, we all gotta help each other along with this hobby.
@brandon429 -Happy New Year to the Sand Man!

 

[brandon429]

Josh post a pic of the tank so we can see how much surface area is in the tank

Im in full agreement you don’t need to be testing ammonia and nitrite on any kit if that’s a saltwater tank with rocks stacked in it this long, and if you’re going to test for nitrate buy a digital kit or skip testing for that too

if we check nitrate test kit comparison threads (pages of them exist on this site alone) the readings range greatly per brand right off the same water sample

calcium alk and mag sound ok for coral tuning, but do searches before buying non digital kits for those params and see if they are as ranging as nitrate readers. If so, skip it all lol and do weekly water changes like the rest of us nano owning non testers

 

[joshfriend09]

Josh post a pic of the tank so we can see how much surface area is in the tank

 

[joshfriend09]

You are correct in your assessment of API. IF the tank has been set up with water for a couple of months the cycle is done, right Brandon?!

You don't need kits to keep water, but if you want fish and coral down the road what you want to keep will tell you what you need to test for.

Salinity, temperature, are basic for all life. The fish don't need you to test if you keep up with water changes they generally can survive what we throw at them.

Coral are different. They like steady dKh, Calcium, and Magnesium (often called the big three)
Salifert dkh is accurate and not pricey, I use Red Sea for Magnesium, and Calcium I can't recall the crazy cheap test I've used that is good enough for me because I have a calc reactor that keeps dKh and Calcium stable so if dKh is solid I know my calcium is rocking. Sorry I can't recall the calcium test. Someone gave me the Hanna Calcium, and I have Hanna checker for dKh and ULR phosphorus and if you get into hobby craziness you might spend extra, for the Hanna Checker ALK ANd Phosphorus later, based upon the answers to these same questions that a few folk post here each day.

Glad you asked, we all gotta help each other along with this hobby.
@brandon429 -Happy New Year to the Sand Man!

I want to get fish soon, I think the tank is matured enough and can support it but I am mainly waiting on a solid test kit that way I can try to be proactive and dont end up killing the fish.

 

[brandon429]

Nice, see those growths in the sandbed cross section


that’s proof of filtration bac, basic ammonia control can be proofed before those new growths arise, so if rocks have been in there this whole time the cycle is done, move onto fish disease preps

dont spend money on ammonia test kits or nitrite test kits any further, those two never need to be tested for again. Any fish losses will not be from those params. They stay locked in from here on out.

 

[joshfriend09]

@brandon429 this is from a couple of weeks ago. Since then I have stirred the sand a couple of times, but have noticed my Emerald crab and one of my snails bit the dust. Any idea as of why?

 

[brandon429]

who knows but its not cycling related itll be some other issue, feeding perhaps/are they actively hunting down and eating food pellets

basically just always siphon those mats up and out, dont let the expected uglies take over they're not part of cycling that's done. they're part of invasion phasing which you can simply opt out of and clean more often until the tank matures. opposite of hands off. you can see by reading the disease forum specific preps are needed before adding fish that get them ready to not infect your tank with communicable disease.

you are at the phase of full on reefing, whatever you add will have its wastes handled, all losses and wins are separate from cycling at this point onward. that's handy to be able to omit testing for certain params immediately, and permanently given this passed point.

 

[brandon429]

I assure you that tank will be easier to run if you forget testing for params for about eight months and do this instead:

know the salinity and temp of the water and the change water, keep reef appropriate. do weekly water changes before problems come, its a busier time up front than it is when the tank is five years old and on cruise control. lift out rocks, rinse off growths with saltwater easily in the sink, set back in place and keep the sandbed vacuumed up clean and tidy always. dont focus on testing for eight months, you dont need any beyond temp and salinity see any common nano reef this size on nano-reef.com they just do feeding and water changes.

add some starter easy corals and learn to manage them with feeding and water changes, specifically wait on fish as skipping preps will infect your tank. be reading for the next couple months in the disease forum to answer all disease questions, and be feeding and growing out some simple corals first. guaranteed win for success: trades off weekly water changes and removal work for any testing beyond temp and salinity. when your tank is starting to get packed with fish and coral resume testing for any param you want except for nitrite and ammonia, and buy digital kits if you're going to test. specifically do not use test kits you can search to see rarely agree with other kits when compared in comparison threads.


all this will be your self guided discovery the next few weeks as you stock up and arrive at fish. they're last, and you're ready when self directed disease forum reading allows you to proceed off a specific plan. once cleaned up, and on weekly preemptive water changes, if you are acclimating correctly and managing the common physical params the tank will now carry reef organisms.

 

[brandon429]

the direct tendency is to avoid physical work and approximate test and response using the cheapest possible tests available, that produces dinoflagellate invasions very soon. this work heavy, export heavy way above won't because mats can't form made up of anything if you're always removing them as expected work vs leaving them in place.

about fifty thousand nano reefs or more use this work heavy, low test way, its directly established as viable. Im on year 16 with it in one single system. whats tested in my system: temp and salinity and its packed to the hilt in all kinds of coral.

 

[joshfriend09]

I assure you that tank will be easier to run if you forget testing for params for about eight months and do this instead:

know the salinity and temp of the water and the change water, keep reef appropriate. do weekly water changes before problems come, its a busier time up front than it is when the tank is five years old and on cruise control. lift out rocks, rinse off growths with saltwater easily in the sink, set back in place and keep the sandbed vacuumed up clean and tidy always. dont focus on testing for eight months, you dont need any beyond temp and salinity see any common nano reef this size on nano-reef.com they just do feeding and water changes.

add some starter easy corals and learn to manage them with feeding and water changes, specifically wait on fish as skipping preps will infect your tank. be reading for the next couple months in the disease forum to answer all disease questions, and be feeding and growing out some simple corals first. guaranteed win for success: trades off weekly water changes and removal work for any testing beyond temp and salinity. when your tank is starting to get packed with fish and coral resume testing for any param you want except for nitrite and ammonia, and buy digital kits if you're going to test. specifically do not use test kits you can search to see rarely agree with other kits when compared in comparison threads.


all this will be your self guided discovery the next few weeks as you stock up and arrive at fish. they're last, and you're ready when self directed disease forum reading allows you to proceed off a specific plan. once cleaned up, and on weekly preemptive water changes, if you are acclimating correctly and managing the common physical params the tank will now carry reef organisms.

I have no interest at the moment for coral, I would like to get fish first because thats what I am more so interested in. Is the tank ready for fish right now or should I still wait/prepare?

 

[brandon429]

you can skip the coral phase. your tank can for sure carry fish and their waste at this point, for sure. they dont need anything beyond the weekly water changes and temp/salinity measure it'll be simpler in that way. They dont care about calcium levels like corals do, they want good feed, clean water exchanged, no system invasions allowed, and to be quarantined before entry (if you see in the disease forum that's required to keep fish alive in new white rocks setups, if while reading that forum you determine no preps are needed then the tank is ready now to take on no prep fish)

 

[joshfriend09]

you can skip the coral phase. your tank can for sure carry fish and their waste at this point, for sure. they dont need anything beyond the weekly water changes and temp/salinity measure it'll be simpler in that way. They dont care about calcium levels like corals do, they want good feed, clean water exchanged, no system invasions allowed, and to be quarantined before entry (if you see in the disease forum that's required to keep fish alive in new white rocks setups, if while reading that forum you determine no preps are needed then the tank is ready now to take on no prep fish)

Okay great, I guess that begs the next question; How often should I be feeding and how many fish should I ideally start out with?

 

[brandon429]

How about two clowns that’s a perfect start, they’ll eat the normal fare once or twice a day

 

[joshfriend09]

How about two clowns that’s a perfect start, they’ll eat the normal fare once or twice a day

Sure, I have done a little bit of research and I really like the idea of a goby. Is my tank too small and do you think it would be too much to have maybe 2 clowns and a diamond goby?

 

[Rob3D2018]

Sure, I have done a little bit of research and I really like the idea of a goby. Is my tank too small and do you think it would be too much to have maybe 2 clowns and a diamond goby?

I would start with two clowns. They are hardy fish and IMHO, are more active than a goby. Good luck!!

 

[bravotango]

Hello guys, I have a tank that has been established for a couple of months. I was told by my local fish store to let it cycle through a couple of times, but I would really like to get some good water test kits. Right now I have the API 5 in 1 and I feel like they're not very accurate. Something not too pricey would be ideal, but I don't want something cheap. I have a 16G biocube so its a small tank. I don't have any coral or fish in the tank at the moment either. I'm not sure if that matters right now or not but I figured I would throw it out there.

As a fellow new tank owner, I'm passing along some of what I've discovered on this topic.

Mr. Saltwatertank offers a sound perspective by first determining what your tank personality is: Stop Tank Confusion! – Mr. Saltwater Tank (mrsaltwatertank.com) Then he offers the attached test kit recommendations based on your Tank Personality. His advice on test kits seems to line up with what the general consensus is amongst people on here and the popular YouTubers. Since he has been making a living as an SME on aquariums for over a decade, I decided his opinion is worth listening to until I form my own.