Testing: How much is too much and what toll does it take?

[Neil S.]

In this hobby we tend to overthink things and "adjust" things too much!

I was thinking about testing water, whether it be alkalinity, calcium, magnesium etc, and how much is too much. Obviously the more we test the more testing kits and refills companies make and the more money we spend. Aside from the money have you consider the toll, time and stress, that "over testing" takes on us as hobbyists and on our tanks because we're, again, "adjusting" too much? So I would like to hear your thoughts on this one. (hope my grammar was ok on that last sentence)

At what point is testing too much and how often do you test for what?

That is not a simple question. Is there a level that is 'too much'? I think that testing and then chasing parameters is probably a bad idea. Testing to understand the trends and cycles that your tank goes through is a positive, and some tests might require a daily check until your tank is showing stability or the cycles are identified. Yes testing a lot is going to hit the pocketbook, but I don't see it as being a disruption for your tank, especially if you are drawing test samples from the sump. I think that as your tank stabilizes then moving to a regular (once a week?) testing cycle would probably be just fine. -I voted not sure-

 

[Neil S.]

IMO the testing is not the problem - reacting to the test is the problem.

Exactly!!

 

[MartinWaite]

I personally can't wait till Mastertronic comes out and it can do my testing for me and it and the Alkatronic can automatically adjust the Dosetronic to keep my levels spot on without the ups and downs one would normally get over a period. Saves me even thinking about it I just have to ensure that the dosing containers are topped off as told be Dosetronic and keep an eye on the charts to see what is happening ties in with what I see happening in the tank.

 

[McGene]

When I first setup my AIO, I tested frequently. I continued for quite some time until I began to learn by visual inspection (mostly of my corals). I don't try to achieve rapid coral growth since my tank is only 45g.
I do a 15% weekly water change faithfully and that seems to keep parameters in check (when I do check).
Frankly, when this hobby starts to create more stress than pleasure -- it's time for me to move on. I do this for enjoyment and satisfaction -- so far that's what I'm getting.

 

[HB AL]

I test Alk once a week, calcium every 2 weeks and magnesium every couple months. I have a huge bioload coming from my fish and corals in my heavilly populated mixed reef so I test nitrates once a week to make sure I’m adding enough Nopox to keep it in the 10 to 20 range.. Salinity maybe once a month. That’s all I test for.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

I have been struggling to keep nutrient levels up, and prevent them from zeroing. I feed my fish three times a day, turned off my skimmer, cut fuge photoperiod to 3 hours, feed corals aminos daily, etc and my phosphates still zero out almost everyday.

I have to spend about an hour a day testing nitrate and phosphate levels in my tanks and dose accordingly. Kind of desperate for a more natural rhythm to keeping measurable nutrient levels.

That is a lot of time!

What is measured by test kits are inorganic compounds!
In nature, "corals" are mainly dependable of organic compounds as nitrogen and phosphorus source. The coral holobiont is a self-regulating community, the coral itself provides nutrients and carbon for the holobiont to have control of the supply of nutrients in this way. Mucus contains a lot of usable carbon provided by the symbiodinium, nitrogen and +- 135 X the phosphorus concentration present in the natural surrounding water.
I would not bother much about your phosphate and nitrate zero out every day as a minimum of 75% of your daily feed becomes available for remineralization. ( partially removed by the skimmer)
Maybe one has to think over what will be the effect on the long term of "feed corals aminos daily" , about finding a natural rhythm in a closed system?
What is the effect of free usable carbon on the composition and functioning of the coral holobiont?
Keeping records of parameters is one thing but correcting daily? A closed system needs time to find its own balance.

ref: http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=nl:makazi:theorie:koraal_holoboint

 

[RevMH]

In this hobby we tend to overthink things and "adjust" things too much!

I was thinking about testing water, whether it be alkalinity, calcium, magnesium etc, and how much is too much. Obviously the more we test the more testing kits and refills companies make and the more money we spend. Aside from the money have you consider the toll, time and stress, that "over testing" takes on us as hobbyists and on our tanks because we're, again, "adjusting" too much? So I would like to hear your thoughts on this one. (hope my grammar was ok on that last sentence)

At what point is testing too much and how often do you test for what?

I test Nitrates, Phosphates, Calcium, and Magnesium once a week. Alkalinity, daily.
PH and temperature are probes, so I can see them in the readout daily - calibrated once a month.
Salinity, I check before and after water changes.

Water changes, I check the temperature, salinity, and alkalinity before the new water goes into my tank.

 

[living_tribunal]

That is a lot of time!

What is measured by test kits are inorganic compounds!
In nature, "corals" are mainly dependable of organic compounds as nitrogen and phosphorus source. The coral holobiont is a self-regulating community, the coral itself provides nutrients and carbon for the holobiont to have control of the supply of nutrients in this way. Mucus contains a lot of usable carbon provided by the symbiodinium, nitrogen and +- 135 X the phosphorus concentration present in the natural surrounding water.
I would not bother much about your phosphate and nitrate zero out every day as a minimum of 75% of your daily feed becomes available for remineralization. ( partially removed by the skimmer)
Maybe one has to think over what will be the effect on the long term of "feed corals aminos daily" , about finding a natural rhythm in a closed system?
What is the effect of free usable carbon on the composition and functioning of the coral holobiont?
Keeping records of parameters is one thing but correcting daily? A closed system needs time to find its own balance.

ref: http://www.baharini.eu/baharini/doku.php?id=nl:makazi:theorie:koraal_holoboint

After having Dino’s, you better believe I’m going to bother about it. I never want to experience that again. You need some phosphates and nitrates in the tank. You also need the biodiversity that feeds off of it.

Regardless, something bizarre is happening in my tank.

 

[Bastray]

Trident tests 4 times a day. I test PO4 and salinity weekly and nitrates monthly. I like seeing numbers often. I tend to not react immediately to off numbers. I like to wait to do anything until I see a trend. The higher frequency of testing is great for seeing those trends though and can be helpful. Alk trending up or down can help me pin point a day and time when a change may have happened in my tank.

 

[tigre44]

In this hobby we tend to overthink things and "adjust" things too much!

I was thinking about testing water, I’mhwhether it be alkalinity, calcium, magnesium etc, and how much is too much. Obviously the more we test the more testing kits and refills companies make and the more money we spend. Aside from the money have you consider the toll, time and stress, that "over testing" takes on us as hobbyists and on our tanks because we're, again, "adjusting" too much? So I would like to hear your thoughts on this one. (hope my grammar was ok on that last sentence)

At what point is testing too much and how often do you test for what?

i

In this hobby we tend to overthink things and "adjust" things too much!

I was thinking about testing water, whether it be alkalinity, calcium, magnesium etc, and how much is too much. Obviously the more we test the more testing kits and refills companies make and the more money we spend. Aside from the money have you consider the toll, time and stress, that "over testing" takes on us as hobbyists and on our tanks because we're, again, "adjusting" too much? So I would like to hear your thoughts on this one. (hope my grammar was ok on that last sentence)

At what point is testing too much and how often do you test for what?

I test kh, ca, mg, no3, sal and mg weekley. Occasionally ck pH and phosphates. I do 10% water changes weekly. I try to not chase numbers but will add no pox if no3 gets above 10. I’m not happy with my coral growth but don’t think it is parameter caused. I n the past I have had coral die off when I thought parameters were ok and got lazy I know people that don’t test I suppose that’s ok but not for me.

 

[NanoDJS]

I havent tested in a loooooong time , I use my lps as indicators . I own all the OG non digital tests though , just been on a real stable run for a few years.

 

[Therinx]

Is it the testing or the overreactions to testing?

Im not sure there’s too much testing unless youre doing every one every day, but the actions resulting from testing sound like they can be excessive based on assorted posts on various social media sites.

 

[Njuneer]

Am I the only one that enjoys the process of testing? It is my zen time on Water Test Saturday.

 

[HaloPhenom27]

I didn't know WWC recommended this. I'm no expert by any stretch, but what I do know is every tank is different even if you run the same method on side-by-side tanks. Two possible explanations for their success with zero NO3 and PO4 is that they feed the tank several times a day. This would suggest to me that they truly are not zero No3 or PO4, just very low and difficult to measure with a hobby-grade test kit.

Also, they don't have sand in their tanks (except one or two I think) which would prevent amphidinium from taking hold. If they run UV, this would likely cover any water column variety. My last point is they're a commercial shop with several highly qualified people dedicated to maintaining the systems 24/7/365. I'm just one guy with limited skills that travels for work often.

To each their own, but as a word of caution... You should look at the link below with over 8,000 posts just for the water column variety alone. There is another thread linked there for amphidinium with 800+ posts. The point is, most people seem to develop Dinos by running a very low nutrient system. I was one of them... not anymore. lol

Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

I don't know what percentage of folks had luck battling dinos with any of the methods in the old Dino thread but it's obviously a very low percentage, so I'd like refresh folks on the natural alternatives and lay out three areas of info: some of the factors that contribute to a dino outbreak...

www.reef2reef.com

I am just a mortal as well when it comes to these things. And I do realize that not every system is the same. With that said, that means no answer is correct when it comes to these things. The correct answer would depend on the system then.

As far as the Dino thread you posted. I have been through that thing more than once. I also have seen multiple people agree with it, and disagree with it. I could ask 100 reefers why we get Dino sometimes and how to beat it and I would get 100 different answers. I actually have done so and there never was a consensus. I battled Dino and beat it so I do know how I did it. With that said, multiple reefers who I respect said it could not be beat with how I did it and offered up their plan of which I tried to no result. I finally was given a plan that I tweaked a bit based on just a gut tuition and beat it.

I can not say for sure why I even got Dino, but I do know that my tank was not zeroed out on Phosphate or Nitrate. At the time my Nitrates were at 8 with my Phosphate being .07.

In my short time in reefing I have found that there are few absolutes, few people who agree on any 1 thing. I have come to the belief that when it comes to coral reefs and the science around it, we actually know very little, any advice should be taken with a grain of salt no matter who the messenger is, and that every system truly is different so taking advice from other people does not amount to much considering that.

 

[Arc-eye]

Im testing every day at the moment ALK , CAL,, ive been manually dosing for 4 months and now ive a ekoral dos i need to celebrate so ill be testing even more now,, testing just gives me confidence im not causing large swings

 

[don_chuwish]

It does get tiring. And I think if you're too hyper aware of every little change you can start to chase numbers too much. But I really do need to test more than I do.

 

[scott11106]

this thread is trending the right way, the knee jerk reactions are always the problem, i now have the apex trident and it tests daily and it has shown me a few problems and then i manually test 1-2 times a month just to check the automation. with that and the apex automation and error alerts tell me if things start getting sideways. but nothing beats taking 10min every day or so and just looking at the system.

 

[carmodpg]

I test phosphates everyday. I struggled in the past, now it’s just a habit. As you can probably tell, I love to overfeed!
I let the trident take care of the rest of the tests. So much easier.

 

[Waynerock]

Alk every other day cal every 3 days. I like to it’s not a problem. I just like to see trends and try and catch a problem before it becomes one.

 

[Jeff Cole]

I almost never test my water. I feel like as long as everyone and everything is happy, it just adds paranoia. If anything is off, my Anenomes and Coral would definitely show a sign, as they did in the past. I would then follow up by testing.

Totally agree