Testing, how often and what?

[Bassmaster116]

How often do you guys test for the basics?

Too much or not enough or.....NEVER!

When i got back into the hobby at the end of last year i was extremely religious with test....EVERYTHING! I had so many issues of chasing numbers, and not even understanding them! I then realized i needed to cut back on testing for the tanks well being so I'm not constantly changing the chem. I then went to weekly testings and of the basic params. I still found myself chasing those numbers! Finally when i upgraded to my 75 (kind of a fresh start in my eyes) i essentially set it, tested it first couple of weeks but haven't changed anything as far as dosing ect. I did how ever remove some items (marine pure, gfo, carbon filter socks ect.) because i was struggling with growth color and PE of my SPS, and even growth of zoas and pallys! LPS has always been a breeze for me so those weren't an issue at all. Back to it.. I have NOT tested anything beside SG when doing water changes and in my mixing station for porbably 4 months, and i know that may be risky but my tank has never been doing better! i have had some up and downs in the last 4 months but i let the corals tell me what they like and don't. I am actually for the first time in 4 months going to test the basics today!

I'm sure ill get alot great opinions out of this and i know this is a pretty common topic, i just feel that sometimes new people get overwhelmed and end up making the same mistake i did in the beginning( not saying its a bad idea to test it just can cause more issues if chasing numbers) and then feel defeated due to the tank not being stable and not taking off.

 

[dugthefish]

Depends. During the first few months, I was testing 1-2x/week. At one year, I'm testing 1x/month, except when I'm tweaking parameters for whatever reason.

 

[Bassmaster116]

Depends. During the first few months, I was testing 1-2x/week. At one year, I'm testing 1x/month, except when I'm tweaking parameters for whatever reason.

Good strategy i thought to myself today maybe i should do once a month atleast just to be sure something isnt way out of wack or maybe something isnt heading that direction!

 

[Bills beginning]

Currently I am cycling a frag system so I test daily to track the progress. After the cycle I will check all parameters before and after water change. Most likely I will test dependent type and number of corals to maintain stability.

 

[Bassmaster116]

Currently I am cycling a frag system so I test daily to track the progress. After the cycle I will check all parameters before and after water change. Most likely I will test dependent type and number of corals to maintain stability.

Completely understand in this stage to be testing often, once tank has cycled and stocking has begun and you figure out your initial needs, i feel that it helps to space tests. Nothing happens quick so when you initially set those your levels after stocking it may take a while to get a stable true reading on params. Uptake especially i have learned.

 

[vetteguy53081]

At minimum:
Salinity
PH
Ammonia
Nitrate
Phosphate

 

[danieyella]

I was testing religiously at first, then slacked way off because everything was maintaining. After while I started to notice some of the corals suffering and tested everything - magnesium had plummeted! Got that adjusted back to where it should be and tested daily for about a week to ensure everything was holding stable. Now I test about 2x a month to ensure everything is still where it should be.

 

[Bills beginning]

Completely understand in this stage to be testing often, once tank has cycled and stocking has begun and you figure out your initial needs, i feel that it helps to space tests. Nothing happens quick so when you initially set those your levels after stocking it may take a while to get a stable true reading on params. Uptake especially i have learned.

Yes. Differently want stability and tracking parameters will allow you to watch trends to observe what's going on. I like watching the trends to make a better informed decision before making any changes in the beginning of a start up.

 

[stanleo]

I test alkalinity daily. I test weekly for pH, salinity, nitrate, phosphate, magnesium and calcium. I see no need after a tank is cycled to test for ammonia and nitrite. The other minor elements I just hope stay stable with water changes.

 

[Cbones1979]

I test alkalinity daily. I test weekly for pH, salinity, nitrate, phosphate, magnesium and calcium. I see no need after a tank is cycled to test for ammonia and nitrite. The other minor elements I just hope stay stable with water changes.

yeah, tank is 2 years old and testing ammonia and nitrite comes up 0 every time

 

[Greg P]

This is my third tank and was started back in July '19 with coral colonies from tank #2
Once I get a baseline with daily or 2-3 day testing, I test weekly and adjust my dosers accordingly.
I perform bi-weekly 25% WCs and test both DT and new water before, and adjust the new water as needed.
This tank, after 6 months, is showing I still need to test weekly and adjust my dosers as my corals grow.

 

[html]

At minimum:
Salinity
PH
Ammonia
Nitrate
Phosphate

If you have established tank why do you need ammonia and nitrate test?

 

[Brasileiro561]

I just test Alk twice per week unless I need to up the dose. then I test everyday until its stable. I do ICP test every 5 months and normally everything is good. I don't even own a calcium test lol

 

[DivingTheWorld]

I’m Acro heavy so Alk can go sideways within a day if there’s a problem with a Doser or other issue. So I have Alk tested automatically every 6 hours.

Calcium I test every few days.

Once a week I test:

Phosphate
Nitrate
Nitrite
Ammonia
pH (also tested constantly through Apex)
Magnesium
Iodine
Salinity

 

[vetteguy53081]

If you have established tank why do you need ammonia and nitrate test?

Im assuming you have newer tank- If established, then its going to be CA, Mag-Alk, Salinity and PH

 

[DivingTheWorld]

If you have established tank why do you need ammonia and nitrate test?

I test those two in my once a week test because they’re included in my kit and it only takes another minute or two. They’re not really “necessary”, but if something popped up, I’d know I have a big potential problem. I don’t buy those specific tests.

 

[Tastee]

My Apex monitors salinity, pH, temp and ORP continuously. I dose Aquaforest 3 part 24x6 so that keeps most other parameters stable. If I am changing something or worried about something I will test weekly, but if things are stable I may only test once a month. It also depends what I am testing and what I am concerned about. I have Red Sea Pro test kits for Alk, Mg, Ca, NO3, PO4, I, K and Fe. The last 3 I only test occasionally for, and mostly to ensure my I is around 6 ppm for my Goni, Shrimp and Hermit. Unless I am busy I tend to run a test for the first 5 every 2-3 weeks but are happy to stretch that to a month.