Testing question.. What to test for?

[nmertz1]

Hi all,

I am wondering what I should be testing for in my aquarium. Everything has gone great the past 2 years, I've never tested once, just maintained a strict water change schedule of 20% per week. Now, I notice some of my LPS corals (acans, frogspawn, hammer) are starting to shrink. It could be my light, maybe the flow? (Running a 38 nuvo with mp10, kessil a350w) however, it could be something else. Just wondering what I should be testing for and what would the ideal levels be?

 

[NanaReefer]

Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium, Phosphates, Nitrates and Ammonia, Salinity and Temp

 

[nmertz1]

Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium, Phosphates, Nitrates and Ammonia, Salinity and Temp

Thank you! What are good levels for all of these?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Calcium- 380-460
Alkalinity- 7-12dKH
Magnesium- 1250-1350
Nitrates- under 20 for a soft coral, LPS and fish tank, under 5 for SPS tank
Ammonia- always 0
Phosphates- under .05
Salinity- 1.025-1.027
Temp- 76-80 (but can go 76-82) Most woulldn't let it go above 80.

 

[BODI]

Should also test ph level in addition to those already mentioned

 

[nmertz1]

Thanks everyone, what is a good PH level?

 

[BODI]

Here is a good link you should read --> Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[nmertz1]

Here is a good link you should read --> Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

awesome, exactly what I needed. Thank you