What do you test regularly?

[SamsReef]

There is test for everything but for me I test 3 things once every two weeks alkalinity, nitrate and phosphate and I have a probe which monitors Ph all the time...that is it...have not felt that I miss anything. These are the only three that I chase numbers...rest everything else falls in place by using right salt mix, Bi weekly 15 % water change and upkeep of the RODI unit.

what do you test? THis will help everyone to test the right water chemistry...

 

[bayoupr]

I check my Salinity every two weeks or right before my water change. When I have to clean the inner walls of my tank more than once a week, time to run GFO again for a couple of weeks or so.

 

[SamsReef]

I check my Salinity every two weeks or right before my water change. When I have to clean the inner walls of my tank more than once a week, time to run GFO again for a couple of weeks or so.

salinity tests are more important if one uses 2 part dosing because of the free sodium and chloride ions being added to the water as bi products...do you dose 2 part.

Personally for me, I always create 50 gallon of water at a time with fixed amount of sea salt and use calcium reactor, which has no impact on salinity.

Sam

 

[Rybren]

I only test Salinity and Temp on a regular basis; temp daily and salinity when I do a WC change. I don't bother to test anything else very often as it doesn't seem to vary much from test to test. When I do test, I only check Nitrates, Alk, Ca and maybe Mg

 

[cb684]

Alkalinity almost every day since I dose 2 parts and I would not notice if my peristaltic pump stopped working and a swing could kill my SPS. If I was dosing manually I would probably do it every week. SG a couple of times a week because I do about a 1.5% water change continuously every day and if one of the heads of my peristaltic pump stopped working I could be either adding saltwater and not removing or removing and replacing with the ATO. Calcium if my Alk is off. Nitrate and phosphate weekly or so.

 

[joshkirkland83]

I test everything weekly a day after my water change. (Mg,KH,Ca,NO3,PO4)

 

[smh254]

I test KH 2-3 times a week Ca and NO3 once a week and Mag and PO4 once a month.

 

[Dunnman39]

There is test for everything but for me I test 3 things once every two weeks alkalinity, nitrate and phosphate and I have a probe which monitors Ph all the time...that is it...have not felt that I miss anything. These are the only three that I chase numbers...rest everything else falls in place by using right salt mix, Bi weekly 15 % water change and upkeep of the RODI unit.

what do you test? THis will help everyone to test the right water chemistry...

What's the probe?

 

[smh254]

What's the probe?

He's talking about the probe on his aquarium controller (reef keep, Neptune apex)

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Mostly Cal and Alk for me and I run a doser with BRS 2 Part!

 

[DeniseAndy]

You guys that test regularly are great. I will admit, that in the beginning I tested a lot.

Now, it is lucky if I test once every few months Alk. I do however look at my system every day and check on animals.

 

[SamsReef]

He's talking about the probe on his aquarium controller (reef keep, Neptune apex)

That is correct. Ph tells so many stories, it unbelievable and the probe works the best. Hopefully they will have a probe for nitrate and phosphates someday. That would be w good day

Examples of things Ph probe can detect - my Ph always stays between 8.1 and 8.3. One day it was 8.4...I know something is off - turns out the calcium reactor was not dripping....I think you get the idea.

Sam

 

[SamsReef]

How about some Vendor participation. Come one, share some wisdom...how are you baking (coloring) your sticks and making your Zoas look sooo fat.

 

[saltyhog]

Alk and Po4 2-3 times a week. Calcium and nitrate about every 2 weeks. MG about once a month because it changes so slowly.

The frequent PO4 checks are to help decide when to change my GFO.

Salinity check about every two weeks.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

ALK twice a week

 

[brandon429]

I only test for salinity and temp. I dose two part without testing as well, not as an anarchist but as a tiny little addition just because its help to paint my reef purple, more like coralline feed vs actual breaking the rules dosing ca and alk without testing my levels ever. my dosing regimen is this

when I remember, dump 3/4 cap of c balance into my tank only in the morning never in the afternoon or after lights on. when I remember, skip to the other half of c balance and repeat.

 

[erk]

I test Mg and Alk regularly. I dose 2 part, so if Alk is good, then Calc should be good. Mg affects how stable alk can be, so I make sure it stays at 1400 ppm. I could care less about nitrate and phosphate. Algae means free food. I only worry if I see my coral reacting negatively and then I check Calc, then nitrate if Calc isn't the issue.

 

[Josh King]

Alk, Cal, Mag, bi-weekly before my 15% water change. Nitrate monthly. I need a better phosphate kit. Once I have one, I plan on testing PO4 bi-weekly as well. I log it all on a calendar I have next to my tank, along with livestock additions and notes.
Maybe I should be testing after the water change instead of before. But my angle is that I am viewing how much is depleted before it is replenished. Any thoughts on this?

 

[Josh King]

Oh and I check salinity every few days and monitor temp constantly.

 

[smh254]

HIV