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What water parameters do you check and how often?


nlopez99

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There are so many different water parameters. I just wonder if I'm not testing some that most reefers feel should be tested. Right now, I am only testing nitrates and calcium on a regular basis. I check kH, magnesium, and phosphate infrequently. I never check pH, ammonia, or nitrite. Please share your thoughts/experience with water parameters. Thanks!

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Once you have an established tank, most will agree that ammonia and nitrite no long need to be checked, unless something looks off and you feel it is necessary. One a regular basis, about once a week or so, I check:

 

Temp

Salinity

Nitrate

Phosphate

Calcium

Alkalinity

Magnesium

Ph

 

Some of those probably are not completely necessary(such as Ph and temp), but I like to record all of my water test results so that I can look back at them on a long term basis and see the stability part of it. on a side note, I like to use AquaticLog to record this information.

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Am I risking anything by not checking pH? I know some test this parameter regularly and I don't even own a test kit. My understanding is that magnesium is important in calcium deposition and wonder if I should check this more often. My temperature and salinity don' really fluctuate so I don't check those except when I'm performing a water change. My tank has been up for 14 months and I stopped checking ammonia and nitrite after the initial cycle. I really only check phosphate when brown algae seems to be starting.

 

I just recently heard about AquaticLog. I may look into using it.

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Sounds like you are ok. I only check Ph 1 time a week, and that is only to monitor it long term for stability. This is probably not really necessary, just personal preference. I know a lot of people do not monitor their ph at all. The only thing I would check more often would be your Alk. I usually check alk and calcium at the same time.

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So it's actually alk and calcium that are interrelated? Not sure where I came up with magnesium being related to calcium.

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Nano sapiens

Alk, cal and mag are interrelated. In my old established tank, I check alk every few days, cal once every two weeks and mag once a month. Stable alk is the most important for stony corals (especially SPS).

 

Temp check daily, salinity check once a week. Nitrate and phosphate once every 6 months (unless something goes askew).

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I'm paranoid about nitrates so I usually check once a week. I've just recently added 2 SPS corals so I'll start checking alk more often.

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I check phosphate at least once a week (to determine GFO replacement). Checking phosphate when there is a bloom doesn't always tell the whole story as the bloom is utilizing the phosphate in the water. Also, driving phosphate too low can have negative effects on your coral.

 

It's not as important, but I still like to check nitrate about once a week too.

 

If you aren't dosing, you should still spot check alkalinity and calcium every couple of weeks to see if you need to adjust your water change schedule, or even start dosing.

 

If you are dosing calcium and alkalinity, you should also be aware of the magnesium level. You have to test calcium and alkalinity daily until you get your dosing routine down; then you can usually cut back to as little as once a week (to see if any adjustments need to be made).

 

Obviously specific gravity is important; but with an auto top-off, it just doesn't change that much. Checking once a week prior to water changes is a good practice.

 

A daily check of temperature takes but a second and can sometimes catch a problem like a failed heater.

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I do a 5g water change weekly using Reef Crystals. I usually don't need to dose calcium, which is generally in the 440 range after my wc. So testing magnesium isn't that necessary?

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Islandoftiki

I check phosphate at least once a week (to determine GFO replacement). Checking phosphate when there is a bloom doesn't always tell the whole story as the bloom is utilizing the phosphate in the water. Also, driving phosphate too low can have negative effects on your coral.

 

It's not as important, but I still like to check nitrate about once a week too.

 

If you aren't dosing, you should still spot check alkalinity and calcium every couple of weeks to see if you need to adjust your water change schedule, or even start dosing.

 

If you are dosing calcium and alkalinity, you should also be aware of the magnesium level. You have to test calcium and alkalinity daily until you get your dosing routine down; then you can usually cut back to as little as once a week (to see if any adjustments need to be made).

 

Obviously specific gravity is important; but with an auto top-off, it just doesn't change that much. Checking once a week prior to water changes is a good practice.

 

A daily check of temperature takes but a second and can sometimes catch a problem like a failed heater.

 

Everything he said here. Spoken like a true seasoned reefer.

 

As far as that weekly phosphate testing, I personally would highly suggest a Hanna phosphate tester for better-than-human accuracy, which is important.

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Muddy Waters

interesting with just a few folks its seems not all the same or same schedule. I will assume alk, cal , mag , phos are the most imortant once tank is cycled?

 

the more I read about reefing the more interesting it becomes, so many variables to contend with.

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Constant monitoring (Apex): Temp, PH

Once a week: Calcium (and really, alkalinity, but I ran out of the Alk test kit), Salinity

Once a month: Magnesium, Phosphate (or as needed)

 

If I'm suspicious of an algal bloom or something: Nitrate

 

I'm almost OCD with records so I have daily records of observations and measurements in a Google Docs spreadsheet going back from when I started reefing 2 years ago.

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I've always had my salinity at 1.0235. After reading the article, I'm seriously considering upping it closer to natural levels. Should I? If so, how quickly can this be done safely?

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I would let evaporation increase the specific gravity to the desired level, and then top off your tank with saltwater with the same SG. Once the water level and SG are where you want them, you can resume normal top offs with pure freshwater.

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Salinity, almost every day right now (my levels are quite low so I'm trying to slowly raise it up). Usually once every 4 days.

Temperature- everyday

Nitrites, Ammonia/um- once a week

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  • 2 weeks later...

ALK & Phosphate = weekly.

Cal = monthly

Nitrate = monthly

PH = never

Magnesium = rarely check

Salinity = every water change

ammonia = only during tank cycling. after tank has been cycled, I throw away the this test kit

Nitrite = only during tank cycling. after tank has been cycled, I throw away the this test kit

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NaturalViolence

Temperature: Daily via in-tank thermometer

Calcium: Twice a week

KH: Twice a week

Magnesium: Monthly

Salinity: Monthly

 

PH: Only when I suspect a spike

Ammonia: Only when I suspect a spike

Nitrite: Only when I suspect a spike

Nitrate: Only when I suspect a spike

Phosphate: Only when I suspect a spike

 

Chlorine: Never, I only use RO/DI water

Ozone: Never, I don't have an ozone reactor

Iodine: Never, I don't dose it

Potassium: Never, I don't dose it, plus it's harmless

Copper: Never, I only use RO/DI water

Boron: Never, I don't dose anything with it

Iron: Never, I don't dose it, plus it's harmless

Silica: Never, I only use RO/DI water

Strontium: Never, I don't dose it

Dissolved O2: Never, it will only drop if I have an ammonia spike, which can be detected using cheaper test kits

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