Test kits

[umax5555]

I have the API saltwater master test kit. What other test's should I be performing? I have zoas, acans and such and there not looking as good as they should. Salinity is spot on so is nitrates, nitrites and ammonia. Thanks

[Hig789]

How long has the tank been running? You do not need to test for nitrite or ammonia after your cycle is finished. API kits aren't known for their accuracy. I used a combo of Hanna checkers and Red Sea. Regular testing for Alk and cal I do with the Hanna checkers unless i get a weird reading with one, then I double check it with the Red Sea. Salifert for nitrates. Hanna for phosphates. What are you using to measure your salinity?

[Bingo1213]

I would test calcium and alkalinity too those can really jack up a tank if they are off!

[seabass]

So you're testing pH, ammonia, nitrite, & nitrate. In general, pH shouldn't be an issue unless you are dosing something that affects it, or you have a CO2 problem (it's good to use a pH test to identify CO2 issues). You normally don't want to chase pH; alkalinity is a better test to run. Stability is the goal. Maintain alkalinity at the level of your newly mixed saltwater. If you don't like the alkalinity level of your salt mix, slowly switch mixes, then keep it stable.

 

Ammonia shouldn't change after your tank has cycled, but it's good to have an ammonia test kit around if there's a problem (like if you have a death in your tank, you disturb the substrate, make changes to the bio-filter, etc). Nitrite is the same, but I'd argue that this test is never needed. Nitrite generally isn't toxic in a marine system (the presence of ammonia is what you should be concerned with).

 

So, after the cycle, nitrate is the only included kit that is of use. What do you consider spot on? Undetectable amounts? In a mature reef tank, ultra low nutrient levels are usually the result of carbon dosing (which requires special considerations). For the corals you mention, low levels of nitrate can be beneficial. Same goes for phosphate; a level between 0.01 and 0.03 is better than no phosphate at all. If phosphate goes too high, you normally start to have algae problems. Note that API's phosphate kit goes up in 0.25 ppm increments, so it's worthless to use for a reef tank.

 

As far as test kits when you have some stony coral, you'll need nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity, and calcium. Once you have to dose due to consumption of elements, you'll also have to monitor magnesium. Again, when dosing, stability is the goal (not high levels).

 

So what you don't mention is anything that might be causing your tank's problems. Do you dose anything? Do you perform regular water changes? Do you use media which can affect levels (like GFO)? How much flow does your tank have? What kind of lighting? What's the temperature range? Do you feed your tank (or target feed any coral)? Do you quarantine new livestock? Have you noticed any pests? Are you experiencing any algae blooms, Cyano, Dinos, etc?

[umax5555]

Tanks been up and running for app. 8 months. Looked great up until a few weeks ago. I measure the salinity with a refractometer from BRS. I re callibrated it just in case but it was spot on. No gfo or carbon. I use a Sicce return pump that's app 530 gph, 2 Hydor 565's Kessil 360w at top output is set to 40%. The lighting runs app. 7 hours starts at zero app. 1 pm hits max light at app. 3 pm then tapers off at 8 pm temp is between 78-78.5. I added 2 fish app. 5 months ago their doing great. I also have 3 snails. I do feed the tank with Oyster feast app twice a week just a couple of drops and a powder coral feed that I mix with water and target feed. I do feed the fish every day. No pests that I can see, no algae blooms. In the sump I'm running a Reef Octopus skimmer. Water change of 5 gallons every Saturday and filter sock change. The tank is a Red Sea reefer 170 app 43 gallons.

 

Thanks

[seabass]

So what's the nitrate level? Start testing phosphate. Nutrient levels (especially phosphate) can sometimes get out of control when feeding a tank or even spot feeding coral.

 

Sometimes, when you are having problems, it can be justified to increase the volume of your water changes (as a precaution). And depending on the levels, it might be beneficial to run some chemical media to help control DOCs and nutrients in the water.

 

Start checking alkalinity and calcium. Then test a newly mixed batch of saltwater to compare against your tank water (this will give you an idea about element consumption). If the levels differ very much, you should consider two part dosing. When dosing alkalinity and/or calcium, you must also monitor/dose magnesium.

 

Can you post pictures of when your tank when it looked better, as well as how it looks like now (so we get a better idea about what's going on)? If you don't have older pics, current photos might still help.