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Water testing


jennifro

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Okay, I know most people say to get the API Saltwater test kit and or the Master Reef test kit. But I feel like I should be testing for more then

-PH

-Ammonia

-Nitrite

-Nitrate

(SW kit)

-Calcium

-Carbonate Hardness

-Phosphate

(MR Kit)

 

I thought I should also do

-Alkalinity

-Phosphate

 

And maybe

-Magnesium

-Iodine

 

I have been reading "The Nano-Reef Handbook" and trying to get this all figured out. The water stuff is sort of over my head. I have been having my LFS test my water but I don't want to rely on them for it. Should I test for Magnesium? The book makes is sound pretty important. I have looked on line I think I am going to order from drsfostersmith. I am not even sure if they sell a test for that. They have everything else except the Alkalinity test. They have it in a different brand but I was planning to stick with all API tests. And what about iodine? The book makes me think I should dose iodine. So that means I need to test for it right?

 

And should I be dosing for other things? My calcium has always been really good but my coralline growth has been very slow so I thought I would start dosing calcium maybe just when I do my weekly water change? I have also had to dose for alkalinity lately too. It was pretty low but is fine now.

 

Is there anything I have listed that is not necessary? Or anything not listed that is? If so please let me know what and why. I do realize that is a pretty long list and I am sure some of it is over kill. I just want to be sure I am doing things right.

 

I have a 6 gal. Nano-cube with stock lights. It has been running since January. This is what I have in it.

 

CUC

-2 nass. snails

-2 astera snails

-1 peppermint shrimp

-2 left handed hermit crabs

-5 sexy shrimp

-countless mini brittle starfish (man the reproduce fast!!!)

Corals

-2 small purple mushroom

-1 small funny looking purple mushroom (not sure what it is... my brother gave it to me, it is really thick and chunky compared to most shrooms I have seen...it closes up and looks like a belly button at night!)

-GSP

-very small red seas xenia

-anthlia (I don't think that is the right spelling... looks kind of like xenia

-small ric

-pipe organ

-ugly polyp on a pretty rock!

( I have 3 shrooms, a frogspawn and a candy cane coral coming next week from ebay! Not everything will go in my tank. Some will go to my mom's house)

 

Wow! For a tank that always looks boring and empty to me that is a long list!

 

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can give me!

 

Here is a FTS The netting was a failed attempt at attaching a mushroom. I am still hoping it will show up in there someplace some day!

post-34856-1211389237_thumb.jpg

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Thanks. I was sort of thinking along those line too but it seem like nobody every really mentions most of those!

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for beginers there is really no need for them. but once u start to dose u will want to keep an eye on them. also ph as it will go up or down when dosing so u will want to watch that also.

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On Drsfostersmith they don't have an API alkalinity test. What is another good brand to use? And the only magnesium test kit I saw was a different brand too and came with other things. Is there a magnesium test kit that come by itself? Or do most people not test for that?

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On Drsfostersmith they don't have an API alkalinity test.

 

Alkalinity and KH are related. I did some searching and from what I found, it appears that KH really measures alkalinity. There is an API test kit for KH and it includes the conversion factor from KH to alkalinity. (17.9) It is included in the Reef Master kit and you can probably find it separately.

 

HTH,

hank

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Great! Thanks! I am hoping to order tonight if I can decide on everything. I hate to pay for shipping so I am hoping to do it all in one shot!

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Hank, is KH carbonate hardness? That is the one test I wasn't sure what it was that came in there.

** Never mind! I actually READ the read more option on the Carbonate Hardness test and it said that right there in it. Thanks for pointing it out. I never would have guessed that. Is there any chance the mag test is called something else too?**

 

 

reefone, what Mag test do you use? I can't find an API one on drsfostersmith. I haven't looked anyplace else yet.

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Hank, is KH carbonate hardness? That is the one test I wasn't sure what it was that came in there.

 

reefone, what Mag test do you use? I can't find an API one on drsfostersmith. I haven't looked anyplace else yet.

 

honestly, i dont dose so i dont test :D sorry i cant be of help on that i only know how it works.

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goodfortune

IMO, the pH, Calcium, Alkalinity (KH), and Nitrate tests are "must haves." I would also highly recommend getting Phosphate and Mg Test Kits. Mg is a good test to have, though IME I used it less often than the Ca or Alk tests.

 

You will probably find that you will not use use the Ammonia and Nitrite tests much (if at all) after cycling. I can't comment on the iodine test, as I've never used one. I also heard that it is good to have a copper test, should you ever have to medicate a fish (in QT of course! :) )

 

As a fall back, you can always take your water to your LFS to have it tested. If you visit there alot, they probably wouldn't mind.

 

HTH

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IMO, the pH, Calcium, Alkalinity (KH), and Nitrate tests are "must haves." I would also highly recommend getting Phosphate and Mg Test Kits. Mg is a good test to have, though IME I used it less often than the Ca or Alk tests.

 

You will probably find that you will not use use the Ammonia and Nitrite tests much (if at all) after cycling. I can't comment on the iodine test, as I've never used one. I also heard that it is good to have a copper test, should you ever have to medicate a fish (in QT of course! :) )

 

As a fall back, you can always take your water to your LFS to have it tested. If you visit there alot, they probably wouldn't mind.

 

HTH

Thanks for all the info. I don't have any fish and don't plan to so I think I will skip the copper. My LFS has been great. They have been doing all my testing since I set my tank up. And the best part about that is that when there have been things that need to be fixed they tell me what to do about it! But I will just go back and talk to them if I get funny results and don't know what to do about it. Or ask here of course! I have been feeling like I have been in this hobby for long enough to feel like I should stop relying on them so much for testing.

 

So do I only need to test for mag. if I am dosing for it? And should I be dosing iodine? These are the last things I need to figure out before I order. Oh that and if I should be giving my tank plankton and if so what kind? I did post for question too.

 

Thanks everyone for all the help!

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if u r going to dose for cal and alk then test for mag. i dont dose iodine and my tanks been running for 2 years just fine.

 

i use coral frenzy instead of phyto.

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Oh yeah I forgot to mention this. I did the math and If you are getting the API Saltwater kit for 17.99 it is a good deal. Everything in it adds up to $21.16. But the API master Reef kit is priced at $25.99. When I added all those things up is only came to $23.46. Not a big difference up still something. At least that is how it was on the site I looked at. Just thought I would share.

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