Chromis Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 What do you guys test for? Everything I read says something a little different. Obviously pH salinity ammonia nitrite salinity what else? Link to comment
Guest AbSoluTc Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 There are basic rules to this hobby regarding this. I will break it down very simply. New Tank Setups - Ammonia Nitrates Ph Salinity Calcium After Tank Setup - Cycle Over PH Nitrates Calcium Salinity 6 moth and older Salinity Calcium That is basically the jist of it . You mileage may vary. Once you get "seasoned" you know what and what not to check for. You can see how things are behaving and go - oooh, thats not doing good, lets see. Stuff like that. Then you have "Die Hards" that check everything at least 2x's a week. IMO - a waste. Im sure others have something to add. (Edited by AbSoluTc at 11:33 pm on June 24, 2002) Link to comment
cowfishlover Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 I'm sorry. I can't remember my question. Something on this page has me captivated. Uhhhhh. Oh ya, how big are your... um, tanks and how much and how often do you change water. Link to comment
Lunchbucket Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 me i test for nothing weekly. i know what dose of calcium and alk to add an test only maybe monthly to make sure i am still on. just test water changes for salinity. a tank that is older like mine should be fine for everything and i know how it reacts to food etc. so just test alk and calcium. Lunchbucket Link to comment
Dave ESPI Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 I test the fish ability to hide ... I stick a net in the tank every week or 3 and see how hard it is to catch them. If they can react faster than 3 seconds then I pass them.... as ,far as water.. I test once a week to once a month depending on the tank and volume ow watercahnges and depending on tank conditions..... CA Iodine, Phosphates, Magnezium, Borate, Hardness, and sperm count ............Umm wrong test oops..... Link to comment
leaky Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 When my 10 gallon tank was new I tested for Temperature,nitrite,nitrate,ammonia,phosphate,silicate,and ph. After a few tests, I decided not to test: phosphates, and silicates --because obviously the water source is the same and therefore there is no problem just as long as the water source stays the same.... tap water thru DI unit Ph - because I use the same salt as I always use, and do the same water changes as always and the ph will always be the same if i continue doing the same thing. After 6 months the only tests I do is: Calcium every now and then(once a month) Salinity almost every other day(quick and easy and important) Temperature everyday twice a day... However: When I sense something is different about my tank, weather it be a little brown algae on the sandbed, corals are all shrivelled up, or a death, like a crab or fish(it does happen), caraline algae is beginning to turn white a bit, a shrimp molted, or even just because that day I am in a strange mood that everythings wrong with everything, Then I test for everything, then do a water change(2 gallons) right away even if I find nothing wrong...... Thats it..... (Edited by leaky at 1:57 pm on June 25, 2002) Link to comment
Paul G Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 S.G pH Calcium Alkalinity Nitrite Nitrate Phosphate Link to comment
Kapelakin Posted June 26, 2002 Share Posted June 26, 2002 I don't test that often unless I see something wrong, because I don't like the micromanagment approach to reefing. The test kits I have, and use occasionally, are: Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate pH Calcium Alkalinity Once the tank's a few months older, I won't be using the first two unless something seems wrong. I'll probably get an Iodine test kit as well if I decide to start dosing Iodine. Link to comment
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