Testing Para's

[nosm]

Well Im looking to get all my test kits ready for when I get my pico up and running....

 

What Brands do you all recommend?

 

What tests are essential, what are addtional good ones to do, which are really not all that necessary? - the tank will mainly be soft corals, one or two lps and maybe possible one sps {it's only a 8l tank}.

 

With regards to testing phosphate, is it best spending the extra pennies on a high sensitivity kit like the D-D one?

 

Also is it the norm to use a Refractometer, as this looks like it will be easier to use than a hydrometer in such a small space.

[lakshwadeep]

Initially, you need ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to monitor the cycle. pH is helpful, but it can cause a lot of grief for those who worry too much about "perfect numbers". Later on, if you will be having many hard corals, calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium are useful. Phosphate is probably the other most common test, but since you're usually aiming for as low a level as possible, testing isn't going to help much.

 

API (aquarium pharmaceuticals inc) is good for basic things like the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate. Higher end manufacturers include Salifert, Lamotte, and Elos. For phosphate, it is a good idea to get an accurate test since the recommended range is so small; you might want to check out electronic tests like colorimeters (Hanna is a common choice) since they can distinguish colors better than the naked eye.

 

Salinity/specific gravity is best measured with a glass hydrometer (swing-arms vary in accuracy), refractometer, or salinity/conductivity meter. Whatever you choose, it's important to calibrate it.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php

[under the sea]

with a pico, you need to be very careful with maintainance, do weekly water changes which will replenish all the trace elements you need and keep nitrates in check. if your source water is clean (ro/di) and you don't overfeed/overstock you shouldn't have to worry about phosphates.if your running a simple HOB power filter make sure you replace/clean the cartridge every 4-5 days.

[brandon429]

when it came down to it the only test items ever needed for me was a nitrate test kit to know when to set water change regimens for the particular tank, a swingarm hydrometer, and a little glass thermometer electrical taped to the end of a piece of 12 gauge speaker wire. no other items in 10 yrs

 

here's the rube goldberg:

 

keeping change water handy is key to not becoming lazy or inattentive throughout the life of a pico reef, not just in the initial phases of good attention imo. so for me that meant having a 5 gallon container sitting ready with change water at room temp, uncapped of course. as I used it up and it went lower in the container, id hang the temp down into it and bend the speaker wire to hang on top so it wouldn't fall in. sit for three mins, take a reading, if the water was between 73 and 80 I would dump it in at water change time. my picos were a gallon so thats five changes per bottle, a months worth.

 

in the summers it got used to warmer change water, and in the winters the 73 didn't hurt anything, if it was lower Id set the container in a warm sink for 3 mins to bring it up to 73-80 then dump some in. my pico heater would raise it all to 78 in 5 mins anyway if 73ish... the pico adjusted to all that.

 

the swingarm never did me wrong, I'll never buy a refract simply because swingarms arent notoriously inconsistent, they just aren't tuned exactly to the readout of a refract. if your swingarm happens to be .001 off at least your sg is always the same reading when you set it, so that consistency is why things adapt. I don't need refracts but in highly technical work of course its a great invest. there may be easier ways of reefing or typing forum posts, but i dunno any.