Water testing

[fastuno]

I am a newbie doing some research & am interested to know how often you guys test your systems and what it is you test for & with.

 

I plan to have the following:

-39gal

-CustomSeaLife 2x65 PowerCompact 10k/Actinic with integrated moonlights

-Ebo Jagger 100W heater

-Prizm skimmer (maybe- depends on how badly needed)

-60LBS LR, 2" LS

-clean-up crew

-percula clown, hawk, gobby

-corals tbd

 

I was planning on doing 10gal of water change per week religiously. Will this guarantee me a stable system, with minimal ammonia/nitrates/nitrites? I read an article in here that stated that as long as you do water changs you eliminate the bad & bring in the good. Suggestion is that not even calcium needs to be added. How true is this?

 

 

With the weekly water changes I would only check for Salinity & PH & not worry too much about calcium. Is this a big mistake, that is why I am asking before making this potential blunder.

 

 

PS check out some of my aquarium shots at

http://www.pbase.com/fastuno

[seabass]

Until your tank starts consuming more calcium (corals, coralline, snails…) you can get by without dosing it (water changes will replenish buffers and elements while removing wastes). Remember - do not dose anything that a test kit hasn’t indicated that you need. Eventually, your tank might consume more calcium than weekly water changes can replenish.

 

I like to test about once a week or whenever I’m concerned that something might be wrong. In the beginning you’ll be testing primarily for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. As time moves on you’ll be testing for calcium and alkalinity.

 

Whenever you add livestock to an immature tank, you’ll be testing more than once a week. When months go by without seeing ammonia or nitrite (even through deaths or adding livestock) you’ll know that your tank is relatively stable and you might not have to test quite so often. However, you should continue to test all of your levels on a regular basis.

 

For a mature tank, I always test salinity when I do a water change. Check the temperature everyday. Spot checks should be done on pH and nitrate. You typically don’t have to test a mature tank for ammonia every week, but I’ll test if there is a death or things are not looking right.

[fastuno]

Good to know, much thanks.

I know what to do if ph, salinity, temperature, or calcium is out of range, but what do you do about nitrates & nitrites. I hear there is no real way to alleviate those byproducts. The only realistic way is through water changes.

 

If this is the case, then we are pretty much back to square one, in which ultimately what we will be concerned with is the following:

1) water temp

2) salinity

3) PH

 

secondly:

4) Calcium (added as a result of your feedback)

5) Ammonia (added, but what to do about if too high?)

6) Nitrates (added, but what to do about if too high?)

7) Nitrites (added, but what to do about if too high?)

[seabass]

Nitrites should always be zero (except when establishing your cycle), but nitrates can be as high as 10ppm. Yes water changes will remove nitrates from your system; however you can assist by adding a skimmer which can remove organics from the water before they are broken down by your biological filter (a refugium can also be used).

 

Water changes might be enough to keep your nitrates in check, but might not be enough to replenish consumed calcium; you’ll have to wait and see. Good luck.

[fastuno]

Lets just say that you went away for a 2 days & when you came back you notice one of your fish has died. This death has caused high levels of ammonia, nitrate, & nitrites. After taking the readings & verifying this what do you do next? How to eliminate them? Is it only through water changes, or do you add a certain substance (for instance Kent Marine Nitrate Sponge).

 

Just want to know what real practice dictates.

 

 

 

Thanks

[NanoAmyDee]

Do water changes first. And do them to a more severe degree than you usually will do, like a 50% water change, then another 50% water change a few days later. That should be more than sufficient. If it doesn't help then you can use something else. But always try for the natural way first.

[seabass]

fastuno, I keep a bottle of Seachem Prime around for such cases. Prime detoxifies ammonia and nitrite; along with water changes, Prime can reduce the stress quickly.

[fastuno]

Ahhhh, good to know, thanks.

I hear there are substitues that are cheap for changing things such as ph (i think it was 50% baking powder & 50% baking soda diluted in water when ph is too acidic....or something like that), do you guys know of any of these substitues. What would be a regular household product that can serve as a substitute for calcium additions?

 

Also, what kind of salt do you guys recommend to buy. Obviously I would want something cheap, but at the same time sufficient enough to maintain all necessary elements. Are all those salt mixtures the same, only difference is prices?

 

 

Can't wait to set my tank up, thanks for getting me excited!!!!!!