NEED to measure alk, calcium & phoshate now??

chuckdallas · 10/27/2010, 12:45 PM

If I have fish (see sig line below), a Carpet Anemone, a BTA, 2 gorgonians, a Red General Star and the CUC (hermits, snails, sand star, horseshoe crab), do I need to be measuring the alkalinity, the calcium, the phosphate and magnesium levels yet? In 3-4 months, I will get 3-4 soft corals or a friend has offered me some free pulsing xenia, some green trumpet or some orange Montipora Capricornis but that's a ways off. What I'm worried about is the Nems.

njudson · 10/27/2010, 01:06 PM

Yes I would recommend full testing including the parameters you mentioned. You have some very sensitive livestock. Definitely test Alk and Calcium at a minimum. is this a new tank? In addition to the stuff you mentioned testing you should really test your salinity with a refractometer.

greggnyce · 10/27/2010, 01:22 PM

All of your cuc need calcium for their shells, you can get away with higher Nitrates and Phosphates with nems and softies. I nthe end if you plan on adding corals, familarizing yourself with the test kits would be useful.

steelhead77 · 10/27/2010, 01:55 PM

Of those you list, phosphate is the only one I would worry about at this time. Even that, if you don't have a bad algae outbreak, I wouldn't worry about it. Anemones don't care about alk, cal or mag, neither does the cuc. Regular 20% water changes will take care of any of those requirements. I have a 180 and I have never tested mag. I didn't start testing for cal or alk until I was well over a year into this hobby.

With all of that said, it won't hurt to test for any of those things, however what are you going to do with the info? With your livestock, you won't need to dose, just keep up on the water changes and enjoy your tank.

jeff@zina.com · 10/27/2010, 02:02 PM

Bottom line is that if you don't test, you have no idea how it's doing. If that works for you, then there's no need to test.

Jeff

10/27/2010, 12:45 PM	#1
chuckdallas Tank Tinkerer Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Posts: 937	NEED to measure alk, calcium & phoshate now?? If I have fish (see sig line below), a Carpet Anemone, a BTA, 2 gorgonians, a Red General Star and the CUC (hermits, snails, sand star, horseshoe crab), do I need to be measuring the alkalinity, the calcium, the phosphate and magnesium levels yet? In 3-4 months, I will get 3-4 soft corals or a friend has offered me some free pulsing xenia, some green trumpet or some orange Montipora Capricornis but that's a ways off. What I'm worried about is the Nems. __________________ Lots of equipment left over from the 140 gallon tank teardown. Oct 21st was a sad day. Wife said I would have to get a new wife to get a new tank. I'm sure gonna miss the wife. Current Tank Info: No tank, no fish, no coral :(

10/27/2010, 01:06 PM	#2
njudson Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 610	Yes I would recommend full testing including the parameters you mentioned. You have some very sensitive livestock. Definitely test Alk and Calcium at a minimum. is this a new tank? In addition to the stuff you mentioned testing you should really test your salinity with a refractometer. __________________ Barebottom Nano Radion Pro Icecap 1k Gyre Icecap K1 Nano Skimmer Ocellaris pair / Potter's Angel / BTAs, Zoas and Montis Current Tank Info: IM Nuvo Fusion Lagoon 25

10/27/2010, 01:22 PM	#3
greggnyce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellport, New York Posts: 1,782	All of your cuc need calcium for their shells, you can get away with higher Nitrates and Phosphates with nems and softies. I nthe end if you plan on adding corals, familarizing yourself with the test kits would be useful. __________________ What you talkin about Mrs Lime. Current Tank Info: 120 gl oceanic tech, 30 gallon fuge, 40 gallon sump, Itech 200 skimmer, LED Lighting . Mixed reef.

10/27/2010, 01:55 PM	#4
steelhead77 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Albany, Oregon Posts: 1,117	Of those you list, phosphate is the only one I would worry about at this time. Even that, if you don't have a bad algae outbreak, I wouldn't worry about it. Anemones don't care about alk, cal or mag, neither does the cuc. Regular 20% water changes will take care of any of those requirements. I have a 180 and I have never tested mag. I didn't start testing for cal or alk until I was well over a year into this hobby. With all of that said, it won't hurt to test for any of those things, however what are you going to do with the info? With your livestock, you won't need to dose, just keep up on the water changes and enjoy your tank. __________________ This really isn't rocket science - it's more like marine biology. Current tank info: 180 gallon AGA, 40 gallon custom sump, AquaC EV240 skimmer, PM calc reactor, 3x 250w DIY MH, PCI CL-650 Chiller, 2x Koralia 4's, 2x Koralia 2's

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10/27/2010, 02:02 PM	#5
jeff@zina.com Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 3,345	Bottom line is that if you don't test, you have no idea how it's doing. If that works for you, then there's no need to test. Jeff