How often...

t5Nitro · 09/16/2006, 08:36 PM

Are you guys checking your water parameters? Should I do this once a week? Every day? Every other day?
Thanks!

jmac4978 · 09/16/2006, 08:40 PM

I usually do a daily visual inspection of the corals and such for anything that may look clue me into a problem. If I see something, I'll test and take corrective action. Otherwise, I test weekly right before I do a water change.

Copacetic · 09/16/2006, 08:44 PM

I did it every day when I first started my tank. After that, I do exactly as jmac4978 does. I also check weekly before my WC.
-Raz

wigo · 09/16/2006, 08:54 PM

I check about every 3rd day.

t5Nitro · 09/16/2006, 09:09 PM

Ok, thanks!

imtheonlylp · 09/16/2006, 09:11 PM

i started keeping a log book too, nothing fancy just a desktop calendar book i got for christmas last year..lol...just so i can look back and see my progress and keep in check how often i do water changes and what the paramaters were at that time...

lilprincess · 09/16/2006, 09:53 PM

On a new setup, I checked daily for approx. the first month and a half, keeping a daily log. Assuming it's stable after that, a visual check daily and testing param's weekly.

t5Nitro · 09/16/2006, 10:39 PM

Ok, thanks, tank has been running for 5 weeks going on 6 weeks I think.

jay24k · 09/16/2006, 10:52 PM

Once I have my settings in dial, I check once a month unless something looks hokey.

serpentman · 09/16/2006, 10:58 PM

Same as everyone else. However, I check Calcium and Alk 1x a week. I also monitor pH and Temp electronically.

jjmg · 09/16/2006, 11:07 PM

After testing my calc and alk out weekly for a couple of months--I hate to admit that it is now a semi-annual thing if I remember and the numbers are right on. I no longer own a nitrite, nitrate or ammonia kit. Once you learn to watch your tank you will know what is low or high and correct for it. If things go fubar you start testing. I've never had it happen.

I also do 15 to 20% water changes weekly so that helps keep things in check.

Sk8r · 09/16/2006, 11:14 PM

I advise daily for the first 6 months of your tank's existence: by then you'll know your tank well enough to 'read' the corals and fish for behavior and make educated guesses about what's going on as routine. Second reason: a new tank is NOT predictible unless you know more about the variables than you tend to know when you're starting out, so when it does chemical gymnastics, a daily test routine will get your atop the disaster, and well able to head trouble off before it kills something. If the majority of new reefers did this, there'd be far fewer anguished posts about losing fish and having water quality issues.

drummereef · 09/16/2006, 11:56 PM

Alk/Calcium at least once a week.

flinka · 09/17/2006, 04:30 AM

Now that my tanks are established - weekly pH, alk & nitrates

JR719 · 09/17/2006, 04:39 AM

Weekly before water changes. I used to to check every day to every other day. Now that Everything seems to be stable, I just check before change. When something does not look right, I check.

jay24k · 09/17/2006, 07:36 AM

I disagree on reading your tank. While you can see issues that are night and day, it is impossible to tell if your alk dropped rom 10 to 5.6. Also, I don't see how you can tell if your calcium drops from 400 to 330 which is fairly low. That is why I test once a month. Been a few times where my alk dropped to 5.6 without any issues and calcium down to 320. No color loss, polyp extension change, xenia doesn't care, no corraline loss was noticed at all.

Granted those numbers aren't horrible but I wouldn't recommend to constantly run it at those levels. By the time you do notice anything, it can take awhile to reverse any damage.

Tang_Cool · 09/17/2006, 07:38 AM

When I started my tank I checked daily for the first 6 weeks, then once a week after water changes

scott30si · 09/17/2006, 05:47 PM

once a week

09/16/2006, 08:36 PM	#1
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	How often... Are you guys checking your water parameters? Should I do this once a week? Every day? Every other day? Thanks! __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

09/16/2006, 08:40 PM	#2
jmac4978 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Lancaster, PA Posts: 117	I usually do a daily visual inspection of the corals and such for anything that may look clue me into a problem. If I see something, I'll test and take corrective action. Otherwise, I test weekly right before I do a water change. __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: 55G FOWLR; 10G Mixed; 5.5G Nano

09/16/2006, 09:09 PM	#5
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	Ok, thanks! __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

09/16/2006, 09:11 PM	#6
imtheonlylp Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Columbus, Ga Posts: 465	i started keeping a log book too, nothing fancy just a desktop calendar book i got for christmas last year..lol...just so i can look back and see my progress and keep in check how often i do water changes and what the paramaters were at that time... __________________ "Tomorrow is the only day that appeals to a lazy man" - Jimmy Lyons Current Tank Info: 75g glass, 20g sump/refugium, QueenTS200, CA2300 return pump, (2) AquaClear4000 powerheads

09/16/2006, 09:53 PM	#7
lilprincess Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Mukilteo, WA Posts: 256	On a new setup, I checked daily for approx. the first month and a half, keeping a daily log. Assuming it's stable after that, a visual check daily and testing param's weekly. __________________ Valerie "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure." -Colin Powel Current Tank Info: 29g Nano & 46g

09/16/2006, 08:44 PM	#3
Copacetic Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 234	I did it every day when I first started my tank. After that, I do exactly as jmac4978 does. I also check weekly before my WC. -Raz

09/16/2006, 08:54 PM	#4
wigo Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Spotsylvania, VA Posts: 223	I check about every 3rd day.

09/16/2006, 10:39 PM	#8
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	Ok, thanks, tank has been running for 5 weeks going on 6 weeks I think. __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

09/16/2006, 10:52 PM	#9
jay24k Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Leesburg, Florida Posts: 6,546	Once I have my settings in dial, I check once a month unless something looks hokey.

09/16/2006, 10:58 PM	#10
serpentman part time superhero Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Deep in the Heart of the Snowbelt (NE OHIO) Posts: 5,698	Same as everyone else. However, I check Calcium and Alk 1x a week. I also monitor pH and Temp electronically. __________________ BS in Marine Bio ('96), First SW tank in 1992. Current Tank(s) 300g SPS with 90g frag tank and 40 anemone tank - decommissioned 46g LPS/Softy Cube 300g FOWLR under construction - decommissioned

09/16/2006, 11:07 PM	#11
jjmg Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Pensacola, Fl Posts: 1,897	After testing my calc and alk out weekly for a couple of months--I hate to admit that it is now a semi-annual thing if I remember and the numbers are right on. I no longer own a nitrite, nitrate or ammonia kit. Once you learn to watch your tank you will know what is low or high and correct for it. If things go fubar you start testing. I've never had it happen. I also do 15 to 20% water changes weekly so that helps keep things in check.

09/16/2006, 11:14 PM	#12
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I advise daily for the first 6 months of your tank's existence: by then you'll know your tank well enough to 'read' the corals and fish for behavior and make educated guesses about what's going on as routine. Second reason: a new tank is NOT predictible unless you know more about the variables than you tend to know when you're starting out, so when it does chemical gymnastics, a daily test routine will get your atop the disaster, and well able to head trouble off before it kills something. If the majority of new reefers did this, there'd be far fewer anguished posts about losing fish and having water quality issues. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/16/2006, 11:56 PM	#13
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Alk/Calcium at least once a week. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

09/17/2006, 04:30 AM	#14
flinka Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 149	Now that my tanks are established - weekly pH, alk & nitrates

09/17/2006, 04:39 AM	#15
JR719 Tang Cop Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: OK Posts: 2,240	Weekly before water changes. I used to to check every day to every other day. Now that Everything seems to be stable, I just check before change. When something does not look right, I check. __________________ Can't sleep, clowns will eat me. America is the most grandiose experiment the world has seen, but, I am afraid, it is not going to be a success. Sigmund Freud Current Tank Info: 300 reef, Aqua controller, Deltec calcium reactor, Reeflo 250 skimmer, Icecap bla bla bla

09/17/2006, 07:36 AM	#16
jay24k Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Leesburg, Florida Posts: 6,546	I disagree on reading your tank. While you can see issues that are night and day, it is impossible to tell if your alk dropped rom 10 to 5.6. Also, I don't see how you can tell if your calcium drops from 400 to 330 which is fairly low. That is why I test once a month. Been a few times where my alk dropped to 5.6 without any issues and calcium down to 320. No color loss, polyp extension change, xenia doesn't care, no corraline loss was noticed at all. Granted those numbers aren't horrible but I wouldn't recommend to constantly run it at those levels. By the time you do notice anything, it can take awhile to reverse any damage.

09/17/2006, 07:38 AM	#17
Tang_Cool Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 106	When I started my tank I checked daily for the first 6 weeks, then once a week after water changes

09/17/2006, 05:47 PM	#18
scott30si Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Marcos, CA. Posts: 9	once a week