What Should I Be Testing / Adding

[strikeratt]

So I've had my tank set up for almost a year, about 1 month shy. It's doing pretty well, couple things die off here and there but mainly crabs / snails which I hear you should replace every 3 or so months anyways. Anyways I added a couple of Mushrooms and a Softy Coral (I think, it was given to me) and was wondering if I should test anything else besides these things:

PH
ALK
Calcium
Phosphate
Nitrate
Nitrite
Ammonia

Anything else with corals and such that I should be testing for? Also if so what are some accurate tests.

As for adding chems, which should I add to achieve normal coral growth? Again, what are some good ones and if possible maybe some DIY ones to stay on the cheap side.

Any info you need just ask. Also a little detail to why I should be buying / doing things would help too

[shifty51008]

for soft corals only, just need to test for pH ammonia, nitrates, and phosphates. weekly water changes will solve the rest.

[neoalchemist74]

At this point you can stop testing for ammonia and nitrite.(unless something goes wrong).
You should be probably be testing for magnesium if your trying to maintain proper calcium and moving torwards full reef. Proper mag cal and alk is a bit of a balancing act that must be maintained for stonie corals. Salifert test are decent.mag should be beetween 1350 and 1500 ppm.

[neoalchemist74]

Originally Posted by shifty51008

for soft corals only, just need to test for ph ammonia, nitrates, and phosphates. Weekly water changes will solve the rest.

+1

[tkeracer619]

You only need to check

-Nitrates
-dKH
-Ca
-Mg
-Po4

Phosphate test kits are hardly useful as anything that shows up on them is too much. A hanna meter will give you real info but is still useless if you have hair algae growth or another fast growing algae. Algae growth rates are a better indication of your real phosphate levels. More algae = more phosphates. If you have an algae problem you also have a phosphate problem.