Testing Water Parameters

JammyBirch · 05/17/2016, 01:00 PM

This came up in another post and I thought it would be interesting to see how often water parameters are tested, what is being tested regularly and the experience level or age of the tank.

The poll is a little generic I know, but there are a lot of options..."everything" to you might mean something different than "everything" to someone else...I'm interested in the rigor, or lack there of, of the community.

Post your detailed explanation if you feel inclined, and make sure to add how old the tank is or your experience level.

thegrun · 05/17/2016, 02:12 PM

I test Ca, Mg, alkalinity and salinity weekly, and nitrates and phosphates monthly.

Ron Reefman · 05/18/2016, 02:47 AM

I test Ca, alk and salinity every month and Mg about every 4 months. Nitrates, ammonia and phosphates if something seems wrong. But personally I think testing for phosphates is a fool's errand on my system with a big refugium.

Member No. 1 · 05/18/2016, 03:15 AM

The "Big" Three Ca, Alk, Mg once every 1-2 weeks.
Anything else as I see a need by how the tank looks.

I think that on a new tank, (and by new I mean less than a year old), you need to test more as new tanks seem to fluctuate more as the water chemistry is leveling off. As the tank matures, and the dosing amounts are figured out, be it Ca reactor, 2 Part, or whatever method, it becomes easier to maintain stability, so less testing is required.

I also believe this is where a lot of new hobbyist run into trouble. They test the crap out of the water, are constantly are trying to make changes, and in the long run are only hurting themselves because they can't achieve the stability that the inhabitants need.

Member No. 1 · 05/18/2016, 03:17 AM

The "Big" Three Ca, Alk, Mg once every 1-2 weeks.
My Apex "monitors" conductivity (salinity), pH, ORP
Anything else as I see a need by how the tank looks.

I think that on a new tank, (and by new I mean less than a year old), you need to test more as new tanks seem to fluctuate more as the water chemistry is leveling off. As the tank matures, and the dosing amounts are figured out, be it Ca reactor, 2 Part, or whatever method, it becomes easier to maintain stability, so less testing is required.

I also believe this is where a lot of new hobbyist run into trouble. They test the crap out of the water, are constantly are trying to make changes, and in the long run are only hurting themselves because they can't achieve the stability that the inhabitants need.

gone fishin · 05/18/2016, 04:23 AM

Calcium and alkalinity, salinity weekly

Magnesium and phosphate every two weeks

Nitrate if something looks off.

kmbyrnes · 05/18/2016, 04:34 AM

Ca, Alk, Mg every week or so. My tanks are over a year old now and fairly stable. ATO's ensure salinity, but I still test weekly.
I wouldn't have believed it when I started, but my corals will tell me if something is off.

JammyBirch · 05/18/2016, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmbyrnes

Ca, Alk, Mg every week or so. My tanks are over a year old now and fairly stable. ATO's ensure salinity, but I still test weekly.
I wouldn't have believed it when I started, but my corals will tell me if something is off.

This is where I'm at too, although I don't test Calcium or mag anymore. I can tell by the color, polyp extension (SPS) and inflation (LPS) if my tank is in good shape.

I gave up the phosphate game too, I bought the Hanna checker too which was a waste since the sensitivity is low for the levels we'd be interested in. The phosphorous checker would be better but still not accurate based on the uptake...for me the frequency of cleaning my DT glass is the best gauge I've found.

JammyBirch · 05/18/2016, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Member No. 1

I also believe this is where a lot of new hobbyist run into trouble. They test the crap out of the water, are constantly are trying to make changes, and in the long run are only hurting themselves because they can't achieve the stability that the inhabitants need.

+1 chasing numbers can destroy a tank especially with so many chemical treatments out there you can really get your system out of whack.

Bent · 05/18/2016, 10:17 AM

I test my alk, ca, po4, nitrates and salinity every Sunday. Just so I can see a trend on my spreadsheet. I don't necessarily make any changes weekly. I just like seeing a trend rather than an individual result. If I start seeing an uptick in the po4, I can often get ahead of the problem before I have an algae outbreak. .

Mag I'll test once a month.

cloak · 05/18/2016, 01:07 PM

I usually test my Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium once every month or so. Once I started using kalkwasser in my ATO reservoir the tank really seemed to stabilize. I'll have my LFS test my Nitrates two or three times a year and I've never had my Phosphates checked. There's really no need to put a number on an existing problem IMO. (algae growth)

The tank is a little over 8 years old btw.

View Poll Results: How often are you measuring water parameters and what are you measuring
I measure everything once a week or more	8	34.78%
I measure everything once a month	5	21.74%
I only measure nitrate calcium and alk once a week	5	21.74%
I only measure nitrate calcium and alk once a month	2	8.70%
I only measure parameters when somehting looks wrong	3	13.04%
Voters: 23. You may not vote on this poll

05/17/2016, 01:00 PM	#1
JammyBirch Aquaria Engineering Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Elkland, PA Posts: 1,182	Testing Water Parameters This came up in another post and I thought it would be interesting to see how often water parameters are tested, what is being tested regularly and the experience level or age of the tank. The poll is a little generic I know, but there are a lot of options..."everything" to you might mean something different than "everything" to someone else...I'm interested in the rigor, or lack there of, of the community. Post your detailed explanation if you feel inclined, and make sure to add how old the tank is or your experience level. __________________ 25g cube, split 10g sump with refugium, Jebao RW4, reefbreeder value Livestock adds: Osc Clowns, Royal Gramma, Pygmy Cherub Angel, Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, Serpent Brittle Star Current Tank Info: 25 gallon cube Last edited by JammyBirch; 05/17/2016 at 01:10 PM.

05/18/2016, 02:47 AM	#3
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	I test Ca, alk and salinity every month and Mg about every 4 months. Nitrates, ammonia and phosphates if something seems wrong. But personally I think testing for phosphates is a fool's errand on my system with a big refugium. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

05/18/2016, 03:15 AM	#4
Member No. 1 Ver. 2.1 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rehoboth, MA Posts: 1,803	The "Big" Three Ca, Alk, Mg once every 1-2 weeks. Anything else as I see a need by how the tank looks. I think that on a new tank, (and by new I mean less than a year old), you need to test more as new tanks seem to fluctuate more as the water chemistry is leveling off. As the tank matures, and the dosing amounts are figured out, be it Ca reactor, 2 Part, or whatever method, it becomes easier to maintain stability, so less testing is required. I also believe this is where a lot of new hobbyist run into trouble. They test the crap out of the water, are constantly are trying to make changes, and in the long run are only hurting themselves because they can't achieve the stability that the inhabitants need. __________________ Pete "I never make mistakes... I thought I did once, but I was wrong" Current Tank Info: In the process - http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661614

05/18/2016, 03:17 AM	#5
Member No. 1 Ver. 2.1 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rehoboth, MA Posts: 1,803	The "Big" Three Ca, Alk, Mg once every 1-2 weeks. My Apex "monitors" conductivity (salinity), pH, ORP Anything else as I see a need by how the tank looks. I think that on a new tank, (and by new I mean less than a year old), you need to test more as new tanks seem to fluctuate more as the water chemistry is leveling off. As the tank matures, and the dosing amounts are figured out, be it Ca reactor, 2 Part, or whatever method, it becomes easier to maintain stability, so less testing is required. I also believe this is where a lot of new hobbyist run into trouble. They test the crap out of the water, are constantly are trying to make changes, and in the long run are only hurting themselves because they can't achieve the stability that the inhabitants need. __________________ Pete "I never make mistakes... I thought I did once, but I was wrong" Current Tank Info: In the process - http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661614

05/17/2016, 02:12 PM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	I test Ca, Mg, alkalinity and salinity weekly, and nitrates and phosphates monthly.

05/18/2016, 04:23 AM	#6
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	Calcium and alkalinity, salinity weekly Magnesium and phosphate every two weeks Nitrate if something looks off. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

05/18/2016, 04:34 AM	#7
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	Ca, Alk, Mg every week or so. My tanks are over a year old now and fairly stable. ATO's ensure salinity, but I still test weekly. I wouldn't have believed it when I started, but my corals will tell me if something is off. __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

05/18/2016, 10:17 AM	#10
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	I test my alk, ca, po4, nitrates and salinity every Sunday. Just so I can see a trend on my spreadsheet. I don't necessarily make any changes weekly. I just like seeing a trend rather than an individual result. If I start seeing an uptick in the po4, I can often get ahead of the problem before I have an algae outbreak. . Mag I'll test once a month. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

05/18/2016, 01:07 PM	#11
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	I usually test my Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium once every month or so. Once I started using kalkwasser in my ATO reservoir the tank really seemed to stabilize. I'll have my LFS test my Nitrates two or three times a year and I've never had my Phosphates checked. There's really no need to put a number on an existing problem IMO. (algae growth) The tank is a little over 8 years old btw.