Dissussion of the Week ~Testing~

[mojoreef]

OK here we go. What do you test your water for? what kind of tests do u use? is thier a difference? what does a mature tank need to be tested for? Are controllers better? How do us do the test correctly. What are the proceedures for doing a correct test?
Who is Habib and will he answer some questions

have fun folks


mike

[MtnDewMan]

For new tanks, I test for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates ... I rarely test for phosphates as they get eaten up as fast as they get in the water and tend to give a false sense of security.

I don't test for Ca or Alk until everything else is stable.

I use a pH controller with a probe to measure pH and calibrate the probe every couple of months.

Now that my tank is more mature, I test for Ca and Alk only. Basically I only test if there is a reason to test. The main reasons being a calcium reactor media change, some other change to the tank like a CO2 tank refill, an effluent line drip problem, etc .... As long as the coral look fine and dandy, that is my first clue to any issues.

If something is looking way out of wack in the tank, I would probably run the suite of tests. So far knocking on wood that I haven't had any crashes to worry about.

What kits do I use? Salifert for everything, I have used other brands but Salifert is easy to use, especially for Ca and Alk with the titration method. I am going to try out Lamotte kits soon to get a comparison.

[Nubytuesday]

I am using fastest.
I test for amonia nitrates & ph
of corse I am just cyling rock
I rinse the vials with tap water & then rinse again with water to be tested.

[Jimbo]

I use salifert for Ca. Dip strips for PH and Alk. Have a PH meter but need a electrode, that will be nice. I saw some ph probes on the internet for $19 but can't find them now. Use a standard swing arm for salinity. Purchased a love temp controller off the internet to control heat, still playing with it.

Future cool equipment, is orp meter/controller, I like the 1/8 din size so will look on ebay for industrial stuff, they can be complicated to program, my temp contoller has over 100 settings. A conductivity meter/contoller. Ph controller and possible selective ion for Ca.

It would be cool to hook a orp controller to a pump so if the orp drops you can run the water through some filter material/carbon or/and or polypads or just turn on a bubbler. Or you can just use some ozone or a uv light until the redox comes up. I don't like the idea of filtering all the time though, takes out alot of food for the filter feeders.

My reeftank is starting to look like Frankenstein's workshop HEHE

Here's a pic of my temp controller, it has two relay outputs and two alarm 120volt outputs. I tried using my thermocouple from my ohm meter, but it goes down when the temp goes up and up when the temp goes down. Have not figured out how to program the thing for a opposite swing.

[Junkzoo]

Currently, i use Salifert,once you get used to using it , you'll love the product line. switching more of the tests as i go along , from Rea Sea to Salifert. been so long since i've have a "new" tank, so now i pretty much test only Calc.,Alk, and PH. i add my needed additives during the day, and i test at night while the lights are still on. i do need to get in the habit of testing the water make up salt water, just to get a idea of what i have as far as parameters. having been on the other side of the "counter" of a LFS for many years. there is a need for water testing,especially for the beginner ie: new tank cycle. if you get the customer into a regime of testing , they tend to buy their own test kits(hopefully good,"fresh" kits).so when trouble or questions start, both parties are in the know. i have to admit,i do not test my tanks as often as i would tell other people to do , i tend to let my so-called experience look at the tank and let that be the judge of water quality. i can also tell you that i have been mildly shocked at tests i have taken of my own tanks at times(high/low params)kinda of a do as i say, not as i do, . check out your LFS on what they use to test , and what they sell, hopefully it's the same brand, if not kindly ask why..another thing if you are a regular customer, watch to see how fast the store goes thru their test kit stock. i used to tell customers, it sits at the manufactors then the wholeseller, then the LFS, then in your house,the older the kit is, the more likelyhood of a kit going "stale" leading to wrong readings and over/under additives, altering the params.IMO, get your kits from a LFS that moves their inventory, or even better a on-line dealer that moves a lot of product, that way you can tend to get a better.fresher test kit.
sorry for the long post,and hope i did not stray to far from the topic.just my hopefully helpful insite on this subject.
PS: it's a real good idea to chart all your tests ,and what you did/added to keep things in line, it''ll sure help in case you have to go back and check things to see what you had to do to correct a off level of something

[Jimbo]

Does anyone have the salifert strontium and/or magnesium test kits. What do you all think of testing for these to elements and adding them when needed. I'm looking to increase coraline growth. I've read that corals utilize strontium in there structure. Any input on that or magnesium use in corals. Anyone test for boron levels ?

Doug turned me on to a cheap source of magnesium, epson salt, magnesium sulfate. 10lbs cost me $4

[Junkzoo]

Originally posted by Jimbo

Doug turned me on to a cheap source of magnesium, epson salt, magnesium sulfate. 10lbs cost me $4

Doug ,,,,share with the class , please,,,,

[UnseenTric]

Here's my advice...
Use Salifert tests if your poor, get Hach kits if you have the cash.
I have used all of the Salifert kits, and I feel that there are only a few you need....the rest are a waste.
The Good Uns'
1. Alk (if you don't have an alk kit yet, well....your wasting a lot of time and money)
2. Ca+ (a must for reef tanks)
3. Nitrate (I've talked with Habib about his Nitrate kit and I think he's going to make a better one--So if you don't have one yet wait it out)
4. pH (Just spend the money on a pH meter, I consider this an "on the fence" kit as far as its usefullness)
5. Mg - To be honest, most people won't agree, but I really like this test kit (Salifert). If I am having trouble with Ca/Alk values I pull this one out.

Waste of money Kits
1. Iodine - You will never get a reading with this kit-- save your money.
2. Phosphate kit is a close second.
3. Nitrite (There's really no need to have this despite what some will say)
4. Srontium - too expensive not to mention unreliable (In my experience with the kit)
5. Copper - Unless your treating a sick fish don't bother with this one.

Take this for what it's worth, By the way I've never used any test kits other than Salifert and Hach.

[galleon]

Hach digital datalogging Spectrophotometer to test for nitrogenous compounds, phosphate, and any kind of hardness you want (calcium, alk, etc.).

[cyberchef]

Originally posted by galleon
Hach digital datalogging Spectrophotometer to test for nitrogenous compounds, phosphate, and any kind of hardness you want (calcium, alk, etc.).

Yes Chris, but what would ou use if you had a personal tank and had to buy something to use as test kits...

[Junkzoo]

cyberchef,,,ummmmmm, good point

[cyberchef]

BTW, I use Hach test kits. I have found them very reliable as well as much easier to read. Thier color change ones work similair to a "pool" test kit which makes it very easy to read the results with. I've tried most of the brands out there and the Hach, so far, have been the best IMHO...

[Jimbo]

Ok if we want to add strontium, if the test kits are worthless, how do we keep from overdosing? Very small dosages?

[UnseenTric]

Jimbo-
Why do you want to add Sr so badly? I have still yet to come across any real data that says "Higher Sr levels increase coral growth". If you do the occasional water change I would think your Sr levels are fine. I am aware that Sr is found in higher* levels in calcifying skeletons compared to that of natural sea water, but that doesn't tell me anything.... Maybe its just that Sr finds the growing Calcium carbonate skeletons to be a really favorable place to be. Case in point, I don't think anyone really knows.... I think a lot of hobbyist say that Sr additions INCREASED coral growth might be from other reasons that they haven't took into consideration, or possibly to justify their purchase for the additive. I do a 5 gallon water change every week on a 90 gallon volume of water, and I think my corals grow pretty fast. Final word, it would be prudent to look elsewhere for solving your "slow" coral growth problem.
Take it for FWIW
Pete

[Jimbo]

Hi Unseen, I've added strontium in the past and it had a direct relation to coraline growth. I have started to add magnesium and that is definitly helping with coraline growth. My montipora are growing like crazy, but some of the other acro's are growing slow. But maybe that's just the way they are. I would suspect a carbonate balance problem other than strontium. Need to give the elevated magnesium levels a chance to see what happens

Looking for a decent pure carbonate/bi-carbonate additive that does not contain a bunch of other salts and additives. It's a good idea to do a couple of small water changes as you mentioned and I may do that this weekend. But only want to change one thing at a time and observe any reactions.