Tracking Tank test levels

[rachyl756]

Does anyone track the results of the tests they run?

I was going to start and since I am only 1 week into this I was wondering what other people do.

My plan ATM was to test every Monday at 8PM (for consistancy) and write everything in a notebook so I can see if things are changing, stabalizing etc. Certain test I was going to do monthly, certain, maybe even less often. Like Copper. My tank has no copper, I see no way for it to get copper, so I was not going to test every week.

I am also not testing Nitrites and Amonia as long as Nitrates are 0-.2 (I have the ite and the ate right, don't I)

And for the new tank thats cycling, I see no reason to test anything besides Amonia until the amonia starts to drop, then start doinging Nitrites and AMonia until A = 0 and Nitrites are dropping, and then start with the Nitrates test.

[Tim224DT]

Well i keep track of all my tests and stuff in Excel, but i also like to keep track of what the levels in my tank are doing. ~Tim~

[skeety]

I have a spreadsheet I use to keep logs of everything. It even builds charts for you. I could send it your way, if you want...but you might have to change things a bit for your own liking. (You'd have to know how to use Excel to do so). Let me know if you want me to post it.

[tdwyatt]

(edit: after several emails about not including nitrogen cycle products, I might point out that the following is what I DO personally for my systems, it is not intended as a guide for people new to the hobby-tdw-04-05-05)

(I am) old school: those cardboard-bound test books work great and don't require the puter to track, although using Excel, etc makes it easy to do graphs, etc. to see trends.

Daily: Temp and salinity and pH


Weekly: Ca and alk, comments about inhabitants, vol water changes, comments on algal growth and need for scraping glass


Monthly: Mg, phosphate maybe (doesn't really tell us much) notes on skimmer function, new inhabitants or acquisitions, new equipment and review on functions, moves between tanks, any pests noticed, any long-term thoughts on system changes, whole tank photos and notes about photos of individual specimens.


I don't always make entries, but anything of disaster proportions I make notes for. I usually end up throwing them in a box somewhere, lost a few when we moved here, but it's prolly in the same box that the first copy of the Stephen Spotte book is, which I have since replaced as I could not locate it either after the move. These are really of use only to help track trends that might have lead to issues for tank problems within a few months of making the notes, although it is neat to look back and see progressions in husbandry and tank development.

[drsyme]

Tom

What about NH3, nitrite, nitrate?

I have been testing them weekly.

[tdwyatt]

Originally Posted by drsyme

Tom

What about NH3, nitrite, nitrate?

I have been testing them weekly.

This is a good thing to do when establishing a new system, or for a while when you are new to the hobby, but after a few months, you begin to be able to read the tank and recognize when there are problems arising with potential systme issues. I personaly only use a low level nitrate test kit, and even then, only once every few moths if then. I use other markers for nitrates like increases in frequency of algal scrapings, presnece of a death in the tank, failure to extend polyps, any loss of coloration of specimens, etc., to give me issues to test for.


I don't recommend this for folks new to the hobby (less than a year or so), but after a few years, you'll get pretty good at being able to tell things from how the skimmate smells, the tank water, coral clippings, growth rates, etc. It's the difference between that first year intern and the guys doing rounds at 15 years.


HTH

[rachyl756]

Originally Posted by tdwyatt

This is a good thing to do when establishing a new system, or for a while when you are new to the hobby, but after a few months, you begin to be able to read the tank and recognize when there are problems arising with potential systme issues. I personaly only use a low level nitrate test kit, and even then, only once every few moths if then. I use other markers for nitrates like increases in frequency of algal scrapings, presnece of a death in the tank, failure to extend polyps, any loss of coloration of specimens, etc., to give me issues to test for.


I don't recommend this for folks new to the hobby (less than a year or so), but after a few years, you'll get pretty good at being able to tell things from how the skimmate smells, the tank water, coral clippings, growth rates, etc. It's the difference between that first year intern and the guys doing rounds at 15 years.


HTH

I totally misread this the first time I read through it to think you receomnded not testing, aka my friend's 'everything looks beautiful why should I test?' --- well it was beautiful until it crashed. Can I say for certain testing would have warned? no ... but maybe.

But yeah I totally agree with the Amonia N02 and NO3, you CAN tell from the tank. Like I am testing Nitrates weekly (low range Salifert test) and I am over due for a water change becasue I was away this weekend. The tank just ... the frog spawn isn't AS extended, the xenia aren't twisting 100% like they normally do. Just itty bitty things. but Nitrates instead of around 0 was around .5

I am not confident enough to skip that test BUT I can easily see how someone with more years under their belt with their tank could.

[drsyme]

Originally Posted by tdwyatt

It's the difference between that first year intern and the guys doing rounds at 15 years.

HTH

The thing is though, medicare pay scales are based essentially on how much time you spend. So the intern that takes 90 minutes, gets paid more than the guy that, because of experience, did the same amount of work in 15 minutes.







It must be the same reason that nuts and bolts for military jets costs thousands of dollars each.

[tdwyatt]

HEH!

I am coming to work at YOUR hospital, here they pay based on the IDC (diagnostic codes) then take a huge chunk off that...


To add to the comments above, I received a little mini storm of emails (not a bad thing, thanks to those of you who sent the mail) pointing out that I should include nitrate, etc in the comments, I have edited the opening to mention that the list is what I DO PERSONALLY, NOT NECESSARILY WHAT I RECOMMEND to others for their testing regimen, although most folks after a few years CAN read their tanks pretty well. This is not to lessen the need for regular monitoring of the tank, only that some of the levels of less-than-immediate impact can be determined by non-test visual and other signs if you know what to look for.


You'll notice that Temp and Salinity and pH are the items I check on a daily basis, actually, every time I walk through the room, as these are the parameters that will have the most immediate impact on the welfare of the systems.


Again, thanks for all the email reminders

[Smo]

I keep track of all my weekly tests and a maintenance log by the use of a free little proggie called Aqualog.

Get it here ---> http://www.joejaworski.com/aqualog/

[wharyat]

I write everything down on my TRT calander, fish, equip, coral purchases; and all my test results. Also log my water changes.