water testing?

[eaglelox]

OK honestly, how long between water tests. when I first started reefing, I tested every 2-3 days, then every week. my parameters have always been good and my tanks are on a set maintance schedule. well I didn't check for two weeks, but everything is still fine. I keep track of all my LFS stock and have not added anything lately. every time it has had a trouble, it was because something died, and I know every critter is alive and the corals look good. I have put this question in a poll so that those inclined to not tell the truth for fear of being reprimanded, can still answer. thanks all.

[TheJ]

every other day, as my tank is very new

[asmith]

I will be honest and admit that I have not tested my tank water in several months. I will probably start testing calcium in the near future since I am starting to move into SPS and Clams, but that is probably all I will do. If I get a bad feeling about something in the tank I will doa water change.

Andrew

[Minnreefer]

We generally don't do a full water test very often, unless something is not look right, I do look at the tank often and check temp very often and salinity often (I love the refractormeter ), when it was just started going we tested almost daily.

Jon

[galleon]

Religiously, every couple of days. Especially Calcium and Alkalinity.
If you saw my logs, you'd think I was obsessive compulsive

[tdwyatt]

Any time there is even the slighest hint of a problem, I start every 3 to 5 day testing, and I also do every 2 weeks water changes of 10%, but unless there is a sign of problems, I generally don't test at all. I think the last time I tested was when I had a polyp die overnight on a torch, but that was about 6 or 7 months ago...

[MontanaRocknReefer]

I believe I have been at this long enough to know the slighest change in my inhabitants behavior and then will usually do a water change. Knowing your fish and inverts habits and personality go along way in determining the health of your critters. JMO Johnny

[Fishaholic]

I am like Johnny I watch my critters but if something even feels out of place, I get out more test tubes and reagents than my wife has in her lab at work. I also test before adding anything other than pickeling lime.

[Carpentersreef]

I stopped regular testing about a year ago. My GOB is the first coral that reacts to poor water conditions, and my clams' growth rings will slow if my CA reactor has become plugged, or my Mg is low. I test before I add or fix most anything. I found regular testing to be monotonous and found myself making mistakes. I do a 10% water change every 1 or 2 weeks. I also notice that if my GOB is expanding poorly, and all water params are fine, an addition of Lugol's Plus will have it expanding fully again the next day.
(not exactly a stellar example of a good scientist, but hey, you asked!)

Mitch

[FishDaddy]

I test occasionally when the Force tells me something isn't just exactly right....such as fish behaviour or corals not opening right. If something is out of whack I continue to test until things are back in order. I do think it is useful to do regular testing during the first year or until the tank is very stable. I do check Salinity at water change time, of course, and more frequently, pH, Ca and Alk just to be sure. I think anyone who keeps SPS or lots of LPS should check these on a regular basis.
Johnny is right that after a while, you learn your animal's habits and personalities and they will tell you if there's something they don't like.
I have a FW 20 Community tank that I haven't tested in 5 years. Bi-weekly 10% water changes is all that it needs. There's a 7 year old Glowlight Tetra and an Apple snail in there that's 6!! Most of the other fish are 3-5 years old!
Dick

[hayday]

fishdaddy-

my 29 gallon cichlid tank has three africans that are seven, five and three years old. all have at least doubled in size, the smallest of the three being four inches. all i do with this tank is monthly water changes and watch & enjoy.

the best part of keeping the tank is the watching, not the fiddling.

-hayday

ps: i check my nitrate levels weekly and do monthly water changes.

[DAN THE MAN]

I check when something seem wrong but while I am at it I'll check all the tanks. I'll admit in the last year and a half I haven't had a good reason but have checked 2 or 3 times just out of couriosity.

[gpohly]

When I started reefing, I checked water every 2-3 days, then once a week once initial cycles finished. As Tom, Mitch, and others have pointed out, you get acustomed to your tank and critters. I use them as a clue, and test when something is "fishy." But, I have an Aqua Controller that gives me daily instant readings on pH, ORP, and salinity, and I am pretty religious about 5-8% weekly water changes w/ supplemented NSW. I also have a calcium reactor and a Kalk reactor for top-off (thanks, Bill-e.)

So, now I only do a full check every couple of months unless something weird happens.