Is this normal? or am I lucky?

[SnowManSnow]

Hey guys,

I thought to myself this morning..

"Self, when was the last time you tested your aquarium water for ANYTHING?"

I realized that I've not tested for ANYTHING in some time... To the best of my recolection I've only run a few tests in the entire 12mo life of my reef aquarium. Oddly enough I've never lost a coral or invert (barring a few snails and hermits), and only 1 fish (sick from the start) and 1 cleaner shrimp (died in a tragic molting accident).

The only thing I add is B-Ionic for a few days following water changes, which I do every other week... 5g change from a 37g tank.

Am I lucky? I know I'm not just good, cause I've not been in it long nuff to be good...NE one else have such success coupled with such negligence?

B.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't test very often, I depend more on how my critters are doing to let me know if something is out of whack.

I think people get too caught up in having the perfect numbers, and they test test test test. Testing to see when the cycle ends makes sense, but most people use the results of those tests to tweak things, when IMO, they would be better off just leaving it alone.

 

[Len]

If you're patient and did your research, I wouldn't consider it luck. Normally, I test regularly for the first 6 months or so, and after then I'll run tests every half year (or more) or when something doesn't look right.

 

[Ben1]

My 150 doesnt get any test done unless I think something looks out of wack. My 40 gets ALK/CA test done every week or more. I try to keep my CA/ALk levels stable at high levels. 450 PPM and 3.5 meg/l. I need to add alot everyday to maintan those levels even wioth the kalkreactor and dont want to over do it.

The 40 has been up for less then two months now so once I have that down pat I wont need so much testing. P04 and Nitrate never get tested as they always have the same 0 readings in both my tanks, I do have all the salifert kits though.

Mg gets tested maybe every 4-6 months when I feel like it.

 

[Anonymous]

Yah like rich said, I let my inhabitance do the talking for me, granted I do test for calcium occasionally, but other things like nitrates? alk? pH? nah, if I notice a particular coral not opening up (say all my zoos are closed) then I'll test.

 

[m-fine]

I test in the first few months to know when the amonia/nitrate cycle is done. Then on a tank with a calcium reactor, the only things I check regulary are the temperature and salinity. If your still dosing Kalkwasser, you need to watch calcium and alk and PH levels a bit more

As others have said, looking through the glass will tell you more then any test kit, and I also believe that most problems are made worse by ham fisted intervention. Maintain good bio-diversity and they will maintain the water for you.

mfine

 

[mike90]

Ben,
What kind of test do you recommend for the ALK/CAL?

 

[Ben1]

I love the salifert kits, they are affordable but very accurate as far as test kits go. I also think they are easy to read as they reading is based apon how much solution is left in the dropper not a specific color chart.

I wouldnt ever use some kits like red sea.

 

[Anonymous]

I test twice a year or so.

 

[dadstank]

so i guess my girlfriend is right, i am testing to much... i test at least once a week, some times twice a week. i guess i liked the satisfaction of seeing it through some simple form that told me everything was alright. i seem to always finding myself doubting my abilities to maintain this tank. i feel this way because since i have taken this tank over from my father, i have lost two corals, and three fish. granted the tank was ignored while it was still in my mother's house, and all this is still new to me, but now that i have it here (going on three weeks), i have become the super fish tank freak...

On another thought....
How often should i be adding calcium if i don't have a calcium reactor? i have been showing readings ranging from 345-410-375 just tested!=)

i guess a better question is how long, and how does it get absorbed?

I have some other questions that i will post when i get the time....

 

[Anonymous]

so i guess my girlfriend is right, i am testing to much... i test at least once a week, some times twice a week. i guess i liked the satisfaction of seeing it through some simple form that told me everything was alright. i seem to always finding myself doubting my abilities to maintain this tank. i feel this way because since i have taken this tank over from my father, i have lost two corals, and three fish. granted the tank was ignored while it was still in my mother's house, and all this is still new to me, but now that i have it here (going on three weeks), i have become the super fish tank freak...

On another thought....
How often should i be adding calcium if i don't have a calcium reactor? i have been showing readings ranging from 345-410-375 just tested!=)

i guess a better question is how long, and how does it get absorbed?

I have some other questions that i will post when i get the time....

Don't stop what you're doing necessarily. When you reach the point where you don't need to test as much, you won't test as much.
I add calcium daily with B-Ionic.

 

[Ben1]

How often should i be adding calcium if i don't have a calcium reactor?

One tank may almost never need it and a different tank may need a lot everyday. Along with something to keep the alk up. Those levels need to be in balance.

If you have a tank of softies it will use a lot less then a tank of clams and SPS corals.

Try to keep CA from 400-450 and alk in the 2.8-4.0 meg/l range. Use a good test kit or dont waste your time testing at all.

 

[mark78]

I test so infrequently that my kits tend to go bad :/

Unless I want to know somthing specific of course then I test...

I'm going to start testing Alk/Ca daily though as I work out how much Kalk to add.

 

[Oceans Ferevh]

I don't test very often, I depend more on how my critters are doing to let me know if something is out of whack.

I think people get too caught up in having the perfect numbers, and they test test test test. Testing to see when the cycle ends makes sense, but most people use the results of those tests to tweak things, when IMO, they would be better off just leaving it alone.

Amen brother