Do I have to have test kits?

[Mjharless]

I only live a few miles from the LFS where they can test my water. Is there a good reason why I would need to have my own testing kit?

 

[NewbReefer]

it's always a good idea to have something to compare to the LFS's kits to make sure that they are giving you an accurate reading. in my opinion yes it is very important to have most of the test kits. I would literally go crazy if i didn't have my test kits to check my parameters every week. once you get to know your tank well you'll be able to have a good idea if your water parameters are within reason or not by lookin at how your fish, corals and inverts are acting. but doing your own tests are a pretty sure way of knowing if your doing a good job or not.

 

[McCrary]

Test kits for nitrate, alkalinity, calcium and pH are going to be very helpful. I would get those and test your own water so that you know you are getting good results.

 

[daugherty]

i would get test kits what do you do after the store is closed and you are having a problem. it is always good to have one but check the dates of the regents. try to make shure they are not that old

 

[hibye]

I don't cheack my water often just because test kits are expensive.You can tell when something goes wrong in your tank when the organisms start acting up and thats when you check your parimeters to find out whats wrong ,ph,copper,calcium nitrate ect. and if thats not it it may be a parisite problem. test kits are especially good when you get home on a holiday or something and your fish and corals are dieing and you want to find out what the problem is to fix it.(the LFS will be closed because of the holiday) Sometimes you may even get a bad test kit like my hydrometer from petco it stops after 1.024,and i washed it and shaked it well with FW. So i tase the water but this is only for salinity.

 

[RyanG]

Hibye that isnt very good advice to give. you should test regularly so that you can nip an issue in the bud before it becomes a problem. Thats the lazy mans way that was described above.

 

[NewbReefer]

its definitly a good habit of getting into testing your water regularly like after every weekly water change to see if you need to dose anything like Mag, Calc, Alk, etc. if you've got fish only and no corals, those parameters aren't as serious but still should stay within reason to help keep fish growing healthy and happy.

 

[bri74]

I test bi weekly I use two kits one as a regular test and if something is off I use a kit of a different brand to compare. I dont think I test as often as I should but once the water is stable and your not adding any livestock or missing any livestock you can get away with a little less frequent tests. But I would for sure advise at least one kit.

 

[Doc]

when my tanks first get started. I test weekly. Once they are established, I only test once a month. If I add new corals, I test the DkH and calcium for a couple of weeks just to see how they impact the system. I do always keep them handy though. Just a good idea to be prepared

-Doc

 

[yote]

I used to be bad about testing my water for everything.But I'm finally down to testing EVERYTHING once a week.
Its always better to have your own kits.Even though most LFS's are happy to test for you,a lot of em will use faulty results as a way to sale you things you may not need.

 

[fatman]

If you have little money to spend then spend it on testing first. The beginning of preventive maintenance is knowing what your working with. You can not begin to know what you can or can not afford to do for your tank and its inhabitants unless you now what needs to be done. Not doing regular testing can be the most expensive mistake you can make, and it takes little time or money. Ph and salinity should be tested as frequently as is practical, but at least once a week, daily is better for your pH. Depending on your fish load testing for nitrates should be done at least weekly, and nmmore often if you mix fish with invertebrates and stoney corals. Anytime you add any livestock, sand or rock means you should test for ammonia daily for at least three or four days. If you have a high stoney coral load a weekly check of alkalinity and calcium and phosphate is a minimum (a good time to do that test is right before your weelly water change so you can calculate how much calcium your using or needing to add and can adjust your new water for any needed alkalinity boost your tank may need). And if you have a high stoney coral load or really thick corraline growing, the weekly testing is only after you have tested frequently and often enough to know your calcium and calcium carbonate demands. Magnesium is tested for less frequently usually once a month unless you use extreme amounts of calcium and carbonates. Most people do not test for iron, boron, silicates, iodine, or strontium. Seldom is copper tested for unless copper medication is used. Remember any changes from normal, such as adding stock, changing feeding amounts are types of food, changes in brands of salt, using different supplements, switching water sources, even changing lighting can cause a need for more testing than is your routine.