Just purchased and set up a 72 gallon bow as a reef tank about a month ago. So far I have 85#s of live rock and 4 fish. The fish have been in there for about 2 weeks with no problem. With that said I am a little unclear of exactly what I need to be testing for, I get confliciting stories. I have been told I need to test for Nitrate, pH, Calcium, & Ammonia. Is there anything else I need to test for? Also, I have seen test kits that include Success Supplements such as Strontium, Molybdenum, Iodine, and Trace & Green, do I need all these supplements in the kit? So far I have been using a pH booster along with another additive to boost the Calcium.
What to test for
- Thread starter ads8525
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daugherty
part time reefer
test for
alk, cal,nitrate,nitrite,ammonia, phosphate, mag
alk, cal,nitrate,nitrite,ammonia, phosphate, mag
yote
In Memoriam
API sales a kit that has ammonia,nitrate,and nitrite in it.I think there reef kit has calcium and alkalinity.The magnesium you'll have to get seperate.
And dont add anything you dont have a test kit for.Overdosing is as bad as being to low.
And dont add anything you dont have a test kit for.Overdosing is as bad as being to low.
dcantucson
Reef pro
+1 James and yote
Welcome to the site
Welcome to the site
Ted
Living one day at a time
you dont need supplements. You dont have any corals yet. (at least didnt mention any) For the most part you can get all you need for your water through water changes. The only times you have to worry about calcium, mag and iodine is when you have corals. Even then unless you are running a sps tank or quite a few lps calcium should be ok with water changes. Use a good quality reef salt and you should be ok.
bjohanson1234
.........
the API marine kit has pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
The API reef kit has a phosphate, calcium, nitrate, and alk.
yote
In Memoriam
What salt are you using?
Theres 3 brands I'll use.Brightwells NeoMarine,SeaChem Reef,and Oceanic.I like all 3.But in reality,there is no perfect salt.
You say your dosing for PH,have you checked your alkalinity?
Theres 3 brands I'll use.Brightwells NeoMarine,SeaChem Reef,and Oceanic.I like all 3.But in reality,there is no perfect salt.
You say your dosing for PH,have you checked your alkalinity?
I haven't dosed yet for pH, I just bought a pH booster from the store because they told me to use it to increase the pH to 8.3. I haven't added it becuase I wanted to test before adding it. I order a reef test kit today. They did give me something to accelerate the growth of Coraline algae that I have been putting in acording to the directions. I will test as soon as I get the testing kit. How do I raise the pH without the booster?
yote
In Memoriam
You MAY not have to raise it.somewhere in between 8.0 and 8.5 is good and don't need to be messed with.
Something else to keep in mind.You'll want to test the PH twice a day.Once just before the lights come on,and again just as they turn off.The PH will drop at night because the algae isn't photosynthesizing,which will allow a bit of carbon dioxide to build up.
Dont use the "booster" unless your alkalinity is low.It needs to be between 8 and 12 DKH.
The biggest thing though,is stability.Try keep everything as stable as possible.
Something else to keep in mind.You'll want to test the PH twice a day.Once just before the lights come on,and again just as they turn off.The PH will drop at night because the algae isn't photosynthesizing,which will allow a bit of carbon dioxide to build up.
Dont use the "booster" unless your alkalinity is low.It needs to be between 8 and 12 DKH.
The biggest thing though,is stability.Try keep everything as stable as possible.
Ted
Living one day at a time
well if you run a fuge on a reverse light cycle that will help a lot with ph stabilization. A new tank will take a while to get to its normal ph. Some tanks are 8.2 some 8 others 8.1 every tank is gonna be a little different. In my opion I wouldnt dose for ph unless it was way out of range and then it should be brought up slowly. If you change ph fast you run the risk of killing your cuc or fish.
project5k
Reef enthusiast
yup... any change that you can slow down and make less abrupt is better than a sudden change...
think of it like glass. you can heat it up and you can get it cold, but if you try and go from one to the other too fast, you run some major risks.... see what i mean?
think of it like glass. you can heat it up and you can get it cold, but if you try and go from one to the other too fast, you run some major risks.... see what i mean?
