# What do I need to test for?



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

I have a nano reef... 30G tall tank. I'm keeping only mushroom corals, green star polyps, clove polyps, a torch , maxi-mini anemones (3) a pistol shrimp, red legged hermits crabs, a watchman gobie, a six line wrasse and two clowns are the inhabitants. Aside from the obvious nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, PH, and phosphate test is there anything else I need to test for? I should add I've recently begun using store bought RO water. I see BA has a 25% off sale on API tests...


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## rburns24 (Jan 31, 2011)

Checking alkalinity on a regular basis is important. I would skip the API test kits, and buy Salifert for your alk, mg, ca and possibly a Hanna 736 for phospate.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

You can get away with just testing for nitrate, phosphate, and alkalinity. Calcium will be maintained by water changes, as you don't have a huge demand or consumption of Ca in your system. 

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## NVES (Apr 21, 2010)

Just a quick questions - is testing for alkalinity to test for pH?


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## rburns24 (Jan 31, 2011)

They are related, but separate. Generally speaking, if you raise your alkalinity, you also raise PH. I never test for PH. I figure if your alk, mg and ca are in line, your PH will follow, the exception being, if you somehow introduce CO2 into your system, it will lower alkalinity.


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## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'll look for the alkalinity test this weekend. I dose with Iodine and Kent PhytoPhlex... Now that I'm transitioning to RO water do I need to dose with anything else?


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

Norman said:


> Thanks everyone for your replies. I'll look for the alkalinity test this weekend. I dose with Iodine and Kent PhytoPhlex... Now that I'm transitioning to RO water do I need to dose with anything else?


No. RO water just has less stuff that will bung up your water parameters. What kind of salt are you using?

But personally I'd scrap the iodine and phytoplex in exchange for something more complete in nutrients like Kent Essential Reef Elements to augment the minerals that get used up by your critters; and a more live/fresh phytoplankton. Wiseguyphil on this forum and Hubert from Reef Aquatica (Google it) are both local suppliers of fresh phytoplankton.


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## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

50seven said:


> No. RO water just has less stuff that will bung up your water parameters. What kind of salt are you using?
> 
> But personally I'd scrap the iodine and phytoplex in exchange for something more complete in nutrients like Kent Essential Reef Elements to augment the minerals that get used up by your critters; and a more live/fresh phytoplankton. Wiseguyphil on this forum and Hubert from Reef Aquatica (Google it) are both local suppliers of fresh phytoplankton.


Thanks for your suggestions... I've been using just the regular instant ocean salt but now that my fish only tank is also running I plan on buying a better salt for the nano. Which brand do you recommend? I do need something that is easily accessible preferably at Big ALS which is on my way in to work. I live north of the GTA.

Is the live/fresh phytoplankton something that can be easily accessed? Again, driving long distances for fishy stuff isn't all that possible especially in the winter months...


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

Norman said:


> Thanks for your suggestions... I've been using just the regular instant ocean salt but now that my fish only tank is also running I plan on buying a better salt for the nano. Which brand do you recommend? I do need something that is easily accessible preferably at Big ALS which is on my way in to work. I live north of the GTA.
> 
> Is the live/fresh phytoplankton something that can be easily accessed? Again, driving long distances for fishy stuff isn't all that possible especially in the winter months...


As for me I personally prefer H2O coz I find that they are very slightly high in s.g. therefore less salt and not to mention almost perfect balance of nutrients very close to the real thing.Most reefers prefer IORC I think coz mainly the of price.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

I used IO regular without any issues in a reef tank for 2 years without issues. Its cheap and mixes nicely. I switched to Kent and even tried a more premium salt (H2Ocean) over the past year, but I haven't been impressed. I'm back with IO now. 

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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

I think salt use is a matter of one's personal preference and affordability/availability.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

Flameangel said:


> I think salt use is a matter of one's personal preference and affordability/availability.


Absolutely. People say one thing about one salt and somebody else says something different. I think its because while we were using one type of salt, something went off in the tank, but its so easy to blame it on the salt when it probably has nothing to do with it.

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## NVES (Apr 21, 2010)

I have more questions about testing and rather than create a new thread I'll jump on this one.

Is there a need to test for stronium, iron, copper, calcium, etc.... The list seems endless, but which are the key ones to test for?

I currently use the API 5-in-1 test strips to give me my nitrites, nitrates, pH, and carbonate hardness.

Thanks for your advice.

OH and on the topic of salt, I'm using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, and am quite happy with the price and results.

Thanks,
Aaron


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## rburns24 (Jan 31, 2011)

I test for CA, MG, DKH and PO4 and nitrates. Water changes will replace your trace elements, so there's no real need to test for them.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

Calcium, Alkalinity and Mag. That is all I test for anymore. If I see algae starting I know my P04 and Nitrates are climbing and feed a little less.


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

rburns24 said:


> I test for CA, MG, DKH and PO4 and nitrates. Water changes will replace your trace elements, so there's no real need to test for them.


I'd say yeah these are the most CRITICAL water parameters to check and keep stablelize as much as possible however if you have the Ca and Mg well in control then all you have to check is the Alk where they are all dependent upon,IMO.


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## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Flameangel said:


> I'd say yeah these are the most CRITICAL water parameters to check and keep stablelize as much as possible however if you have the Ca and Mg well in control then all you have to check is the Alk where they are all dependent upon,IMO.


Ok I'm embarrassed to ask this question but...here goes... I couldn't find an API test for "alkaline" at Big ALS tonight. Is it called something else?

Also, is there a big difference between the IO sea salt and IO Reef crystals?

Do I need to test for calcium if I don't have any hard corals?


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

Norman said:


> Ok I'm embarrassed to ask this question but...here goes... I couldn't find an API test for "alkaline" at Big ALS tonight. Is it called something else?


It's the KH test that you want. also called Carbonate Hardness Test. You're looking for a value of 7-11 dKH.



Norman said:


> Do I need to test for calcium if I don't have any hard corals?


Personally I wouldn't bother. Just keep up with regular WC's.

Read this: 
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Norman said:


> Ok I'm embarrassed to ask this question but...here goes... I couldn't find an API test for "alkaline" at Big ALS tonight. Is it called something else??


make sure it is for salt water

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## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

50seven said:


> It's the KH test that you want. also called Carbonate Hardness Test. You're looking for a value of 7-11 dKH.
> 
> Personally I wouldn't bother. Just keep up with regular WC's.
> 
> ...


Thanks! I suspected so but figured I'd ask the question before I made the purchase.


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## NVES (Apr 21, 2010)

50seven said:


> It's the KH test that you want. also called Carbonate Hardness Test. You're looking for a value of 7-11 dKH.
> 
> Personally I wouldn't bother. Just keep up with regular WC's.
> 
> ...


I'm confused, on my 5-in-1 strip test - I get a test result of 240 mg/L how does that translate to dKH?

Is this a good test result? It's on the very high end of the scale.

Thanks,
Aaron


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

NVES said:


> I'm confused, on my 5-in-1 strip test - I get a test result of 240 mg/L how does that translate to dKH?
> 
> Is this a good test result? It's on the very high end of the scale.
> 
> ...


Use your math and here's the Conversion:

meq/L (milliequivalents per liter) = 2.8 dKH (German hardness units) = 50 mg/l (milligrams per liter or parts per million/ppm).It's in the very high of 13 dKh.The maximum dKh in a reef tank is 12dKh.


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## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

50seven said:


> It's the KH test that you want. also called Carbonate Hardness Test. You're looking for a value of 7-


Well what do you know... I already have this API test... Just never use it. How important is testing for Magnesium?


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

Norman said:


> Well what do you know... I already have this API test... Just never use it. How important is testing for Magnesium?


Magnesium is the chemical nutrient that support the stability of Alk and Calcium to some degree.Try to maintain the level at 1350-1500 ppm and not to worry about adding it everyday for it doesn't get exshausted easily and fast in our reef tanks.


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## Naim (Aug 24, 2013)

Norman said:


> I've been using just the regular instant ocean salt


A premium salt and weekly water changes is the way to go on Nano Tanks.
The premium salts may be more expensive, but you dose less saving you money in the long run.

For FOWLR I used Tropic Marin. (never dosed)

For my Nano mixed reef I used D&D H20 (no SPS and added calcium occasionally)

I barely ever had to dose anything and my tank had been running for years. I performed 20 to 25% water changes weekly.


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## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Naim said:


> A premium salt and weekly water changes is the way to go on Nano Tanks.
> The premium salts may be more expensive, but you dose less saving you money in the long run.
> 
> For FOWLR I used Tropic Marin. (never dosed)
> ...


Good advice, thanks! I will see what's for sale north of the GTA... Where do you get your salt? I see that we live in the same general area...


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## Naim (Aug 24, 2013)

Sorry for the late reply.

Sea U Marine in Markham is where I buy most of my Supplies/Fish/Coral


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