New to hobby - help

[frank323]

My tanks been running a month and a half with live rock only. Should I be testing water at this time. Also is there a good kit someone could recommend for this. When I set up my tank I just put the rocks in the middle. should they be more toward and up against the back wall of the tank
Thanks

 

[jonthefb]

Aquascaping (the arrangement of the rocks) is really up to you and what looks good to you. You do, however want to leave crevices and holes in yoru rockwork so that your fish can swim through them, and so that you get adequate water circualtion through the back of your rock wall. I use the fast test kit from Aquarium system and like it very much. You can get at kit that tests for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and pH for about 40 or 50 bucks at your lfs. You should also test for salinity using a hydrometer, adn of course temp. As for schedule of testing, now would be a good time to start, because your tank has been up and running for awhile. I test my water parameters about once every two weeks now that the tank is established. While it was cycling thought, i would test about once a week.
HTH, good luck
Jon

 

[kimf]

I would do exactly as stated above.

 

[nm reef]

Arrangement of lr is mostly a personal matter......I've got 100+ lbs in a 55 so there is little arranging to it..........as for testing....I would highly reccomend salifert tests.....for a newly cycling tank check temp & specific gravity...plus ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/ph......eventually you'll want to check calcium/alkalinity/phosphates..........I currently test specific gravity daily....and others as needed.....but my system is fairly stable and over several months of regualr testing I saw little to no varience....so I test less now than origionally

 

[karlas]

i use aquarium pharmacuticals liquid test kits and seems pretty acurate. the lfs always gets the same readings with their test kits. also it is very affordable. also like the fastest kits also especially for amm.

 

[adrian]

Id go with Salifert kits, Ive never had much luck with any of the others, tetra is not bad for a few things, but they are not very precise either. Just because you get the same readings everytime with a test, doesnt mean those reading are accurate