Saltwater Tests

[cadbury]

I was just wondering how often everyone does a test on their system? I do mine every 2 to 4 weeks, should I be doing it more or less?

 

[madd catt]

I also heard that salifert was a good test kit and so is lamott but very expensive.lately ive had check or test my water to much but i think perhaps 2 weeks to 1 month may be average.

 

[catherine]

I have been using Seachem, a little bit cheaper. Has anyone else had experience with them? They seem to be accurate, but I have no real way to check them. I got very different results from the cheap test kits from the lfs, and I think these were pretty useless. The Seachem tests do have "test" solutions to check the accuracy of the kit.

 

[10k]

Originally posted by Catherine:
<strong>I have been using Seachem, a little bit cheaper. Has anyone else had experience with them? They seem to be accurate, but I have no real way to check them. I got very different results from the cheap test kits from the lfs, and I think these were pretty useless. The Seachem tests do have "test" solutions to check the accuracy of the kit.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yes I use Seachem kits, and Hagen, and Red Sea, and Sera, and on and on. I have found that certain brands of test kits are better than others in certain areas...Make sense?? Anyway some companies kits are better than others in Calcium, another in Phospate, another in Alkalinity, and yet another in PH. But really it's all just trail and error, and which you prefer... But to answer your question I use Seachem kits (some of them) and have been very pleased with the accuracy..

 

[ckkihei]

it maybe overkill, but i test my water every other day. I've had my set up since Dec and am still learning.

 

[cadbury]

I been using Fast-test, I been doing a test every 2-weeks, I hope this is adequate, it seems to work.

 

[broomer5]

I think the longer the tank has been set up, matures, becomes established and more stable, most folks probably test a little less often than they do when first starting out, or when setting up a new tank.
Also, the size of your tank vs. what you have in it may have an influence on how often you should consider testing.
If I make a change or addition to the tank, most any change at all, I test more.
First 4-6 weeks or so - pH, salinity, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate until I am sure cycle has finished. I've been known to test each day on a cycling tank ..... talk about feeling like you just wasted another test. But it has helped me to understand what's happening in there.
After that Calcium, Phosphates, Alkalinity once a week until I get everything where I want it, then about twice a month after that.
pH and salinity twice a week always - easiest and fast.
Nitrates 2-3 times a month as well.
After adding a refugium - another change to the tank - I am testing for nitrates quite often.
I always test when doing water changes.
It's a pain in the butt sometimes, but I find it helps me learn about mixing salts, freshwater sources and the outcomes.
Testing top off water is impractical - so I chose to get an RO/DI unit.

 

[cadbury]

Thanks for all the input!