Oxygen test

[speedjester]

Does anyone test for oxygen level in there tank. I’m going to add a few Smooth hounds to my pond and have read that they require a significant amount of oxygen. My question is do test kits like salifert work well? And what is considered well oxygenated?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Saltyreef]

Does anyone test for oxygen level in there tank. I’m going to add a few Smooth hounds to my pond and have read that they require a significant amount of oxygen. My question is do test kits like salifert work well? And what is considered well oxygenated?

Thanks in advance.

A pump that breaks the waters surface is the best option for pond aeration.
I wouldnt sweat the gas exchange if equipping the pond with one, sized appropriately.

 

[zbrusko]

I picked up a Salifert test recently to test my 150 Malawi tank, since it is pretty heavily stocked with not the best surface flow. It tested as a 6. I also tested my smaller planted tanks and they were 8. Salifert recomends 8+ for freshwater. I was expecting the cichlid tank to be low and it was. Salifert recomends 6+ for marine. I tested my (does one coral make it a) reef & got a 6-8 result (hard to read the color). Based on these results, I’d say the tests work, at least insomuch as different tanks had different results & were in line with my expectations.

 

[speedjester]

I’m moving 2800gallons an hr return pump, lg 500gallon skimmer and 2 large gyres. It has lots of water movement. ( waves). And my salifert kit reads 5 maybe 6. Would like to see it at 6-8 What can I do to raise it more.

The salifert kits are hard to read the colors look so similar. Lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I've used O2 test kits for certain articles, but the resolution, repeatability and accuracy are not good enough to be much use, IMO.

A O2 meter is a good way to go, but are very expensive and few reefers use them.

This has more:

The Need to Breathe in Reef Tanks, Part 1: Is it a Given Right? by Eric Borneman
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/eb/index.php

The Need to Breathe, Part 2: Experimental Tanks by Eric Borneman
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/eb/index.php

The Need to Breathe, Part 3: Real Tanks and Real Importance
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-08/eb/index.php