What parameters should be tested in a reef tank? How often should water be tested?

khqoiedc

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Hello everyone!
I keep an immensely simple nano Invertebrate tank and hope to add a coral frag in a few weeks.
I have the standardized API Saltwater Master Test Kit (pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate), but I have read people testing magnesium and all sorts of elements.

What should aquarium owners test for in the saltwater aquarium?

Is it worth the time for reef owners to measure more than just the four primary parameters (pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate)?
 

fishywishy

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Once your tank is established, you don’t really need to test stuff like ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, or phosphate anymore (excluding temp and salinity, of course). In my tank with just some softies and a few of fish, I don’t even bother testing. I just do a water change every 2–3 months, and everything’s good.

If you’ve got more than just softies, the main things to test are magnesium, calcium, alkalinity, and maybe phosphate if algae starts becoming an issue. Most people test those every few days or once a week to keep things on track.
 
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goosemans

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Salinity, alkalinity, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, and nitrate. Salifert, nyos, Red Sea, hanna checkers are all good brands reefers usually use. You’ll want to focus on phosphate and nitrate as newer reefers usually struggle getting those two parameters under control. As long as your doing water changes, you won’t have to stress over alk, cal, mg for a while
 

Rarc’s rock shop

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Hello everyone!
I keep an immensely simple nano Invertebrate tank and hope to add a coral frag in a few weeks.
I have the standardized API Saltwater Master Test Kit (pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate), but I have read people testing magnesium and all sorts of elements.

What should aquarium owners test for in the saltwater aquarium?

Is it worth the time for reef owners to measure more than just the four primary parameters (pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate)?
I maintain a 150 gallon mixed reef tank. I had a 90 gallon tank for many years and 18 months upgraded to a 150 and all new equipment. I have found it beneficial to test more and do more consistent water changes. My wife and I have a Sunday morning ritual and here are our latest results

PH 8.1
Nitrate 16.8
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Magnesium 1300
Calcium390
Alkalinity 8.9
Phosphate.04
Iodine .06
Salinity 35

We also send our water to a lab for testing every few months.
We achieve great results by maintaining this and we enjoy the process
 

Gumbies R Us

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For me I test nitrate, cal, alk, and I’ll do salinity from time to time. (Have an apex for pH and temperature). Just make sure you aren’t using api test kits when you are testing your parameters and you’ll be fine!
 

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