What would you like to measure in your tank that is not currently available?

Peace River · Aug 3, 2023

There are meters for flow, PAR, pH, salinity, temperature, calcium, alkalinity, nitrates, phosphates, ammonia, copper, magnesium, and a whole lot more. BUT, what would you like to measure in your tank that is not currently available?

blaxsun · Aug 3, 2023

Everything in one unit without having to give away my first born...

JoJosReef · Aug 3, 2023

blaxsun said:
Everything in one unit without having to give away my first born...

There's always your second, third... Don't you want to know what's in your tank?

For me, I'd first like to know what type of waste/contaminant that we don't know about builds up over time, and then a test for when you need to do a water change to remove it.

Reefer Matt · Aug 3, 2023

I'd like a portable flow meter. Something on a wand I can put in various spots in the tank to measure flow in different areas. I think this can help with consistency, and may help solve issues in sps tanks.

dennislagoon · Aug 3, 2023

I’m not scientifically educated enough to come with any good suggestions.

But wouldn’t it be something if we had a simpler and cheaper way for checking them all, like with a simple test strip… but then accurate.

Fishy888 · Aug 3, 2023

dennislagoon said:
I’m not scientifically educated enough to come with any good suggestions.

But wouldn’t it be something if we had a simpler and cheaper way for checking them all, like with a simple test strip… but then accurate.

If only… A Hanna multi meter that would test for all the heavy metals as well as trace elements. Preferably for less than the price of a space shuttle.

JoJosReef · Aug 3, 2023

Reefer Matt said:
I'd like a portable flow meter. Something on a wand I can put in various spots in the tank to measure flow in different areas. I think this can help with consistency, and may help solve issues in sps tanks.

Oh, I like that. I take back my previous post. I want this thing. Flow is the hardest thing for me to dial in for my tank.

JonoH · Aug 3, 2023

A combined unit to measure the relationship between say Phosphate and Nitrate, i know that you can measure each separately, but i feel like there could be maybe one measurement to tell you if its in the right balance.
This ideally could then hook up to an Auto Doser so it could make any necessary adjustments automatically.

shakacuz · Aug 3, 2023

realistically speaking, an all in one tester for the main elements or perhaps trace elements can be very much doable, but one that is consistent in results/measurements whilst being affordable is unlikely.

more locations for ICP testing so i can get my results quicker than 7-9 business days depending what day of the week i send my sample...

edit: i definitely agree with @Reefer Matt's idea.

Doctorgori · Aug 3, 2023

JonoH said:
A combined unit to measure the relationship between say Phosphate and Nitrate, i know that you can measure each separately, but i feel like there could be maybe one measurement to tell you if its in the right balance.
This ideally could then hook up to an Auto Doser so it could make any necessary adjustments automatically.

YUP!!!

Or any other “Algae related” parameter ….
I own 4 tanks and oddly enough its the tank with 5ppm Nitrate and .03 Phosphate is the one I have to wipe glass daily … Silicates? or Iron ? or Biome related?
who the H3ll knows ?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 3, 2023

I’d like a better handle on organics in the water.

I’d also like to be able to read bicarbonate and carbonate directly and independently.

I’d like to know more about the forms of trace elements present, including the complexation of each by organics.

I’d like to know more about particulate vs dissolved forms of certain elements such as aluminum.

Garf · Aug 3, 2023

Misinformation meter (I edited myself).

livinlifeinBKK · Aug 3, 2023

I know that manufacturing accurate lab grade equipment is very expensive for the companies to produce and with the Hanna multi checker (from what I read about it, it seemed like it would be more than enough to meet 99% of people's needs)...is it more accurate and a little easier to use than the handhelds though which I've seen some crazy readings from? Maybe bad regent, maybe a smudge, maybe a dud from the factory...who will ever know? People hate on the calorimetric tests (as do I but I don't mind the titration tests since one chemical will forever react the same with another under normal conditions.). If the Hanna Multi Checker can be easily and inexpensively calibrated so I can recalibrate regularly, that seems like the way to go.

Sorry for going on about that...I've got a sort of obscure idea of what Id like to be able to measure...the composition of the bacterial community and how it changes. I feel that a shift in the community could give an indication of things to come or help explain why they're happening beyond the typical parameters since they may be perfectly stable...I'm not getting out Agar plates for streaking or doing any MPN analysis every month so I think it's just a dream.