How far would you go to test your water?

[vincentwangz]

Hi guys! Hope everyone's been having fun with your reefing journey. I'm just reflecting on mine and realise it has been almost 2 years since I started (first 35 litre Nano Tank bought on 15 June 2015). Back then, I really did not know much about the hobby and just bought sea water from Pacific Reef and started the hobby right away! Since then, I've encountered all kinds of issues (algae, fish diseases, brown jelly, STN on SPS corals) that have really made me ask, what's in the water? I realise I have been through different Seasons to test my water:

- The Wait and See Approach

This approach will be familiar to most; if corals look like they are shrinking and showing some skeleton, then it's time for a water change. No test kits are even used.

- The Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate Tester

When I first started, that was all I knew to test, using the API test kits which was the only brand I knew since I switched over from freshwater. Some also test these parameters the most during the Cycling phase. Once over, they adopt the wait and see approach.

- The Ca, KH and MG Relationship

As I went along, I read that there was a sweet spot for these parameters and learned that some only test for these to be at 450 for Ca, 8-9dkh, and 1350 ppm for Mg.

- The Full Suite Home Test Kit

Along the way, I realise that I have more test kits that types of fish food. I invested in the entire Nyos line of test kits (Ca, KH, Mg, Po4, No3), and tested them religiously every week. I even bought a Hanna Alkalinity Checker and one for ULNS Po4 checker. You can imagine how Long it takes to finish all my tests!

- The Triton Tester

Sometimes there are unexplained reasons to why your livestock are not able to thrive and grow. I encountered such an issue and could not find out why even after doing a change of rocks, waiting out 8 weeks, running rowaphos in my system to bring down phosphates, and many other measures. My corals just died a slow death one after another. That is what caused me to finally send my water for a triton test. It revealed that I had a high amount of Tin in my system that was dangerous for livestock. This would not have surfaced if I did not go for a triton test. Having said that, there are so many recommendations by the triton lab that I personally feel is a challenge to follow.

How about the rest of you? How far did you go to test your water and troubleshoot issues? Or did you just do a straight reset of everything?

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[Xtraster]

Haha I'm still at stage 3... not yet full suite or triton yet but i feel u.. 

[Harlequinmania]

Did you manage to find out the source of your high tin level in your water ?

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[vincentwangz]

Did you manage to find out the source of your high tin level in your water ?

Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app

Am still investigating. It could either be my rowaphos pump which is an old model, or it could be the dosing solution I used previously that may have been contaminated. Since I've changed my solution to Reef Evolution's Reef Tonic 1 and 2, my corals have had a much better response. If after 6 water changes of FM salt solves the issue, then the problem is solved. If not, I'll change out my rowaphos reactor's pump.



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[vincentwangz]

Haha I'm still at stage 3... not yet full suite or triton yet but i feel u.. 

Saw ur tank and believe what you're doing is sufficient for a successful reef!


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[Xtraster]

1 hour ago, vincentwangz said:

Saw ur tank and believe what you're doing is sufficient for a successful reef!


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I hope so n Thanks!