Reefkeeping... So now what ?

[New2Reefing]

My 40 gallon breeder has finished its cycle. I have yet to add any corals or fish, My intetions are to make this a soft coral aquarium. I will be keeping 3 fish. Im a real fan of Ricords, open brains, candycanes, zoas, some anemones. My question is what other water parameters should I test for, by this I mean outside of the usual Nitrates, Nitrite, Ph, Ammonia. Should I test for Calcium, strotium etc.. Should I start adding any nutrients before adding livestock.

Ps.. I did add a couple of capfuls of reef essentials but thats all.

 

[_Alex_]

Calcium, magnesium, and phosphate is what I can think of atm but I just got out of bed lol

 

[_Alex_]

Oh and never dose something you cant test for. Thats best way to end up with way to much. Also Your salt mix depending on what one you are using adds a lot of important elements.

Dkh is also important to test for you want it between 7-12. To high or low can effect corals

 

[dakotasreef]

I think as long as you do your weekly water changes you should be ok depending on your corals. In the begining that should suffice. As you coral collection grows your systems needs might change. As far as your essential elements, I think you should not really need to dose more than once a week at most. You water changes should replenish that.

You don't have it listed, but if you do not have a phosphate test I would def. get one.

 

[RBursek]

Okay, let start at the basics, at first untill you know your tank and husbandry you need to test for trites and trates, test strips are fine, if you have amonia it goes into trites and trates. Test for Posphates, these are the negative items. What is you water source? Now if the negatives are not there in bad numbers You need to test for Mg, Ca and Alk, PH and get those levels in there range and keep them there with dosing and or WC, trace elements come with your salt and you should not need to add them.
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[New2Reefing]

Thanx for all of your replies. I'm gonna be picking up magnesium, alkalinity, phosphate kits. The others are all within range and tested every other day.

 

[New2Reefing]

I picked up a Phosphate kit (Red sea) after reading the instructions carefully. I start the test. Gather water from tank start adding (slowly) the phosphate additive. and following the color coded card the start process is fine. but from one drop to the next water changes to urine type yellow which is not mentioned on the graduating color card. I continue to add Phosphate additive and after adding 2Ml never reaches its end stage or overdose stage just stays urine yellow. I tried twice and gave up in case im doing something wrong I dont want to waste anymore additive. what gives ?

 

[beaslbob]

I picked up a Phosphate kit (Red sea) after reading the instructions carefully. I start the test. Gather water from tank start adding (slowly) the phosphate additive. and following the color coded card the start process is fine. but from one drop to the next water changes to urine type yellow which is not mentioned on the graduating color card. I continue to add Phosphate additive and after adding 2Ml never reaches its end stage or overdose stage just stays urine yellow. I tried twice and gave up in case im doing something wrong I dont want to waste anymore additive. what gives ?

I would contact red sea.

In general if you get some wierd color the parameter being measured is probably above the range of the kit. I rare cases a bad test kit.

you could try diluting the sample with ro/di water and see if you get results more in line. If you dilute 100% (like 5ml tank water, 5ml rodi) and get a test result of say 3ppm, then the sample actually had 6 ppm and was diluted to measure 50% of the actual.

my .02