I test when ever I get home to see if the doser needs to be tweaked as it is before water changes

I'd say it's safe to assume the ammo badge won't cause any harm

I test the big 3 weekly, and no3 and po4 every month or 2.
For salinity I test my new saltwater before each WC and test the tank maybe once a month.

Ive tested once in my lifetime of owning this tank.... only because I got a free API reef test kit. I don't think I even looked up if the results were within normal range.

I check salinity whenever I do a water change (so once a month or every other month) and that's it.

Wow, for the first couple months I was testing alk, cal, mg, nh3, no2, no3, po4 and salinity every second day.

I'll just stop that then. lol.

your lfs and major test manufacturers thank you.

:lol:

Seriously though...good saltwater is designed to get you the right water parameters.

Once you start to do things like add a reactor, or dose, testing becomes more necessary.

Also, I know that many people who spend 1000's on corals probably sleep better for testing.

Testing is better than not testing, just not a total necessity for every reef.

I am in the hobby same amount of time as this guy and I strongly agree with everything he just posted. But I have lots of SPS
I test never.
Last time I tested was a few years ago.

I test every Sunday same with water change its like 10 mins on a slow day lol :)

Just finished testing.

No3 : 5 ppm Salifert... opps! :doh:

All other params in check and tank looks happy. :noidea:

I perform my water changes on the first of every month give or take a day or two, then in the the middle of the month I do test for ca/alk.
I would and have bumped up the testing if something out of the norm takes place.

I have a maintenance company, and on all my clients' tanks I do the following:

Tank salinity - every week before water change
W/C bucket salinity - every week before w/c
Tanks with dosers (med-high demand) - cal and alk every week before w/c, Mg every 2nd week
Tanks without dosers, but lots of coralline - alk every week before w/c, cal every 2nd week
All reef tanks - NO3 and PO4 monthly
TDS in RO tubs - monthly
Check calibration of probes and refractometers - monthly


Fish only tanks - alk, NO3, and PO4 monthly, cal and Mg once every couple months. Yes, I dose fish only tanks. The tanks do better.