ATI ICP-OES testing compared to my own testing

[Frogger]

Originally Posted by WarDog

Sending a sample in for testing is just the latest money making fad in our hobby IMPO. Once you get your results back you just end up 'chasing the numbers'.

Just my 2 cents.

Actually it is a lot more than 2 cents. I never used to do testing and would prefer not to.
Unfortunately in my large tank 75 gallon (set up for 3 years) alkalinity, calcium, phosphate and nitrates are incredibly variable and change quickly. When they change quickly my sps go into stress real fast. I have to test alkalinity and phosphate daily. Today my alkalinity could be 7.5 and tomorrow it could be 9.0.

I have to add nitrates to both balance the phosphates in the tank and to keep the corals from loosing colour. I have to monitor these numbers to keep things balanced.

I just want to make sure that what I am testing is actually what it really is.

I have a 35 gallon reef tank that has corals in it (LPS, SPS and zoas), has been set up for 15 years and now never has issues. I only test alkalinity and calcium once a month to make sure the amount of 2 part I add is correct. I rarely do water changes and the corals are doing great. I take out (sell) about 2 pounds of frogspawn a month from this tank. I test for nitrates and phosphates about once every 6 months and it is always exactly the same. .02 phosphates and 2.0 nitrates.

Every tank is different, this hobby is not a 1 system works for all and my tanks are the perfect example. Not really doing anything different in my tanks, feed the same equal number of corals and fish inch per gallon, same corals.