Tank Record Keeping

[BMW Rider]

I'm interested in what others are keeping in the way of logs or records of their maintenance and inhabitants. Do you record everything down to the most minute detail, or do you have only a vague reccollection that you've done some maintenance sometime recently.

Also, if you do keep a log, how do you keep it? Is it just a written log, spreadsheet, or dedicated software?

[Ruth]

I'm not very good at keeping a record of livestock additions/losses and I should be particularly with coral as I can never remember the names of them. Most of my fish I remember approx. when I added them and also if I lose any - which thankfully has been very few after I figured out that my SOB dottyback was chasing my gobies into the carpet anemone.
Water params I test at least once a month and record my readings on a simple table in Word. I test for Ca. Alk/DKH, magnesium and phosphates unless I see a problem and then I might also test for nitrates, nitrites and very rarely ammonia unless I am getting a nitrite reading of some kind. On occasion I test for Iodine and Strontium. I use all Salifert tests with the exeption of Phosphates which I use I Hanna colorimeter for and calcium which I use a pinpoint calcium monitor for. I do test each new bucket of salt that I open but do not record the readings.

[Johnny Reefer]

Mostly water params.
Also livestock additions/losses, price, where/when bought, size.
Diseases/abnormalities. Medications/attempts to correct.
Major changes, upgrades, repairs.
Maintenance? Not really. I record additives dosed in the water params spreadsheet. Otherwise, that's it.

I do this for FW and SW.

Cheers,

[hawaiiguy]

I've been recording just about everything so far but that could be because I just started my first ever SW tank and I just want to do it right! I use a notebook for handwritten logs. I have sections for feeding, timeline, costs, species, and notes. EVERYTHING goes under timeline and then if something applies to another catergory, it goes there too. I'm thinking it would probably be good to have a separate section for water parameters though.

[seashells]

Maybe rather than all that writing, try entering the data into microsoft Project. Myself I just record weekly water parameters. As for costs..Well probalby too much...Actually I don't think I want to know. Othr stuff I will likely record would be illnesses and corrective actions.

Doug

[EmilyB]

The first few years into the hobby, I kept a journal. It included all things that I did. I really sort of miss that.

Now I record the test results I do on occasion and if they are good, I chuck the paper...

[Quagmire]

I used to record everything when I first started out,but now I just mark my bulbs so I know when to replace them.

[Johnny Reefer]

Originally Posted by seashells

Maybe rather than all that writing, try entering the data into microsoft Project. .....

Microsoft Project costs $900.00.
A bit pricey if one has no other use for it to justify that expense.

Cheers,

[wetcoast]

I use Tanklogger (http://tanklogger.sourceforge.net) - I've modified it a bit to adjust to my likings, but works great. And... Free.

[BMW Rider]

I have all these records, and was just trying to figure out if there was really a point to keeping it since I seldom ever look back at them. I know where I want my parameters to be, and recognize a deviance from them readily.

Sounds like I'm on the same page as most with my record keeping. I too kept a detailed log at first, just hand written. Now I have a simple spreadsheet in MS Excel that I keep track of my water parameters and basic maintenance. I have been keeping my bulb changes noted in there now too. I have looked at a couple of programs, but they seemed to difficult to setup and not entirely suited to what I want anyway. I have been considering going automated with a controller someday when I feel rich enough. Then I might use the data logging to track the monitored parameters if only because it would be simple(r) to do.