Tank Record Keeping

[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.

[Beverly]

I keep records of alk, Ca, Mg and pH tests and how much of whatever I dose. All are handwritten in either a binder or coil-bound notebook. Can't be bothered wasting my time to transpose the written records onto my computer.

No need to keep track of maintenance because we basically do the same maintenance weekly.

As for new fish or corals, I only keep records of fish disease treatment, though I can't remember the last time I treated a sick fish.

I often make a video of new a fish, with the date of the video in the file name.

All light bulbs (or lightbulbs, if you prefer ) are changed every 9 months, and we mark that on the calendar in advance so we know when to change them next. Same with various RO/DI cartridge changes.

[Tom R]

I keep records of water testing results, water changes, additive dosing and anything else I deem worth while. I use a large calendar with each day having a 1 - 2" square to record my info.(test results, quantity of dosage etc).

I also use post-it notes applied to RO chambers, Kalk reactor and Calcium reactor showing the date last change.

For my light bulbs I record the date I put it into service with a permanent marker right on the bulb.

I have not found a decent and inexpensive software program that is also convenient to use for this info. If anyone out there has any suggestions of good software to look at I would be interested.

Tom R