Who tests their water-change mix?

[lastlight]

See if I did monthly changes no biggie I'd test both without hesitation. I just think testing is a royal pain and each time I do tests my mind is aware that the hobby kits are all crap anyways. I'm sure I will test the big 3 weekly but I need more votes for 'yes' to guilt me into it.

[Delphinus]

I test for Ca, Alk and Mg for every new BATCH of salt (new bucket or new bag). After that the first water is made, I don't bother with it again (ie. don't test for every water change).

I have been burned far too often by being caught unawares that a salt is not living up to its credo for params. The irony is the more expensive salts have always been the worst offenders too. Just because you pay more doesn't give you an assured QA process, apparently (and I love how it always gets turned around on you so that it's the "users" fault that a salt has no Mg or Alk because they didn't "mix the salt before mixing the water". I think that's totally absurd, but yeah, I guess you have to do it since you can't rely on the salt makers to adequately prepare their product before they send it to market). Although I would go so far to suggest that the times I noticed that Alk was woefully low, or dangerously high, or Mg was half the advertised claim, that pre-use mixing the salt didn't help - the problem was the salt itself.

So, I don't bother with premium salts anymore. If I have to dose Ca, Alk and/or Mg into a salt I figure I might as well save a few bucks because the price of chems is far less than the increased premium price on the salt itself. So I use IO, I accept that I'll have subpar Ca, Alk and Mg, so I dose accordingly for each new batch of salt. (The surprising thing is these numbers are usually not as bad as you'd think, to boot.) The nice thing is that once I know how much a batch needs for one makeup bucket, I know how much to add for the next water change.

But it does mean I *have* to test each new bag or bucket.

[lastlight]

Because I'm using the new Reef Crystals I figure all 3 should be on the slightly high side based on a few user's tests. I should test of course to make sure but I've been putting it off and right now the tank is just cycling.

I figure I won't have to open my box of chems for a while with this salt if what they claim and what tests have shown.

Kien I loved the bit about child labour. Careful a loved one doesn't fall under a rolling bucket and get flattened. I know you've seen that part in UHF...

[Delphinus]

I really strongly urge you guys to continue testing. Yes, it's good if you find yourself questioning why you do it, but trust me, it's happened to me 4 or 5 times now where a salt wasn't what it was before. The first time I lost over a thousand dollars worth of SPS. *Don't* let it happen to you!

I thought I learned my lesson and I never used that brand again but it happened at least 3 times since then each time with different "premium" based salts that everyone on the boards was ranting and raving about. "Oh it's so awesome!" No it's not awesome. It's a SALT. It's a commodity produced in tremendous bulk quantities and the onus is on you to protect your tank inhabitants. Test it test it test it test it test it!

[lastlight]

Good point Tony. I'm pretty much decided on testing my first batch out of each pail and recording and adjusting based on that until the pail is gone. I'll test the tank every week to 2 weeks I think.

[shrimpchips]

I test every batch I make up - it takes an extra 5 minutes, but it prevents any large swings in parameters.

[Delphinus]

You edited your post. I was going to scold you about testing monthly (that's not enough). One week to 2 weeks is a perfect schedule though.

In the interest of full disclosure though, there are times I'll let testing slip and it becomes a monthly thing. But, 50% of the time, it's been regrettable. I was always able to guess by observation when Ca and Alk were slipping, but it's taken a while to figure out the tells of a Mg slip and so those other 50% times were times I usually found my Mg had totally crashed. Nowadays though I can even tell when Mg is slipping (the anemones in particular are surprisingly quick to respond to Mg). So I'm sort of falling back into two weeks but the "do as I suggest, not as I do" part of me still wants to suggest weekly for testing. If you think of me as a hypocrite, look at my tanks RIGHT NOW and then tell me if me telling you not to do as I do is a bad thing (I have no idea if that last sentence makes any sense. I just reread it and it makes my head swim. I'm going to let it stand, though.)

[fishay]

Usually don't but I found the calcium in my tank to be low (320ppm) so I tested my water change mix and turns out my current bucket of instant ocean is responsible for the drop because it also read 320ppm.

[lastlight]

What would you really do if your ph wasn't what you wanted?

Drip Kalk?

[RuGlu6]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

I test for Ca, Alk and Mg for every new BATCH of salt (new bucket or new bag). After that the first water is made, I don't bother with it again (ie. don't test for every water change).

I have been burned far too often by being caught unawares that a salt is not living up to its credo for params. The irony is the more expensive salts have always been the worst offenders too. Just because you pay more doesn't give you an assured QA process, apparently (and I love how it always gets turned around on you so that it's the "users" fault that a salt has no Mg or Alk because they didn't "mix the salt before mixing the water". I think that's totally absurd, but yeah, I guess you have to do it since you can't rely on the salt makers to adequately prepare their product before they send it to market). Although I would go so far to suggest that the times I noticed that Alk was woefully low, or dangerously high, or Mg was half the advertised claim, that pre-use mixing the salt didn't help - the problem was the salt itself.

So, I don't bother with premium salts anymore. If I have to dose Ca, Alk and/or Mg into a salt I figure I might as well save a few bucks because the price of chems is far less than the increased premium price on the salt itself. So I use IO, I accept that I'll have subpar Ca, Alk and Mg, so I dose accordingly for each new batch of salt. (The surprising thing is these numbers are usually not as bad as you'd think, to boot.) The nice thing is that once I know how much a batch needs for one makeup bucket, I know how much to add for the next water change.

But it does mean I *have* to test each new bag or bucket.

We should all go back to IO !