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#1
03-18-2017, 08:40 PM
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I've tried to be lazy and not test for a while (we all have) but now the one thing that forces me to do it is the fact that newly mixed saltwater can have varying parameters from your tank. In essence, you can do damage to your tank with a water change because the batch of newly mixed saltwater can have low alk or very high alk, which can cause a sudden swing in your tank. It wasn't until much later into the hobby that I realized this. I've heard stories of people getting a tank crash due to something assumably good like a water change, and therefore if I try to stay on schedule of a water change every 2 weeks, then I'm forced to check my parameters.
I've even noticed, that when I was using salinity salt, the alk would be different from a fresh mix (around 8.5) vs letting it sit overnight, where it would drop down to about 6. I feel like keeping an eye on alk is the most important, even with lps. Sometimes when I'm being lazy I might skip a ca check, but alk is something I've told myself not to skip. Even mag I don't test as often because it depletes slower. Although lately I've noticed that if my mag drops too low then my lps, chalices especially, don't like it so I try to avoid letting it get that low. The "looking at my tank" method works for me with phosphate checks, which I don't do as often, as I can tell (somewhat) depending on the colours and how often I have to clean the glass etc where it might be... so I can be slightly lazier with phosphate checks. Although I must note that if I had an sps only system, then I would probably keep a much closer eye on nutrient levels. 
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#2
03-19-2017, 01:46 PM
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Honestly though, with your tank full of LPS you're walking a fine line at 7.3 dKH. That's approaching the danger zone IME. As mentioned, softie and LPS tanks can often be maintained through waterchanges provided you're using a salt mix with elevated parameters such as Reef Crystals. If you're using IO you will usually end up being quite low in Ca since alk is elevated, but Ca is not. This is why choosing a salt mix can be quite important! For your tank Shark bait, you can probably maintain your tank simply by adding a small dose of alk between waterchanges and then (possibly) adding some calcium to the freshly mixed saltwater to help boost Ca (if it is indeed low). As mentioned, coralline algae can suck up a significant amount of Ca and alk to the point where it needs to be replenished to keep the corals happy. The corals aren't using up much themselves, but they will suffer when the coralline sucks it all out and they're left with peanuts!
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#3
03-20-2017, 03:33 AM
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I don't test much. Mostly LPS in my tank, only SPS are monti caps in green & tan. They grow like the dickens (the montis) so I know there's calcium. I don't dose anything either, use standard IO salt. Fish are healthy, my Maroon clownfish pair have been spawning forever, I have some hair algae, not that concerned, it filters the water... I get the refractometer out to check salinity when I do water changes, that's about it these days. When I did test alk regularly, it was chronically low, according to the test kit. My theory is, if there's even a trace of calcium in the water, the coral will find it & use it. It's a hobby to me, not a fanatic, I'm not doing the fish, coral, rock, clean up crew, inverts any favours by keeping them if a 4 foot enclosure.
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Last edited by mike31154; 03-20-2017 at 03:36 AM.
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#4
03-20-2017, 06:46 PM
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What kind of danger zone? I run mine in the low 7's all the time as I'm carbon dosing and my sps tips burn at about 8.
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