water measurement for beginner

[ssaudi]

How much will it cost to ensure the water is tested ok in a 3 feet fish tank. What items need to buy as beginner

[Saeight Abdul Rahman]

Hi bro. Welcome to reefing. What do u mean by water is ok? There are a few things to take note to have a good water. Checking the TDS and SG level would be 2 priorities. Start off by getting a RO/DI filter. To top up your tank with water first.

[Clement Chen]

Think shuld get ammonia and ph test kits for cycling. Also maybe can share what items u have currently

[tofubox]

Pirority of checks in my opinion:

New tank: Ammonia-->Nitrite-->Nitrate

After cycled: TDS--->Specific gravity-->Nitrate-->PH

Established tank with corals: TDS-->Specfic Gravity-->KH/PH-->CA-->MG-->Nitrate/Phosphate . U will realise soon that nitrate/phosphate work hand in hand. KH/PH/CA/MG work as a team! Nail all these, and u one step to the darkside.

Invest in good test kits, A good handheld TDS meter, or Refractometer will cost about $40 each

Rest of the test kits are depending on brand and parameter tested. I use salifert test kits. Off my back, i only remember 2 , KH to be $17, CA $30.

As a beginner, go with the steps I've suggested. Or for new tanks, borrow test kits from friends or other reefers to test ammonia and nitrite, these will hardly be used after the tank is cycled. If u are patient, just leave the tank for a month or two to cycle, and u dont even have to test for the first 2. But of cause, stock slow after that.

Investing in a good RO/DI, TDS, Refractometer, SALT, is half the battle won already