SRC Member FelixSu Posted January 17, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 17, 2005 hi all, please comment on above, using 3 x 39 watts T5s on me 2.5 x 1.5 x 1.5. filtration: 2 x cannisters weipro 2011 skimmer. no SPS, only LPS. so far have a pH and nitrate kit. thinking of getting one or 2 more test kits. which ones u guys think i should have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member strat Posted January 17, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 17, 2005 Calcium and KH testkit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Jun Hong Posted January 17, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 17, 2005 Get Salifert test kit. No point wasting money getting those cheap test kit that provide unreliable result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAV-65 Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Bro, u mentioned u got no LPS and SPS now... but do u intend to keep them? If u only keeping fish, den maybe no2 and po4 testkit... coz having lotsa fish will led to po4 problem and plague ur tank with nuisance algae... Quote People do not plan to fail; Often they just fail to plan... Wat I do to prevent myself from tearing my hair out... My stress remedy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member FelixSu Posted January 17, 2005 Author SRC Member Share Posted January 17, 2005 nono. i do not have SPS, only LPS corals. LS: 2 cleaner shrimp 1 boxer 2 false percula 1 blue tang 1 strawberry 1 yellow tail damsel 1 dusty jawfish 3 turbo snails 2 anemones tank 2.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member typrobin Posted January 17, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 17, 2005 ph cal dkh no3 po4 these were the basic few that i used..i think for PH,NO3 and PO4, u can borrow from someone cos u dun need it all the time,perhaps once a month... Quote MY OLD 3ft!! My Latest Plan!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Reefbum Posted January 19, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 19, 2005 IMHO, many of us try to skimp on test kits which in the end we have to buy.Try to get a complete basic range first.Then as you go deeper into marine then get the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Reefbum Posted January 19, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 19, 2005 IMHO, many of us try to skimp on test kits which in the end we have to buy.Try to get a complete basic range first.Then as you go deeper into marine then get the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Reefbum Posted January 19, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 19, 2005 IMHO, many of us try to skimp on test kits which in the end we have to buy.Try to get a complete basic range first.Then as you go deeper into marine then get the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member huanjie Posted January 19, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 19, 2005 IMHO, many of us try to skimp on test kits which in the end we have to buy.Try to get a complete basic range first.Then as you go deeper into marine then get the rest. OK OK, you made your point !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member kareen Posted January 19, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 19, 2005 I agree with strat..... calcium and KH. U will know you got tons of PO4 if algae start to grow. Adding rowaphos will solve the problem and thus not really neccessary to know. maybe a nitrate test kit to know the water quality....or u change water weekly then also no need liao. Quote Greeting Tank: 4' by 2' by 2' (CR antique) Sump: 3' include 1' refuigm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member alanseah Posted January 19, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 19, 2005 I agree with strat..... calcium and KH. U will know you got tons of PO4 if algae start to grow. Adding rowaphos will solve the problem and thus not really neccessary to know. maybe a nitrate test kit to know the water quality....or u change water weekly then also no need liao. like that say might as well say everything also dont know.. Also by the time u see tons of algae too late lor... also got algae does not mean u have p04 problem also hor.. you can have zero p04 on your test kit but you still got algae problem.. cause for p04 there r 2 stage the inorgainic and organic p04.. what all our test kit can test is inorganic p04 so even your test kit show 0 u still got tons of alage because your may have lot of organic p04 which is been consume by your algae be4 got chance to convert to inorganic p04 and that explain why u got 0 p04. Also test kit is just a guide line to tell you what is your current stage of your tank.. if you dont have test kit for this and that and also even test kit is not a correct answer to every thing. But at least give u a rough idea what your tank current stage is... Also depend on what stage your tank is.. then u will know what test kit to go for more... For start and even donkey yrs down the road it's always advise to get all the required test kit (dKH, Cal, N03, P04, Mg)... at least with the test kit can help u know your tank need (e.g you tank intake cal faster follow by Mg then KH. Then like that u will know what to dose or CR to tune) and current stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member rickster88888 Posted January 19, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 19, 2005 What about a fish only tank? Is the cal, mg.... kits still required? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member madmac Posted January 19, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 19, 2005 It is very challenging to keep reef-tanks on a budget, but imho extremely "rewarding" if you succeed. I think it needs a fair understanding and confidence on your part on how captive reef-systems work, as well as the discipline to maintain the optimum conditions, correct them when they occasionally go off, etc.. Once you reach the stage where your tank goes into wonder stage... things get pretty easy... but before that its a little strive on your part. The test kits do little, imo, esp. if you don't know what & how it got to the stage where you'll need to test & correct them frequently... IMHO, for your 2.5' tank, frequent water changes will do more to help/improve than testing/correcting will. About the most important test you'll need, is to determine the daily drop/consumption of your carbonates (for your LPSes) and cater for that. As dKH, will determine where you pH is, keep a close watch on it. The rest of the parameters will be maintained by the water changes. I think $2 will give you about 20 liters of good clean NSW... thats like 5 times cheaper than what I spend on copi-c a week. Finally, just be patient, depending on what stage of maturity your tank is at, things will just need to go thru' certain phases, let these pass without too much intervention, or it may make other 'things' go worse. And you will learn along by reading hopefully not by experience why its like that and then adjust or upgrade if you want to. Boy, i talk too much... best to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member yiling Posted January 19, 2005 SRC Member Share Posted January 19, 2005 It is very challenging to keep reef-tanks on a budget, but imho extremely "rewarding" if you succeed. I think it needs a fair understanding and confidence on your part on how captive reef-systems work, as well as the discipline to maintain the optimum conditions, correct them when they occasionally go off, etc.. Once you reach the stage where your tank goes into wonder stage... things get pretty easy... but before that its a little strive on your part. The test kits do little, imo, esp. if you don't know what & how it got to the stage where you'll need to test & correct them frequently... IMHO, for your 2.5' tank, frequent water changes will do more to help/improve than testing/correcting will. About the most important test you'll need, is to determine the daily drop/consumption of your carbonates (for your LPSes) and cater for that. As dKH, will determine where you pH is, keep a close watch on it. The rest of the parameters will be maintained by the water changes. I think $2 will give you about 20 liters of good clean NSW... thats like 5 times cheaper than what I spend on copi-c a week. Finally, just be patient, depending on what stage of maturity your tank is at, things will just need to go thru' certain phases, let these pass without too much intervention, or it may make other 'things' go worse. And you will learn along by reading hopefully not by experience why its like that and then adjust or upgrade if you want to. Boy, i talk too much... best to you. hi mad, so u think by mixing your own salt is more expensive or buy saltwater is better ? Quote [ My Humble Home] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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