What do you test for? What do you look for? What do you do?
In the late 80's early 90's. Test for CALCIUM, pH, temp. Use an R.O. With a flush kit.
What do you do in the time frame you started to Love Aquariums?
What do you test for? What do you look for? What do you do?
In the late 80's early 90's. Test for CALCIUM, pH, temp. Use an R.O. With a flush kit.
What do you do in the time frame you started to Love Aquariums?
I started back in the early 80's as a teenager with fresh water and I haven't sopped since then.
I was not testing for anything, I just had a normal filter and an air pump, I always wondered why all my fishes died after 4 or 5 days after setting up the tank or after cleaning it (I used to clean the whole tank including the rocks).
But that was until I learned about the need of cycling a tank, poor little gold fishes. I used normal tap water after letting sit for a day to let the clorox to banish.
Yeah things have come a long way. I think by the mid 90's My testing craze hit. I looked at alkalinity more than pH and added magnesium, strontium, iodine and phosphate to the list.
Wayback in the day before understanding the cycle only the strong would survive. Looking back it's amazing how much survived my desk top tanks. Under gravel filters of course. Do you remember those carbon cartridges at the top of the tower. How many bubble towers did you have? I Remember before going to school. A strange friend of ours had a spring fed pool. With lots of growth on sides but pristine water. I put my tank mates in his pool for retirement. The Baka shark got like 12+ inches in there. So much for the pet store 4-6". I think I might of had a ammonia and ph test. But did use a dechlorinator. Kind of silly as I was on well water. Must of been for the "stress coat"
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I keep water, last checked about 600 gallons worth.
Problem is animals keep using it as there water closet.
Worst of all the littlest ones keep using up all the supplies.
Yeah those carbon filter were a big hit. I had a friend the use to have a UV that slid in the undergravel tube. I think it was 4 watts.
I am to Young to get into this conversation, I am like a teenager when it comes to saltwater aquariums
55 Gl. non drilled, Mix reef, HOB protein skimmer, BRS bio Pellets reactor, 180W led.
29 Gl. Biocube stock Mix reef
75 Gl. Rimless drilled, Vertex IN250 protein skimmer, BRS Biopellet reactor in serie with carbon reactor, return Eheim 1262, 180 watts LED, 3 pump doser for A-B, strontium and magnesium
Reef keeper eliteV2 Controler
and feeding like crazy, no more low nutrients, yes to a high nutrients and explosive growth
In the lil nuvo 16 gal tank i test for ph alk and mg once a week and look at everything very closely twice a day. If i suspect something i test as well. i seem to be able to now tell when the alk is off by the shrooms behavior as well the polyp extension i guess its a key thing to look at what it should look like when its healthy as your guide to your waters/systems quality….
I do have the entire work up of tests which i sometimes do just for curiosity sake. but never find anything out of whack.. most common for me the ALK being to high lately.. as well as MG. but i have a dosser set up which i tinker with constantly on such a small tank i try n keep growth high.. The silly kenya trees doubles in sizes every week... i flush the splits down the toilet before it takes over…. lol
Cant seem to keep montipora very well.. other than that the fact that i have sps n lps in there has been ok so far. LPS grows very slowly it seems for me to "clean" of water i suspect..
I clean my pre filters every three days, blow the rock off once a week, and clean the skimmer cup once a week or so… this is all on a lil 16 which is way over stocked for the water volume on a mixed reef setup.. but the three other tanks are in the works…ATM should have 100 gallons of system water for this to all move to very soon..
Four individual systems Right now.
30gal red sea 130d lps/softies/anemone tank, kalk ato, reef bright led strip.
40 softies set up.
550 total gallon marineland 300 DD main system 18 months old now and stabilized. T5 VHO lights/ BLUE led strip, Fully custom built LIFE REEF sump and FUGE, AWESOME 60" tall skimmer, and 1000+ gallon rated custom Ca reactor, 3 50 gallon attached SPS frag systems lite with a combination of HM and LED and T5 fixtures.
A 200 gallon MARS quarintine with UV system/ medication for new arrivals.
Still lots to learn about the hobby but I have amassed a great collection of real beauties. I have broken past the stage of keeping things alive and now there actually growing out. Which is a big hurdle for many beginners I must admit. Good information and advise is hard to get sometimes and the club has done wonders with respect to quality advise and help in the hobby.
THANKS Orlando Reef Educators Organization!!!!
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