Am I in The Wrong Hobby?

[Sk8r]

I test---a lot---but I can run the alk/cal/mg series in less than 5 minutes. Here's a shortcut that works, but if you get an alarming result, re-do the test the meticulous way.
Here's how to:
1. have a logbook in which you write all test results---and the date.
2. look at the last result.
3. assume that this result is going to turn-color in about the same range as the last, give or take a little. So don't bother dropping and shaking, dropping and shaking. Just shoot the syringe-full in all at once, stopping just short of the area that you know is going to contain your result. Let it mix. Then start going drop at a time.
4. if you get a shocking result, before you take any corrective measures, re-do the test the slow way.

It's worked for me for several decades and I haven't crashed a tank yet.

 

[staycat]

I need to thank every body that responded to my thread, great response even though it is very "varied" ! I feel warm and fuzzy about my tank now and will try and put more effort into the "unknown"! I want it to be rite, I look at it like a famous painted picture that is continually evolving. Thanks again but by no means stop posting if you have some more good advise! Thanks, Lon

 

[OwenInAZ]

I'm late to the party, but here goes:

IMO testing shouldn't be how you determine the health of your tank -- the appearance of your inhabitants should be how you figure things out. Once you get things dialed in, don't stress about testing all the time, only often enough to make sure you're on track. It's like finding your way through the woods using a compass -- you don't stare down at the thing the whole time, you go landmark to landmark and enjoy the scenery.

All those fancy controllers are good for, IMO, is to provide a place to sink cash. Pay attention to your inhabitants and let it ride.

 

[zma21]

I'm a studying organismal biologist/ biochemist.

In other words, I actually enjoy testing my tank.

 

[sirreal63]

Testing should be part of your basic husbandry routine. Never testing is like never checking the oil in your car, and to carry that further, to those who think they can tell their water quality by looking to the inhabitants, would you wait until the engine was damaged in your car before you decided it would be a good idea to check the oil? Routine maintenance is preventive maintenance, this is true in our tanks as well. There is no need to stress about testing, it isn't that big of a deal to run the basic tests weekly, if it is a big deal then this may not be the right hobby for you. I never advocate chasing numbers but you should have an idea of what is happening in your tank.

You don't have to test daily once things become stable, but it is wise to test weekly as it is the best way to know what is going on in the tank and avoiding issues before they become a problem. FO tanks it isn't as critical as SPS tanks but water chemistry is the basis of good health in our tanks, if you do not know what the quality is how can you make it better? Waiting until something looks off is not the best way.

 

[OwenInAZ]

Once you have your dosing/water change regimen dialed in, there's no reason to test more often than every couple weeks. It's all about situational awareness.

As a geneticist, I live in a world of quantification. I quantify the water chemistry in my tank roughly biweekly, because I trust myself to have done it right. If things look amiss, I go back and double check.

At the beginning, sure testing often is important, for many reasons. But as the tank matures and the owner becomes more knowledgeable, testing becomes a minor component of the husbandry, because the person in front of the glass really ought to be able to tell how things are going just by looking. Not "they can tell it's 450 ppm calcium by looking," but "they can tell that calcium levels are too low because the corals don't look great, and could be suffering from high alk because of the relationship between the two."