FOWLR - Testing Calcium/Phospate/Etc? Yes-No?
- Thread starter filippo
- Start date
mattsilvester
Team RC
Me, personally, yes, I do. Is it absolutely necessary..... I dunno really. I don't test as though it were a reef, but I do keep an eye on it.... say once a month maybe..... why? well for a couple of reasons:
1. I like coraline, and like to keep it growing healthy.
2. Alkalinity is directly linked to pH - and pH is important...... good alkalinity, and you're almost gauranteed good pH.
3. Calcium - not just coraline, but snails etc. need it too - if you have a clean up crew.
4. Phosphate - I dunno how marful it is to fish, but uber-high phosphate will lead to no end of problems such as nuisance algae, cyano, etc...... all unsightly.
..............there are probably loads more good reasons, but in general, keeping calcium at 350-370+ppm and a corepsonding alkalinity, even higher at say 8 or 9 dKH doesn't take much effort and helps keep other parameters in order too.......
If you do alot of larger water changes, like FO folks often do, then chances are your levels will stay good anyway...... i.e. if you are doing upwards of 10% weekly waterchanges, then you will be adding quite alot of calcium through your salt mix.......
So, in short, I think folks should ocasionally check, and try to keep the levels up (ish), but more often than not, if you are runing a FOWLR tank, your water changes will be performed predominantly to maintain waste levels (nitrate etc.), and in doing so, you will be keeping other levels up. If you haven't tested before (or not recently), but you have been keeping a godo water change regime going, then you might want to take a water sample to your LFS and get them to test it....... if levels are reasonable, then just keep up what your doing, and test again the following year
.....unless of course something else gives you reaosn to test sooner.
HTH
Matt
1. I like coraline, and like to keep it growing healthy.
2. Alkalinity is directly linked to pH - and pH is important...... good alkalinity, and you're almost gauranteed good pH.
3. Calcium - not just coraline, but snails etc. need it too - if you have a clean up crew.
4. Phosphate - I dunno how marful it is to fish, but uber-high phosphate will lead to no end of problems such as nuisance algae, cyano, etc...... all unsightly.
..............there are probably loads more good reasons, but in general, keeping calcium at 350-370+ppm and a corepsonding alkalinity, even higher at say 8 or 9 dKH doesn't take much effort and helps keep other parameters in order too.......
If you do alot of larger water changes, like FO folks often do, then chances are your levels will stay good anyway...... i.e. if you are doing upwards of 10% weekly waterchanges, then you will be adding quite alot of calcium through your salt mix.......
So, in short, I think folks should ocasionally check, and try to keep the levels up (ish), but more often than not, if you are runing a FOWLR tank, your water changes will be performed predominantly to maintain waste levels (nitrate etc.), and in doing so, you will be keeping other levels up. If you haven't tested before (or not recently), but you have been keeping a godo water change regime going, then you might want to take a water sample to your LFS and get them to test it....... if levels are reasonable, then just keep up what your doing, and test again the following year
.....unless of course something else gives you reaosn to test sooner.HTH
Matt
johnnyblaze313
New member
i keep an eye on phosphates just cause i dont like algea
reefergeorge
New member
Phosphate tests are very inaccurate. I have never had a test read anything, and have had my share of algae problems.
In my FO I check Ammonia, nitrates, ph, KH, Temp, and Sg. weekly. I do a 10% wc weekly.
mattsilvester
Team RC
which in itself probably does more than enough to maintain kH, and consequently pH....... in my view, one of the many good reasons for doing regular and consistent water changes....
Generally (not referring to you reefergeorge) I often remark that if an aquarist was to measure any one parameter, and no other (with the exclusion of s.g. and temp), I would measure nitrate. why? perosnally, I feel it is the best baramoter of general system health...... from it alone, you can determine (generally) system health, and implement a water change regime to suit......
If you get consistent high nitrates, then in order to keep them at an acceptable level, you can dilute with water changes - which themselves will add all the buffers etc. required to maintain pH etc. If you have generally low nitrates, then imlementing the recommended minimum 20% per month rule will likewise contain enough buffer to nulify the acidifying effect of bacterial action. Either way, regular measuring of nitrates, and regular action to maintain them at a reasonable level will, in my view, result in good "FO" water quality, in teh vast majority of cases........
Having said that, I test the lot...... its the engineer in me..... I don't deal in uncertainties..... I prefer throwing perfectly good time and money away, testing my tank as though it were an SPS reef
....... LOL ....... gives me peace of mind though, and if any can afford to do likewise (time & money wise), then I feel it is a godo practice.....
