Maintenance question

[doconnell]

My tank is going pretty good now but I have had to live and learn as I'm sure everyone has. So, I'm going to ask if there is anything else I need to learn without learning the hard way. I have a 75 gallon fish and coral tank.

My routine:

I feed my fish once a day
I feed my coral 3 times a week
I now add dKH once a week
I do 5 gallon water changes once a week
I test the tank almost everyday but will move that to once a week.
Test with the Mardel strips and Hydrometer

Is there anything else I should be doing as far as maintenance or routine checks? I know there is a hundred ways of doing thing but I'm sticking to the basics for now.

 

[MikeCentore]

clean pumps once every month or so.
change activated carbon once a month
clean salt spray around the tank (as needed)

I'm sure I'll think of more.

 

[AHDOnline]

For more accurate results I would highly recommend a liquid test kit. Even the API test kits from the local stores will provide better results than the test strips. IMHO

plus what Mike said.

 

[doconnell]

Yes, I forgot I do change the carbon once a month, and I alway stay after the salt spray. I don't clean the pump but will start.

I was wondering if there was a better test kit as that is how I got in some PH problems. It is hard to compare the colors on the strips. Do you recommend one over the other?

 

[AHDOnline]

Yeah i can agree on that. Im colorblind, so I have to have someone else read them. Also much better to read in natural lighting vs tank light. I have a hand held PH meter now i picked up second hand for cheap that works great.

I have yet to find a colorblind friendly test kit.

 

[cloakerpoked]

pH monitors run about $100 new...a little less second hand. Make sure you re-calibrate it using calibration solution you can buy on bulkreefsupply or probably in a store.

I like to use Salifert test kits...they're titration kits, so they start one color, and you keep adding solution until it makes a dramatic change (usually like blue to pink, or pink to blue) then you read a chart and see what you're at. They usually run about $20 for about 60 tests. They're very accurate as well.

Vinegar is excellent at dissolving coraline off powerheads or other things that grow it in the tank. Just rinse thoroughly before re-adding to the tank. It should help get off calcium deposits from precipitate forming if you use any kalkwasser or whatever.

Maintainence is usually a very tank-specific issue. For example, I clean my skimmer neck about once every other day, because my skimmer is very dry in skimming, that's where 90% of my skimmate collects normally.

 

[doconnell]

all good information. Thanks to all of you. I greatly appreciate it.

 

[bnmir]

I would also specifically check temperature and heater operation frequently.