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- In this MarineDepot.com video,
we're gonna share which parameters you need to test for
in a fish-only or reef aquarium.
We're also going to explain how these different parameters
will effect your fish and corals
and provide some helpful tips
on choosing the right test kit for your tank.
Some hobbyist claim they can tell how good
or bad their water quality is just by looking at the tank.
The reality is, when the water quality is so poor
that you can tell just by looking at it,
you've already subjected your fish and coral
to lousy living conditions far longer than you should have
and fixing the problem will now require greater effort.
Keeping your water parameters at ideal levels and stable
is crucial to the health and well-being
of the animals in your care.
This is why it's so important
to regularly test your water quality and log the results.
By actively monitoring your water parameters,
you can identify trends and notice changes
before they become problematic
making it easy to resolve any problems before they develop.
For a fish-only system, you should test pH, alkalinity,
ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
pH is the measure of a acidity or basicity
of your aquarium water.
Fish and coral can fall ill or even perish
if your aquarium pH falls outside the acceptable range.
The tanks pH can be effected by a range of factors
and should therefore be monitored at all times.
Stability is the key word with pH
because large swings in pH can really stress out
your aquarium inhabitants.
Alkalinity is somewhat complex
but it is perhaps best understood by thinking of it
as a measure of bicarbonate in your aquarium water.
A properly maintained alkalinity level
makes it much easier to keep pH stable
and will provide the necessary components
for coral to grow and build a skeleton.
Testing should be performed weekly in most cases.
Ammonia and Nitrite are two of the basic waste parameters
and are products of the metabolic processes
of the nitrogen cycle.
They are both extremely toxic to fish and corals
and should never be present in your aquarium
outside of the cycling process.
If either is present in your aquarium,
it is the result of an insufficient biological filtration
and/or overstocked aquarium.
Testing these parameters is usually only necessary
while cycling your aquarium
but is not a bad idea to check monthly
or when you suspect something may be wrong with your tank.
Nitrate is one of the final products of the nitrogen cycle
and should be tested weekly.
This will help you to establish a regular filter maintenance
and water-change schedule.
When nitrate begins to rise,
you know it is time to clean your filtration equipment
and perform a water change.
The API Saltwater Master Test Kit
is one of the most popular and affordable test kits
for testing a fish-only system.
They're easy to use and the results are precise enough
for most fish-only keepers to avoid any major problems.
When caring for a reef aquarium,
in addition to the aforementioned parameters,
you'll also want to test for calcium,
magnesium, and phosphate levels.
Calcium is used by corals along with bicarbonates
and other elements to grow and build their skeleton.
When you're adding corals to your tank,
you should test your calcium levels daily.
Once you identify how much calcium you'll need to supplement
to keep your corals growing,
you may begin to do so
and reduce testing frequency to once per week.
Magnesium is important because it influences calcium
and alkalinity levels and is also used by corals
to grow and build their skeleton.
Testing should be done weekly to monitor demand.
Supplementation is often required, especially in aquariums
that are heavily stocked with stony corals.
Phosphate is another important parameter to test for
because it fuels algae growth
and inhibits your coral's ability to utilize calcium.
The phosphate level in a reef aquarium
should be kept below .05 ppm.
Higher levels can lead to algae issues
and cause corals to brown out or deteriorate.
Conversely, having an absolute zero phosphate level
can starve corals.
You can keep your phosphate level low
by using one of the many phosphate reducing
filter media option available.
You can prevent phosphate from entering your aquarium
by using RO/DI filtered water
that measures zero total dissolved solids.
Testing for phosphate in a fish-only aquarium
can also be helpful to keep nuisance algae at bay.
Getting accurate test results is important
when caring for a reef aquarium.
Red Sea, Salifert, and Elos are widely considered
the most accurate and easy to use liquid test kits
by reef keepers.
Hanna Checker Colorimeters are another option
and a great alternative for hobbyist
that find color recognition type test kits
difficult to interpret.
The electronic monitors offered by American Marine
are even more helpful
because they give you a constant electronic reading.
Having a list handy of ideal reef tank parameters
is always helpful.
That way when you test your water,
you'll be able to easily tell if your parameters
are out of whack.
We've included a link to the reef tank parameters chart
on our website in the video description
so you can bookmark or print it out for future reference.
We could talk for hours about water chemistry
but hopefully we've packed enough information
into this video to help you grasp the basics.
If you'd like to learn more,
please feel free to leave a comment with your questions
or contact our aquarium experts for free advice
via phone or email.
We certainly do appreciate you guys watching,
please don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel
for more helpful tips and until next time,
take care and happy reef keeping.
(light music) (water bubbling)