How often should you test for calcium, magnesium and kh (alkalinity)?

[thatindonesianreefer]

I just wanted to know how often should I test for these three elements. Test kit i’m using is red sea foundation pro.

 

[thatindonesianreefer]

I also just started dosing red sea foundation a b and c daily (0.5)ml

 

[Reef_at_Sea]

I also just started dosing red sea foundation a b and c daily (0.5)ml

If you just started dosing something new, i suggest to test your parameters daily for a couple of days.
You need to know what that dosing does.

 

[thatindonesianreefer]

If you just started dosing something new, i suggest to test your parameters daily for a couple of days.
You need to know what that dosing does.

Thanks! So after those couple days how often do i need to test?

 

[Reef_at_Sea]

I test weekly & when i add something new to my tank i test daily again for a couple of days.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I just wanted to know how often should I test for these three elements. Test kit i’m using is red sea foundation pro.

Calcium and Magnesium move very slowly. You should not need to test often.
Ca once a month would be fine, and I would not test Magnesium at all once you have finished the kit.
If either of these move quickly you have either overdosed or it is test error.

Alkalinity moves faster and I'd test weekly in a new tank with few coral.

 

[thatindonesianreefer]

Thanks!

 

[exnisstech]

Calcium monthly or so. Mag I never test. NO3, PO4, and alk weekly. Often I'll test alk daily or every other day in one tank that is starting to get good growth so I'm having to tweak the amount dosed as needed.

 

[GlassMunky]

As other hAve said, it really depends on the tank. When you first start dosing I’d test daily for at least a few weeks to make sure your dosing is doing what you think it is and isn’t slowly raising or lowering.
Once you have it figured out how much is being used and dosed daily, then I switch to 1-2x a week to just make sure everything is staying correct. Eventually you will have to make adjustments as the corals start growing and using up more supplements.

Mag I never test. Just ALK and Calcium (calcium I only check now about 1x a week or every other week while Alk Is 1-2x a week)

 

[Doctorgori]

I got Tridents, but if manually testing, I test alk often, usually multiple times a week
Ca & Mg …I slack: maybe 1x month, I could be lying however
Phosphates? I go by the type and color of algae on the glass…long story
Nitrate: almost never, but test if I see algae or tank just looks funky

 

[threebuoys]

Calc and Alk and phosphate weekly, Magnesium every two or three months

 

[thatindonesianreefer]

Thanks for all the replys!

 

[thatindonesianreefer]

As other hAve said, it really depends on the tank. When you first start dosing I’d test daily for at least a few weeks to make sure your dosing is doing what you think it is and isn’t slowly raising or lowering.
Once you have it figured out how much is being used and dosed daily, then I switch to 1-2x a week to just make sure everything is staying correct. Eventually you will have to make adjustments as the corals start growing and using up more supplements.

Mag I never test. Just ALK and Calcium (calcium I only check now about 1x a week or every other week while Alk Is 1-2x a week)

Yes i just started dosing but the tank is already around 2 yrs old

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Calc and Alk I test every other week

 

[Lionfish hunter]

I just wanted to know how often should I test for these three elements. Test kit i’m using is red sea foundation pro.

What corals do you have? I have sps and test alk 12 times a day with Alkatronic and only test mag and calcium every month or so. But my dosing is very refined and I know that my magnesium and calcium won’t change much if alk doesn’t change.

If you are very in tune with your system, you can get away with testing less. If you don’t have stony corals, you don’t need to be as concerned either.

 

[thatindonesianreefer]

What corals do you have? I have sps and test alk 12 times a day with Alkatronic and only test mag and calcium every month or so. But my dosing is very refined and I know that my magnesium and calcium won’t change much if alk doesn’t change.

If you are very in tune with your system, you can get away with testing less. If you don’t have stony corals, you don’t need to be as concerned either.

I have mostly lps with a few softies.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

I have mostly lps with a few softies.

Fairly standard to test alk enough to keep it steady and then test calcium once a week and magnesium every couple weeks. Assuming you’re dosing correctly, calcium will stay steady if alk is steady. I dose all for reef and kalkwasser so I know calcium will be okay if my alk is steady. With 2 part more can change. Dosing pump could go out or if it’s not dosed or mixed correctly, calcium could start to change. But once a week is common for calcium. You could do 2 weeks, but 1 is really best practice.

 

[thatindonesianreefer]

Fairly standard to test alk enough to keep it steady and then test calcium once a week and magnesium every couple weeks. Assuming you’re dosing correctly, calcium will stay steady if alk is steady. I dose all for reef and kalkwasser so I know calcium will be okay if my alk is steady. With 2 part more can change. Dosing pump could go out or if it’s not dosed or mixed correctly, calcium could start to change. But once a week is common for calcium. You could do 2 weeks, but 1 is really best practice.

For now i’m still testing daily since i haven’t really perfected the dosing amount.

 

[helmsreef]

Personally I test every other day but my daily consumption is about 2.5 dkh a day, if your consumption is low than typically your testing is low but the first few days you should be testing daily if you are using a new supplement and it will help you understand what your tanks needs are

 

[BiggestE22]

I just wanted to know how often should I test for these three elements. Test kit i’m using is red sea foundation pro.

3 times a day with a Trident