what all water qualities do I have to test for a saltwater setup?

Question

I know salinity and ph, but are there anything elts I need to test
plus how mutch would these test kits cost? Plus if the ph is to high or to low how do you adjust it? Do you absolutally need coral, live sand or live rock for saltwater? Can I adjust the good bacteria level with aqua+, cycle, and/or waste control?



thank you soooo mutch for all your good advice, all the books Ive taken out dont tell me these things.

Answer 1

You also need to test Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia, Ph, Salinity, Calcium and I think something else, but it has slipped my mind. Yes, you need some kind of live rock or sand. That is more than look, but it actually does the bio filtration. It is suggested to get 1-1.25 lbs of live rock to every gallon. A Master Saltwater Test kit is approximately $25. Hope that helps!!!

Answer 2

Like they said, it depends on if it's just a fish only, or a reef tank.

In both types, if you want to, you should test for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, ph, and alkalinity.

In a reef tank, you'll want to test for copper, calcium, and phosphates.

Kits can cost anywhere from $5-10 for individual tests(just one thing, like ph or ammonia), and $25-100 for kits that contain multiple tests.

You don't need coral or sand or live rock if you don't want it. Depending on which type of tank you have though, using crushed coral(fish only) or aragonite sand (fish and reef tanks) will help keep your ph where it needs to be.

There are buffers that you can add to the water that will help control ph too. They are usually somewhere close to the test kits and stuff at the pet store.

Live sand and live rock are good things to add. Not only do they help with filtration and provide shelter, but they can help provide a food source for the animals in the tank.

Personally, I stay away from adding any chemicals and additives that alter the filtration. If you set your tank up correctly and do proper maintenance on it, you won't ever have to worry about the bacteria. The only thing other than the trace minerals and calcium that I use is Seachem's Prime. It's the best water treatment that I've found, it doesn't mess with the protein skimmer as much as others do.

Answer 3

If you are building a REEF tank you should have about 2 1/2 to 3" of sand and 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of live rock per gal.
If you are doing just a FISH tank you do not NEED anything depending on how good your filter is BUT remember that live rock and live sand are Mother Natures Way of cleaning the ocean.
Even in a fish tank it would be WAY better on your part to add at least some live rock and it looks nice AND your fish will love the caves and hiding spots.

Get a SALTWATER test kit that tests for PH, Amonia,Nitrite, Nitrate. I payed about $40. Canadian for mine.
A GOOD hydrometer costs about $20.
As for high and low ph, there are chemicals at your local marine store to adjust it up or down but the Use of enough Live rock Should stablize it perfectly.
I have Never had a problem with ph.

www.saltaquarium.about.com is a great site for information
Good luck and Enjoy

P.S. I have no idea where some people get the idea that you need some sort of SPECIAL lighting for live rock...
If you have PROPER lighting for your FISH tank, That should be more than enough for Live Rock.
If you have PROPER lighting for your REEF tank, That would be WAY more than enough.
You NEED SPECIAL LIGHTING FOR LIVE CORAL NOT LIVE ROCK. DO SOME RESEARCH.
There is a HUGE difference between the 2 of them.

Answer 4

If you want to do a Just fish tank, you do not need live rock, you will probably not have the correct lighting for it. Make sure your filters have good biological filtration and you will be fine.

Again, everything you will need to test for depends on if it is just fish or reef?

For just fish salinity, pH, ammonia, nitrite.
For reef a lot more is needed. In addition to the above you will need to test hardness, calcium, phosphates, and nitrates.

How your adjust your PH will depend on why it is off. You will probably not have too high of a pH test. Generally it is more difficult to get it high enough. Hardness will effect your pH level.

As far as Chemicals I have found that Sea Chem makes superior chemicals and supplements for salt tanks. I would use Prime and Stability to help with the good bacteria in the tank.

Test kits vary, but whatever you do, make sure they are for salt water, and get a high range pH kit.

Good luck and enjoy!

Answer 5

get a skimmer, run the fluval 404, and the emperor with a million or 2 maxijet 600's for further flow, and upload some extra stay rock and your set for fish, corals gained't proceed to exist below those lights and a reliable marine try kit, and use RO water ebay has a reliable below one hundred dollar filter out it really is probability-free for human use or walmart sells it for 33 cents a gallon for refills of culligan water