When do you test your water?

[newhobby]

Before or after water change?
Before or after dosing?
Morning or evening?
Light cycle on or off?

Thanks.

 

[seminolecpa]

I try to test it at the same time whenever I do it. That is the most important thing.

 

[tuberider]

When I think about it, sometimes every few days if things are off, or sometimes every two weeks or so when my tank is in stride.

 

[melly mel]

Before and after water changes. Usually in the evenings after the lights have been on for a few hours.

 

[yardartist]

Before weekly water changes, usually in the evening. I have been changing 10% about every 5 days to control NO3. Chaeto stopped growing in the fuge for some reason over the winter and is now growing well again and the number is dropping.

 

[Thales]

I test when something looks wonky, or after a water change. Testing before a water change seems like a waste if you are just going to ditch the water you just tested.

 

[xcaret]

Before water change and day after normally

 

[Gomer]

evening before water change. It lets me get a weeks "settling" levels to know how to tweak up alk/ca

 

[GreshamH]

Testing before a water change seems like a waste if you are just going to ditch the water you just tested.

Post of the month!!!!

 

[melly mel]

Testing before a water change seems like a waste if you are just going to ditch the water you just tested.

Post of the month!!!!

Makes perfect sense. I like to test before w/c just so i can compare readings from my tank to the new batch of sw. Then test after to see everythings in range.

 

[GreshamH]

The test kit companies thank you

 

[melly mel]

The test kit companies thank you

Ehh....I'm just trying to look like I kinda know what I'm doing here. :bigsmile:

 

[Thales]

I was thinking about this a little more. I think when to test depends on what you are testing for.

If you are testing for toxicity, ammonia or nitrate, you test before to see if you need to do a water change. If you are testing for trace elements, test after a water change so you can adjust the values of what you want in the tank.

 

[GreshamH]

True Rich. I didn't consider that part as it's been years since I have tested for any of those in my reef tank.

 

[seminolecpa]

I was thinking about this a little more. I think when to test depends on what you are testing for.

If you are testing for toxicity, ammonia or nitrate, you test before to see if you need to do a water change. If you are testing for trace elements, test after a water change so you can adjust the values of what you want in the tank.

I was just going to say something similar. I will actually test sometimes before because I want to know if my dosing is keeping up with my tank requirements. Testing in that case after doesn't help because in theory the new water is replenishing it.

Also isn't this a Gremlin question (don't feed after midnight)? Technically, every time you test is before a water change unless you never intend to do a water change again

 

[tuberider]

OK I can't keep my mouth shut, I test before water changes so I can tweak my makeup water to balance out my tank during the water change, I guess I'm a dork.

 

[pixelpixi]

I test during a water change.

I pump the new water in with one hand, siphon the old water out with the other, and take a water sample using my toes.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[Thales]

OK I can't keep my mouth shut, I test before water changes so I can tweak my makeup water to balance out my tank during the water change, I guess I'm a dork.

That works too, but seems like more water tests to me.
Dork.

 

[tuberider]

I take offense to the dork thing, dinkis!

No additional tests, I just do the correction calculations, buffer, change water and walk away happier than I've ever been, and I remain that way forever and ever.