Automated Testing

[WhosUrBud]

As much as I really love spending 40 minutes every Saturday doing 8 separate tests, I’ve been planning on trying installing an automated system.

So last week GHL announced the Ion Director with new probes is finally shipped to the the US and distribution is restated. Currently I think it’s the only one with dosing built in and can dose according to test results to maintain each parameter. Sadly it runs $2-5/day for testing.

I was planning on getting the Neptune Apex/Trident combo but before I jump in, wanted to know what people thoughts were on best testing system.

 

[civics14]

8 test?? What are you testing?
I test Alk once a week, Nitrates & Phosphates don’t fluctuate that much so at most twice a month. But I also keep up with my maintenance, every 3 wks change gfo and carbon, weekly 10% water change and I run a calcium reactor.

 

[hzheng33]

trident for both of my tanks.

nitrate and phosphate are done manually using Hanna.

 

[WhosUrBud]

8 test?? What are you testing?
I test Alk once a week, Nitrates & Phosphates don’t fluctuate that much so at most twice a month. But I also keep up with my maintenance, every 3 wks change gfo and carbon, weekly 10% water change and I run a calcium reactor.

I guess they’re not all necessary but
Salinity, pH, dKH, NO2, NO3, PO4, Mg, Ca.

 

[gill]

I have been tempted from time to time, but find I can get by testing manually once a week, takes all of 15 minutes: (1) Alkalinity (30 seconds with Hanna), (2 and 3) Phosphate and Nitrate (both Hanna, takes 10 minutes to do them together), (4) Calcium (red sea, 2 minutes) and (5) salinity (Milwaukee, 15 seconds). I have adjusted the timing on my 2-part dosers to keep Alk and Ca where they need to be, so I find once a week is fine. I get in trouble if I go longer between testing, and miss a trend that needs tweaking. My alk holds solid at 8.5-ish this way. Honestly, the tests that take time, Nitrate and Phosphate, aren't even tested by Trident, so again, I don't see how this device would save me much time.

I run a Hydros monitoring system (which I love). So I can see pH, but I think that is a trash metric (so many problems get created by chasing pH numbers, in my experience). pH is easy to test with a probe, but alkalinity is 100x more important.

 

[civics14]

I guess they’re not all necessary but
Salinity, pH, dKH, NO2, NO3, PO4, Mg, Ca.

Drop nitrite if your tank is already cycled, no need to test it after that point.
Salinity shouldn’t swing that much if you have an ATO. A good hydrometer is literally seconds to test.
Mg shouldn’t change much in several months unless you’re growing mangroves or something similar that aggressively uses it. I test MG twice a year.
PH is nice to know, but I have learned to ignore it with no ill effect unless you are really trying to maximize coral growth.

What kind of system do you have going? Corals? How are you replenishing alk and calc?

 

[Rainblood]

before i bought my tridents i asked a buddy and his response was "i kill just as many corals with my trident as i do without it". i laughed and thought it was funny.
i now realize that it is 100% true.

 

[WhosUrBud]

Drop nitrite if your tank is already cycled, no need to test it after that point.
Salinity shouldn’t swing that much if you have an ATO. A good hydrometer is literally seconds to test.
Mg shouldn’t change much in several months unless you’re growing mangroves or something similar that aggressively uses it. I test MG twice a year.
PH is nice to know, but I have learned to ignore it with no ill effect unless you are really trying to maximize coral growth.

What kind of system do you have going? Corals? How are you replenishing alk and calc?

I always just did nitrites/nitrates together (red sea kit) since they use the same reagents and take the same reaction time. But you're right, it adds little value.
Salinity doesn't swing and but is a quick test, so do it for peace of mind.
Started dosing All For Reef (as you said, to replenish alk/calc), so I like to test dKh/Ca/Mg to track impacts. Ideally would like to control each separately.

I was kinda set on Apex/Trident. But have seen a lot of great reviews on GHL Kh Director for testing and auto dosing to maintain dKh. With the Ion Director now available, it can monitor Ca/Mg/K/NO3 and dose to control each separately. Curious is anyone is going that route over Trident.

 

[enderg60]

Im using an alkatronic and mastertronic on my system, and run a mastertronic on my coral QT. They have their quirks and its another machine that needs maintenance but overall I love it.

Its not really about the time it takes to do the tests manually, its more the fact I forget or something gets in the way. This allows me to get consistent values at specific times. I can watch trends and make adjustments. The system with the dosetronic has the ability to self adjust the dosing for anything it can test for. I am not willing to let it take that level of control yet though.

I didnt go with a trident because I didnt want to be locked into their brand of tests, and it only does the big 3.

Be aware there is not only the upfront cost, but the cost of the test kits themselves because the ease of doing the test will make you do it more often.

I currently test 3 times a week for alk, calc, mag, phos, nitrate and nitrate. The one on my main system still has room for either an Iodine or iron. Still not sure what ill end up using.

At the end of the day if you run a big tank I would want some kind of alk controller on it. For a multi tester, they have zero point aside from being neat. You still spend time messing with it and refilling it. Its just a toy that helps keep the tank more consistent.

 

[billyocean]

I usually test alk daily or every other day if adding a bunch of acros. When it's settled in I relax on it a bit. Alk consistency will que me on my other parameters if thers a problem