What should I test after livestock additions?

As many of you know my tank completed cycling and I'm planning the addition of a CUC and fish after Thanksgiving. I don't plan on adding corals until I'm sure the CUC and fish are doing well, Dec/Jan time frame.

In the mean time I'm ordering some things I'll need for the tank, replacement bulb, power head, and etc. One of the things I'm considering getting is additional test kits. Currently test for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Ph, and Salinity (refractometer) . What else should I be testing for once I add the CUC and Fish?

Thanks for the advice.

DarkHorseMBA

 

what you testing for now are all you need to for livestock. once your tanks been established for a roughly a year, you can probably forgo the ammonia test. thats just my opinion , i havent tested for ammonia for well over a year now. once your start in on the coral, dkh, calcium and mag will be what you want to test for next.

 

If you are going to add corals as you state then a phosphate kit would be good to have right away. You will want to get calcium, magnesium and alkalinity tests before adding corals so you can get those parameters in the ranges need by corals.

 

2in10 nailed it.

 

Should I start testing for phosphate now, or wait until Jan when I plan on corals? Sorry got confused with the "right away".


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

give it time because your fish will cause to change the parameters of your water with their poopy and eating habits wait a bit until you add coral

 

If you are using RO/DI water and feed sensibly it will take a while for phosphates to build up. I would start testing a few months before you intend on adding any SPS or LPS corals though as they can be more sensitive than soft corals.