Testing Water

[tropicalwaters]

I am wondering if to test my water i can use FW tests? I recently added live rock about a week ago and tested for ammonia and its at 0. I have the freshwater master testkit, and i was wondering if i can use those test to tests? I know i need to get tests for calcium etc.. thanks

 

[Colin_T]

Most test kits can be used on fresh or salt water. Some PH kits will only read up to a certain point, High range Ph vs low range Ph test kits. But generally ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & phosphate can be used on both fresh & salt.
Some ammonia test kits will go cloudy when testing salt water. The colours will still be the same but the sample looks cloudy.

 

[SkiFletch]

Many Nitrate test kits use a different color chart for FW than SW. I know my older API kit used different charts for SW and FW.

 

[tropicalwaters]

I ordered one of those master reef tests- so far with my freshwater the ammonia is reading at 0, nitrite at .05 PH 8.3.. its been at this for about a week now, about 2 days after i out in the live rock. Hopefully the SW test wont tell me much different. I am hping to add a cleanup crew- hair algae is starting to creep up. also,when should i start dosing for calcium and trace elements? Thanks

 

[SkiFletch]

Meh, I don't believe in trace elements, but calcium, carbonate (aka alkalinity), and magnesium should really only be messed with if you have sensitive hard corals, or are having real troubles with your pH. Not really necessary to stray down that road for FOWLR or Softies