Staying on top of maintenance chores for a reef tank is very important when trying to maintain a healthy tank. These regular tasks can be time consuming and mundane (ok, let’s say boring) but some can help to keep a tank from melting down. With that said, here are my Top 5 Maintenance Tips & Chores to prevent a reef tank from going off the rails.

#5 – Test Parameters
Once a week I test nitrate, calcium and magnesium with Salifert test kits and phosphate with a Milwaukee M1412 Low Range Meter. I use a GHL KH Director to test alkalinity once a day while my GHL Profilux 4 controller continually measures temperature, pH, redox and conductivity. It is also a good idea to do an ICP test every few months to make sure other key parameters are not out of whack.

#4 – Keep Measurement Probes Clean
Allowing gunk, primarily calcium carbonate, to build up on measurement probes can result in inaccurate readings. Bad data can result in bad decisions. I clean my probes every few weeks.

#3 – MORE