Recif Blog
Practical reef keeping guides on water chemistry, testing routines and troubleshooting.
Which salinity tester can you trust: refractometer, hydrometer or digital?
A calibrated refractometer or a digital conductivity tester is trustworthy, a swing arm hydrometer is not, and calibration matters more than which one you buy.
What temperature should a reef tank be (and is 82 too hot)?
Keep a reef tank at 76 to 80 F (24.5 to 26.5 C) and hold it steady. 82 F is survivable in a heatwave but not a place to live, and here is how to cool it down.
Reef tank parameters: the target chart, and which number to fix first
The target and acceptable range for every reef tank parameter, how fast each one moves, and the order to correct them in when several are off at once.
Does your reef salt mix change your parameters?
Yes, by more than you expect. Reef salts mix from 7 to 12 dKH and 400 to 500 ppm calcium, so a mismatched water change is a dose. How to test and match a mix.