Keeping Track Of Test Results

Hey all, Im just curious... for those who have got their tanks up and running (or have already dirrived a method) how do you keep track of your test results..regular notebook, graph, computer makeshift log, computer program desegnated.. and what do you log... basics and anything else...average temp? water evaporation?
do you keep premeasured salt mix for mixing salt? or just play with it when it is in the bucket? how much premixed (or bought mixd saltwater do you keep on hand.. how much water do you change and how often?... Just curious... I love fishies cause it combines my three favoriate things.... the process of a project.....animals and chemistry.

so the results are?

I always keep a 5g bucket of saltwater on hand, an empty 5g bucket, and a 5g bucket of RO water on hand just in case. When its time for a water change, I vaccum 5g from the tank into the empty bucket, use the bucket of saltwater to replace what I just removed, toss some salt in the RO bucket and re-fill the resulting empty with RO. I also keep anywhere from 2-10g worth of RO water in 1g milk jugs laying around for topup.

As for chemistry, I monitor pH, temp, sg, PO4, calc, and alk about 3 times per week all recorded on a clipboard. Just before my water changes I check nitrate and mg just for posterities sake. No fancy computer data entry, I do enough of that at work . As I see numbers changing I might adjust the amount I dose, but thats rare now that my tank is truly becoming mature and stable.

you may wish to try aqualog
this can be downloaded from
here

I just use Microsoft Excel, takes you minutes to set up. I log any changes to stocking, any fish added, and water stats, ie. Temp, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammo, pH, Alk, Calc, SG. etc

As for salt, I keep roughly 30L on hand, enough for about a 1/4 water change, but its NSW (Natural sea water) so I could collect more at any time.

I guess now that I am finished using wordPerfect to do all my logs I coulda used excel lol... oh welll it was fun..... took a few hours but it was fun... I have found that my favorite part of all of this is the Process of getting things going... tweeking, changing, geting things JUST right hehe....... feels like im a real scientist for a little bit... just the results arent gunna blow anything up HEhehe lol

here are the logs that I put together.. being full pages of things for each

first Im going to put this all in a binder so I have it there to log...

Water perameter targets
temp sg ph calcium alk nh3 nitrite nitrate phosphate iodine stronium and a bunch of OTHER spots

Weekly Maintenance log.. things to check off when done
date evaporation basic tests water change dosing and salt creep


Biweekly Maintence log check list
date rinse media rinse filter parts mix new saltwater, replenish ro water, vaccume deterius, Other Other

Monthly Maintence log
date replace media rince internal filter parts restock salt supply stock up again on ro supply replace bulbs (every 6months) other other

Basic Water testing logs
dat time temp sg salinit ph alk kh/dkh nh3 nitrite nitrat calcium phos other other


Additional Auarium notes (date and notes done with a large table)


Livestock (fish) notes

Live Stock (fish) Log
Date Name Common/Scientific, date/place purchased/price, quarantine in and out date, feeding habbits, purchase size, max size


Livestock (corals) notes

Livestock (corals) Log
date common name scientific name, date, place purchased price, quarantine in and out dates, purchase size, max size

Dosing Log (if and when I need to dose with supplaments)
Date strontium molybdenum essntial ellements calcium iodine other


wheeph.....

gunn go find a hole punch now
here (hopefully is a picture of them waiting to go to their new binder home)

Nice log, something tells me chemistry problems will not plague you

Thats some real nice work Nalaundi! I like it alot! I have just got a few spread sheets for data etc. I find excel is easy, and most people have it. You can also write normal text in it too. A binder sounds good, but id be afraid id rip it or get it wet!

Mr Miagi said:

I find excel is easy, and most people have it. You can also write normal text in it too. A binder sounds good, but id be afraid id rip it or get it wet!

Click to expand...

Thanks

I would have used excel if I had thought about it ...lol (senior moment) lol

I will eventually computrize the logs but right now Im having to beg and plead to use my moms laptop (hehe my day off from work and she is working late hence why I have been on all day hehe) so when I get a puter... I will save a few more trees lol