Darth_Tater
02/21/2017, 05:24 PM
A couple of weeks ago I read an article on another site about using magnetic lab stirrers for routine reef tank testing (Red Sea Alk, Calc, and Mag for example). I thought to myself "that's a neat idea, maybe someday I'll try it."
Later that week I read another article about how we tend to make changes to a very successful system for no other reason than to make a change. That author made the suggestion that the only changes to a stable thriving system that are smart to make are changes that make important routine tasks easier (i.e. testing or water changes), thus making them more likely to get done.
This got me wondering when I last tested my parameters and decided this second author had a great point. If there's a change you can easily make that will encourage you to do the important routine things more often, you should do it! Later that week the mag stirrer, graduated cylinders, and stir bars were in the mail.
I have to say, I will never use the old "swish the liquid around the bottle" method again! The test was much easier to perform. I think (for me personally at least) the magnetic stirrer also makes these tests much more accurate. I got a reading a full 1 degree of Alk lower with the stirrer than I had a few days earlier with the "swishing liquid" method (backed up by a lower reading on the Calc test). I've always had a problem with the Red Sea Alk test finding the color change point. With the liquid in the graduated cylinder constantly mixing, you can instantly tell if the drop of reagent you just added made a difference or not.
In summary, I am a fan of the magnetic lab stirrer for routine reef tank testing and highly recommend it. There is a fairly high startup cost (cost me about $80 for mag stirrer, cylinders, and stir bars) but I think it's worth it. Now I just have to find a place to put the stirrer so I don't have to unplug it and shove it in a drawer between uses...
Later that week I read another article about how we tend to make changes to a very successful system for no other reason than to make a change. That author made the suggestion that the only changes to a stable thriving system that are smart to make are changes that make important routine tasks easier (i.e. testing or water changes), thus making them more likely to get done.
This got me wondering when I last tested my parameters and decided this second author had a great point. If there's a change you can easily make that will encourage you to do the important routine things more often, you should do it! Later that week the mag stirrer, graduated cylinders, and stir bars were in the mail.
I have to say, I will never use the old "swish the liquid around the bottle" method again! The test was much easier to perform. I think (for me personally at least) the magnetic stirrer also makes these tests much more accurate. I got a reading a full 1 degree of Alk lower with the stirrer than I had a few days earlier with the "swishing liquid" method (backed up by a lower reading on the Calc test). I've always had a problem with the Red Sea Alk test finding the color change point. With the liquid in the graduated cylinder constantly mixing, you can instantly tell if the drop of reagent you just added made a difference or not.
In summary, I am a fan of the magnetic lab stirrer for routine reef tank testing and highly recommend it. There is a fairly high startup cost (cost me about $80 for mag stirrer, cylinders, and stir bars) but I think it's worth it. Now I just have to find a place to put the stirrer so I don't have to unplug it and shove it in a drawer between uses...