Which readings are important?

[Pink4289]

I'm starting my first saltwater tank this coming thursday(that is it is cycled and I'm adding the fish thursday)

I have both a Reef Master test kit and a Saltwater Master Test Kit. Which readings are important for keeping fish and a few corals?
What are all these tests for and how does it relate to my tank?
NO-2 ?
NO-3
NO-3+4
AK?

I know Amonia and Calcium and PH are very important but which other test are important to keep an eye on? Likewise which are not important? How often should I test(should I test one more frequently than the others?)
HELP!

[chrisfont23]

Welcome. This is probably a dumb answer, but they are all important, and on some levels equally important as the effect of one plays directly to another. Magnesium, Phosphates, Calcium and Alkalinity are as vital as testing for Nitrates and PH in either set up.The only two that should be negligible after a cycle IMO, are Nitrites and Ammonia. Here is a good article

[Pink4289]

Welcome. This is probably a dumb answer, but they are all important, and on some levels equally important as the effect of one plays directly to another. Magnesium, Phosphates, Calcium and Alkalinity are as vital as testing for Nitrates and PH in either set up.The only two that should be negligible after a cycle IMO, are Nitrites and Ammonia. Here is a good article

That link was helpful! I will read it in it's entirety in awhile. Likewise it is bookmarked!

I went to a local saltwater retailer(if you call local 40min away) and he said when I put my fish in I should have 0 Alkalinity. But yet the Calcium booster I bought from petco says it increases and maintains Calcium AND Alkalinity???
I don't believe my kit has a test for magnesium,stronium or Iodine etc. So is it safe to assume that if all your readings are on target then these are as well? Honestly I'll only have 2-3 small corals and 4 fish(hardy ones at that)

[chrisfont23]

No. That's not a safe assumption. As your corals grow, they will deplete nutrients from the water, primarily calcium and carbonate (bicarbonate). These are used to form the corals skeletons and contribute to their continued, un-stunted growth, especially notable in an SPS dominant tank, as the depletion is more likely quite greater. Measuring alkalinity is a simple way to gauge these concentrated levels and their relationships - calcium, carbonate, bicarbonate, borate and probably some other minerals I am forgetting from 8th grade science contribute to alkalinity. Magnesium is in there too, somewhere... Everything is proportional.

So having an alkalinity of 0 means you are probably deficient in calcium, carbonate or both - since a level of 0 means approximately 340-360 ppm calcium or lower. I would get yourself a kit to measure dkh (Degrees of carbonate hardness) if you don't have one already. I aim for calcium around 400/420, a DKH of about 9/10 and magnesium in the 1280-1300 range. Two part buffers, such as C-Balance by Two Little Fishies, keep these ratios proportional throughout. And don't dose anything you cannot measure - that's reef suicide in my opinion.

Also... I would be very wary of what your LFS tells you. Regardless of how many or how little corals you have, keeping carbonate hardness and calcium levels consistent are going to be beneficial throughout.