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Can Anyone Recommend a Good O2 Test?

Scrounger

Cuttlefish
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Oct 28, 2008
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I am in the final stages of preparing a tank for an octopus. I am a bit concerned about the gas exchange, considering the lid on the tank, and the refugium is contained in the tank stand. I ordered a Tetra O2 test, but it wasn't very helpful. Very small variations of pink in the test sample are used to indicate significant variations of dissolved O2 (increments of 3 mg/l). I checked with my wife to get a second opinion on my reading, but her interpretation was a reading that would have been well over the saturation level for my temp/salinity. I guess, all I really know from this test is that there is some level of O2 in my system. Has anyone had experience with a good test kit?
 
I hate to say this, but in my experience the only really reliable way of measure O2 in aqueous solution is with an electrode (either polarographic or optical). Unfortunately these are expensive (optical more so than polarographic). One of the problems with colorimetric assays like what you are talking about, is that oxygen can fluctuate very rapidly in water. If you take a small sample of water out of the bulk water, it can rapidly reach a new equilibrium with the atmosphere.
 
Are you running a skimmer? The water that gets pulled through the skimmer should be very well oxygenated and if the skimmer is sufficient for the purpose, it will be turning over a very large amount of water per hour and you shouldn't have any issues as far as oxygen goes. You might want to consider making some sort of ventilation holes in the lid just so gasses aren't trapped in the display.
 
Yes, I do have a skimmer running. I also have some small holes drilled in the tank cover. I don't have any reason to believe that my O2 is low, so I don't think it's worth investing in an electrode. I was just thinking that if I could easily verify my O2 level, that the reassurance would be nice. Thanks for the feedback.
 

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