CoralBay UK | Reefing hub guide
Track your reef tank parameters with CoralBay
Keep your test results together, understand long-term trends and make more informed decisions about the stability of your reef aquarium.
CoralBay's Tank Parameters tool gives members a dedicated place to record readings, organise multiple aquariums and review how water chemistry changes over time. It is a practical reef log, available inside your CoralBay account.
Why log water parameters?
A single test tells you where you are. A history tells you where you are heading.
Reef keeping is often about consistency rather than chasing a perfect number. A reading in isolation cannot tell you whether alkalinity has been declining for weeks or whether nutrients changed after a feeding adjustment.
Saving your results makes those patterns easier to notice. Instead of searching through notebooks, old photographs or spreadsheets, you can return to the same account-based log whenever you want to compare readings.
A record, not an aquarium controller
This tool helps you record and interpret the test results you enter. It does not itself test the water, adjust dosing, control equipment or guarantee that a reading is safe.
Getting started
Your first tank log, step by step
Sign in to CoralBay and open My Account, then Tank Parameters, or use the direct link below.
Create a tank
Add your aquarium as a separate system. For example, you might name it Main Reef, Frag Tank or Nano Reef.
Add parameters
Choose what to track, give each parameter an appropriate unit and set your own preferred minimum and maximum where useful.
Save a reading
Enter your measured value, check the date and add an optional note. Repeat as you test your tank over time.
Direct link: coralbay.uk/my-account/tank-parameters/. You will need to be signed in to access your tank records.
Separate systems
One account, multiple reef tanks
Different aquariums can have different routines, nutrient levels and target ranges. CoralBay lets you keep their records separate.
Main display reef
Follow long-term stability, coral demand and changes to everyday dosing.
Frag or propagation tank
Track a separate water system without mixing its readings into the main display's history.
Nano, quarantine or holding tank
Create another log for a smaller or temporary system with its own testing routine.
Each tank can have its own parameters and recorded measurements, making it easier to compare the right information without confusing readings from different systems.
Your measurements
Track the parameters that matter to your reef
You are not limited to a fixed list. Add the measurements you actually test and use the units that match your test kit or instrument.
Major elements
Alkalinity, calcium and magnesium are useful to follow in reefs with growing stony corals.
Nutrients
Nitrate and phosphate trends may help explain changes in feeding, filtration or nutrient management.
Core conditions
Temperature, salinity and pH provide context for how your aquarium is behaving.
ORP and other readings
Record ORP or other measurements you want in your log, including values from separate instruments.
Personal reference ranges
Set a preferred minimum and maximum for a parameter where a range is meaningful for your system.
Different tanks, different targets
A frag system and a mixed reef need not share the same reference ranges or testing schedule.
About target ranges: The limits in your log are user-defined reference values, not CoralBay-certified safe ranges. Check your methods, units, livestock needs and test accuracy before changing aquarium chemistry.
Quick everyday logging
Record a result and the reason behind it
When you take a water test, select the appropriate tank and parameter, enter the reading and save it. The form is designed around a date, measured value and optional note.
The date is normally set to today, but you can change it when entering an older result. Notes provide valuable context, especially if you later notice an unexpected change in the chart.
Example of a useful note
Measurement: Alkalinity result from today's test.
Note: "Reduced two-part dosing yesterday; retesting after 24 hours."
This is an illustration of how to document an event, not a dosing recommendation.
Things worth noting
- Change to dosing or supplementation
- Different test kit or a fresh reagent batch
- Feeding or filtration adjustments
- Water change or new salt mix
- ICP results or corrective additions
- Maintenance or an unusual tank event
Understand the history
See trends instead of isolated numbers
CoralBay turns logged readings into historical charts so you can see how a parameter has moved over time.
Is it stable?
Repeated readings near the same level may indicate a consistent trend, assuming your testing method is reliable.
Is it drifting?
A gradual rise or fall is easier to recognise when you can compare dates rather than rely on memory.
Did something change?
Use notes alongside historical readings to investigate what happened after a change to your routine.
Small fluctuations are normal. Test-kits, sampling time and measurement precision can create apparent changes. Avoid reacting to one surprising result without checking it.
A broader view
Check your whole tank with All params
For a quick overview, use the All params view to see several recorded parameters together in a grid-style layout, rather than opening each one separately.
Review a group of readings
See more of your chosen aquarium's measurements in one place. This is useful for a regular water-chemistry review.
Look at the detail when needed
Switch to an individual parameter to examine its historical chart, recorded values and notes more closely.
A visual overview is a reference tool. It cannot by itself assess the overall health of livestock, diagnose a problem or replace observation of the animals.
Keep your records tidy
Correct mistakes without starting over
Edit a saved reading
If you typed the wrong number, date or note, use the edit controls to correct the entry. You do not need to keep inaccurate results in your history.
Delete with care
The tracker also provides deletion controls for readings, parameters and tanks. Check what you are removing before confirming, particularly when an item has a history of recorded measurements.
Practical tip: Before making large changes to a log, review whether you still need its older results. Do not assume deleted records will remain available for recovery.
Real-life reef keeping
Where a proper tank history becomes useful
Coral growth and alkalinity
As consumption changes, a series of alkalinity readings can help you spot whether your current dosing still matches demand.
Nutrient management
Compare nitrate or phosphate readings before and after feeding, filtration or nutrient-management changes.
Long-term stability
Keep context around seasonal changes, maintenance, testing methods and new livestock as your reef develops.
Good logs support better questions: Is the change persistent? Did the testing method change? Is there a clear pattern? They are a starting point for investigation, not a substitute for responsible husbandry.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I track more than one aquarium?
Yes. Create separate tanks in your account so their readings and parameter history remain organised.
Do I have to use preset parameters?
No. The tracker lets you define the measurements you want to record, together with their units and preferred ranges.
Can I enter an older test result?
Yes. The reading date can be changed when you enter a result from an earlier day.
Does it connect to my test equipment automatically?
This guide describes the manual reading log. It does not promise automatic integration with monitors, dosing pumps or other equipment.
Can I fix a wrong entry?
Yes. You can edit a saved reading, including its date, value and notes, using the available controls.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes. Open the Tank Parameters page while logged in on your mobile browser. For quicker access, you can also follow CoralBay's Home Screen installation guide.
Build a clearer picture of your reef.
Keep your measurements, notes and trends together inside your CoralBay account. Start with one tank and the parameters you already test.
CoralBay Tank Parameters is an organisational and charting tool for hobbyists. Results depend on the quality and timing of the measurements entered. If a parameter is unexpectedly outside your usual range, verify the result and assess the aquarium before taking corrective action.