Are my test results O.K?

[crazydante23]

I just tested my water and these are the results,

PH 8.4
Nitrite 0
nitrate 20
Alk 300
Ammonia .25
Calcium 420
Let me know if there's something wrong and how to fix it, thanks.

 

[returnofsid]

Is this a reef tank or a Fish Only tank? For a reef tank, your nitrates are pretty high. Regular water changes will help bring this down. Are you using an RO/DI unit?

How are you measuring Alk and are you giving results in Dkh or meg/l? Either way, the results of 300 doesn't really make any sense. You should have a result of around 7-10 dkh or 2.51-3.66 meg/l.

Your Ammonia is also pretty high. Is this a newly set up tank that's still cycling? A little more information about your tank, brand of test kits and such will be very helpful.

Your Ph, Nitrite and Calcium levels are good....although with your Ammonia at .25, I'd watch your Nitrites close. Also, until we have a better idea of your Alk readings, I don't know how accurate your Calcium or Ph results are.

 

[crazydante23]

I use seawater from my Lfs for water changes. I keep 1 flower pot, 1 yellow polyp batch and 1 zoa batch. and about 4 lil fishys. 1 coral banded shrimp. and diamond goby. I used the jungle 5 in one test strip. alk is tested in (kh) ppm. The tank has been running for about three weeks, and all the live rock and sand was transferred from my smaller tank. my current tank is 56 gallons.
How do I bring ammonia down? Should I toss in a chunk of macro algea to bring nitrates down? Thank for your help.

 

[Scooterman]

I think your reading ALK way wrong LOL! Check that again! Do water changes & let your tank mature before adding anything new, longer the better.

 

[Krish]

I agree...A little more info is needed on the setup. If it is newly setup then you are fine other than the weird ALK reading Let us know

 

[mmkeeper]

The tank is only 3 weeks old. He is still cycling. Water changes. Test your water you are buying from the fish store before you pour it in your tank.

 

[Krish]

Yeah...Here's more info on the setup. I knew the name sounded familiar

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23508

 

[saltwater newbe]

I agree...A little more info is needed on the setup. If it is newly setup then you are fine other than the weird ALK reading Let us know

he's using the jungle 5 in 1 test strips
they mesure total alkalinity(KH) in ppm
the bottle says 300 is ideal

 

[returnofsid]

Yikes, throw those Jungle test strips out and get a descent test kit. Sorry, but they're garbage. Typically Alk isn't even measured in ppm, but in either meg/l or Dkh. They're a lil' more expensive but get Salifert test kits. They're about the best there are and very accurate. As stated above, your tank is probably going through a "new tank cycle." I'd wait a while before adding anything else to your tank. Do some extra water changes with good quality water.

 

[Briguy]

he's using the jungle 5 in 1 test strips
they mesure total alkalinity(KH) in ppm
the bottle says 300 is ideal

That is what I use and also have 300 ppm . The bottle shows 180 to 300 ppm ideal range . Which equals out to the same with my Red Sea Marine labs test kit at 2.8 milliequivalents per liter .

 

[Briguy]

Yikes, throw those Jungle test strips out and get a descent test kit. Sorry, but they're garbage. Typically Alk isn't even measured in ppm, but in either meg/l or Dkh. They're a lil' more expensive but get Salifert test kits. They're about the best there are and very accurate. As stated above, your tank is probably going through a "new tank cycle." I'd wait a while before adding anything else to your tank. Do some extra water changes with good quality water.

They are not garbage , good for a quick test in the morning before heading to work . But should have a dependable test kit for general use and don`t rely on a test strip. I use both and both equal the same .

ALK can be measured in ppm , meg/l , and dkh . Anything can be measured differently as long as it is crossed and converted correctly . You saying that is like saying you can`t measure 30 feet in yards . 30 ft =10 yards or 40mm =4cm .


Use your test strips for quick results but get a dependable test tube kit for maintenance use .

 

[DonW]

They are not garbage , good for a quick test in the morning before heading to work . But should have a dependable test kit for general use and don`t rely on a test strip. I use both and both equal the same .

ALK can be measured in ppm , meg/l , and dkh . Anything can be measured differently as long as it is crossed and converted correctly . You saying that is like saying you can`t measure 30 feet in yards . 30 ft =10 yards or 40mm =4cm .


Use your test strips for quick results but get a dependable test tube kit for maintenance use .

I cant make any sense of that. The conversion is over 16dkh so alk is way to high or as stated above the test is way off.

Don

 

[crazydante23]

I use an api master test kit but it didnt come with an alk test so I used my quick dip strips. Thank for all your responses. Should I throw in some macro algea to bring down my nitrates? would that be safe. Also this morning I found my Diamond goby dead on the floor, he jumped. What can I use to mold over the overflow container so that it keeps fish safe and in the tank?

 

[returnofsid]

Briguy, I didn't say that you can't measure Kh in ppm. It's just not a very common measurement will cause a lot of confusion...as you can see by this thread alone. What I'm trying to say is that the 5 in 1 Jungle test strips are not very accurate at all, nor are they very precise. I have used them and you definitely can't get the fine tuning results that you can from any titration test kit. For instance, Jungle's Kh test kit will give you results in 0, 40, 80, 120, 180 and 300 ppm. With a titration test kit like Salifert, you can get MUCH more precise results from 0.3 - 16.0 dKH or 0.11 - 5.71 meg/L. Your test results will be much more precise when you can measure down to a hundredth of a meg/L....as apposed to differences of hundreds of ppm.

crazydante23, to keep fish from jumping out, you can use the plastic or acrylic grating that's often sold in hardware stores as light diffusers. You can cut strips of it to go around the perimeter of your tank. As for Macro Algaes, they may help absorb some of your nitrates but water changes will do a much better job. If you have a refugium or sump, you could grow macros in there to help control nutrients as well. If you do this, you'll have the best luck with either 24 hour lighting on the refugium or a light cycle opposite your tank's light cycle.

 

[Briguy]

Briguy, I didn't say that you can't measure Kh in ppm. It's just not a very common measurement will cause a lot of confusion...as you can see by this thread alone. What I'm trying to say is that the 5 in 1 Jungle test strips are not very accurate at all, nor are they very precise. I have used them and you definitely can't get the fine tuning results that you can from any titration test kit. For instance, Jungle's Kh test kit will give you results in 0, 40, 80, 120, 180 and 300 ppm. With a titration test kit like Salifert, you can get MUCH more precise results from 0.3 - 16.0 dKH or 0.11 - 5.71 meg/L. Your test results will be much more precise when you can measure down to a hundredth of a meg/L....as apposed to differences of hundreds of ppm.

crazydante23, to keep fish from jumping out, you can use the plastic or acrylic grating that's often sold in hardware stores as light diffusers. You can cut strips of it to go around the perimeter of your tank. As for Macro Algaes, they may help absorb some of your nitrates but water changes will do a much better job. If you have a refugium or sump, you could grow macros in there to help control nutrients as well. If you do this, you'll have the best luck with either 24 hour lighting on the refugium or a light cycle opposite your tank's light cycle.

Ok sorry , guess I took it the wrong way . I use both methods and both work good for me .