Death to all hard corals in my tank?

[NC2WA]

Agreed. Elos Mg test kit, you need Math skills

number from Part 1 is multipled by number from Part 2 by .5 to come out with a number.

However, Elos dkH test kit is simple and easy to use..takes about 1 minute

 

[ac7av]

Okay so that’s elos for dkh and api for calcium. So I guess for now I will just keep using the red sea magnesium test kit since it’s the newest one in my box of kits and I think it works but just so freaking complicated. The others I have are at least a year old and I don’t see any expirations date on them but if I’m trying to get the levels up to a cretin point I thought I mite get some new kits to help with that.

 

[vinny2261]

Seachem or Lamotts

 

[trido]

I wouldnt trust a red sea kit for keeping SPS at all.

For the most difficult corals (SPS), you need consistancy. The more expensive, more difficlut test kits get you the consistancy you need. Elos or Salifert

Think about it $60, for a whole red sea master kit containting everything. Or near $50 for an Elos or Salifert Calcium and DKH. You get what you pay for. JMO

Vinny has also pointed out two other high end test kits.

Like I said JMO.
I threw out my red sea kits when I got serious about SPS.

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
FWIW I've used Salifert for the last 8 years or so and they have worked well.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[NWDiver]

I use Elos, it takes a few minutes to do the test, but it comes well recommended.
The good news Erik is that if you start dosing a balanced 2 part you will not have to test very often. It does take a while to dial it in though.
As to the complexity of the tests, see what others near you are using and watch how they test.
I make a cheat sheet on how to do the test. I find that if I write out the directions I retain the info much better, and I have a quick abreviated version that I keep handy for the actual tests so I don't have to pull the instructions out of the box each time.
For Ca it looks like: 5ml 7dropsA swirl #dropsC x50 = Ca
For Mg: 2ea 3ml #dropsA to change test2 5dropsB+spoon swirl #dropsD (test1-test2)x50=Mg
It took a long time to test water when I started, now I'm done in a few minutes.

-Todd

 

[FreakinReefin]

I use Elos, it takes a few minutes to do the test, but it comes well recommended.
The good news Erik is that if you start dosing a balanced 2 part you will not have to test very often. It does take a while to dial it in though.
As to the complexity of the tests, see what others near you are using and watch how they test.
I make a cheat sheet on how to do the test. I find that if I write out the directions I retain the info much better, and I have a quick abreviated version that I keep handy for the actual tests so I don't have to pull the instructions out of the box each time.
For Ca it looks like: 5ml 7dropsA swirl #dropsC x50 = Ca
For Mg: 2ea 3ml #dropsA to change test2 5dropsB+spoon swirl #dropsD (test1-test2)x50=Mg
It took a long time to test water when I started, now I'm done in a few minutes.

-Todd

Aww crap! Is this gonna be on the test too?? Man!!!(I think the instructions are more clear than what you wrote haha)

 

[NC2WA]

#dropsA to change test2 5dropsB+spoon swirl #dropsD (test1-test2)x50=Mg

See, I told you there was Math for the Elos Mg kit.
:lol: :lol:

 

[ac7av]

Well I’m really not the serious about sps or lps, I just want to get the numbers into the optimal ballpark so I can have some sps or lps or any other hard corals. I have way too many fish to probably keep many sps corals so I’m not even going to try other then a few known easy hardy types.

On a side note since the salinity levels have been increasing in the tank I’ve noticed a change in the green coralline algae and the small amounts of pink have also brightened up a bit.

My local pet center does not carry the elos or salifert test kits, where is a good supplier online to get them?

 

[NC2WA]

Erik,

How about this.

http://www.barrierreefaquariums.com/productcart/pc/Elos-Test-Kits-c72.htm

Price is consistent with other online vendors.

 

[NWDiver]

Freakin: Hahahaha, yeah it looks bad when I see it that way!
Really, it's much clearer in my head

Erik: Good news that you are seeing a positive change already!
As NC2WA says, Barrier is great. Another option is http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/products/test-kits/elos-test-kits
I have had great luck with them as well.

 

[ac7av]

Okay so its update time.
Did the 55 gallon water change this morning and just tested everything again after dinner.
Salinity 1.026
Calcium 520
dkh 9 or 161.1ppm
Magnesium off the chart of the red sea kit but judging on how the scale is working on the paperwork I have .84ml into the test and so it should come out in the 1400 range the card only goes to 1280.
Phosphate still in the range of 0 to .25
Nitrite 0
PH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 0
That’s all I have test kits for so let me know what you think. Is this now in the zone for hard corals to grow?

 

[NC2WA]

IMO, Ca is way high...max level is should 450..
Just for perspective, NSW level for Mg is 1350

 

[ac7av]

IMO, Ca is way high...max level is should 450..
Just for perspective, NSW level for Mg is 1350

I will check everything again tomorrow. I had some problems with the ca test and did it twice. For some reason the first test came out way in left field of like 200. I don’t know what happened with that.

That’s funny about the mg, I wonder why the kit will only measure up to 1280 if NSW is 1350. That’s strange. Like I said I don’t know what it is exactly because the chart doesn’t go up that high. It could be 1350, it could be 1450, I don’t know for sure.

This is a new salt mix from Kent marine. It’s called reef salt mix. This is what they claim on the label
At SG 1.026 you will get the following numbers
Ph 8.3
Calcium 575
Magnesium 1450

 

[NWDiver]

As NC2WA says both numbers are considered high.
1350Mg and 450 Ca is the target.
The high Mg shouldn't hurt anything, but getting things in balance is the idea.
If your numbers test out to match the label, just wait a bit and they should come down to target.
Of course if you do a large water change with that salt, you will probably end up high again.
The rest of the numbers look good.
This article is really good http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

-Todd

 

[NWDiver]

Oh, and your current numbers should stop the sps death
Do a reasonable acclimate and dip. Should be good to go.

-Todd

 

[FreakinReefin]

IMO, Ca is way high...max level is should 450..
Just for perspective, NSW level for Mg is 1350

The numbers are high, however I have successfully run a SPS reef for a while now with numbers that are higher than these. I keep my calcium around 500-550 and Mag around 1550. I get lots and lots of growth and tremendous PE. Nothing wrong here.

 

[thatguy559]

+1 to freakinreefin

I too had about the same levels on my last tank running for 4 years no issues and tons of growth

 

[ac7av]

Okay thanks
I am just going to let it cruse along at this level for a month before trying to ad anything to the tank. I can see after making what I think is a drastic change to the chemistry of the tank, I am seeing a brown algae or diatom growth on the bottom of the tank so I think there may be some re cycling of the tank.

Well from the link Todd posted the numbers should work fine. Numbers this high don’t seem to have any benefit to anything according to the right up but numbers below a cretin point will be a problem for sure. Even if I do another water change the only thing that is going to happen is the number may go up even higher according to the container. So in the end I think for me it will be fine running them a bit high because I don’t plan on dosing anything and if the numbers drop threw the month they will get replenished every water change.

 

[dragoneggs]

The numbers are high, however I have successfully run a SPS reef for a while now with numbers that are higher than these. I keep my calcium around 500-550 and Mag around 1550. I get lots and lots of growth and tremendous PE. Nothing wrong here.

Curious as to what your alk is at with those numbers?