Help... Trouble with testing

[eww]

We have been testing and dosing and testing and dosing for the last several days trying to get our Mg up. We have used the Reef Chemistry calculator and done everything it says and still....

I thought the trouble was with Alk and Ca so we had been dosing those pretty heavy trying to get them up. They were running at about 350-400 for Ca and 6.4 on dKH. Nothing was moving no mater how much or often we dosed. I tested Mg and found it was low at about 1000-1100ppm. I have been using some used test kits we bought from a fellow RF'er and he said they were withing 3-6 mos old when we got them from him so they are well withing their exp date. The test kits are all Elos except the dKH is Salifert. We have super dosed Mg for the last two days and still have the same 1000-1100 ppm reading. Does anyone have a Mg test kit that would be willing to come over and validate our results? We really want to get this figured out soon.

 

[Shane and John]

I went thru the same thing...It takes a whole lot of suppliment to raise mag...I personally would focus on getting your mag stable first...then your calc and dkh will fall in to place...then you can test them and be accurate..If you are dosing for both..Its best to say,dose mag in the morning...then dose calc in the evening..I am by no means an expert..This is just based on my personal experiance....I use Elos for all of my testing....

Also its best to test daily at the same times of day,thats what I was told to do...

Hope this helps!! Shane

 

[lvsuckerfish]

are you dosing all the same time?

I would work mag up NO More then 100ppms a day 24hr period as mg is the silent partner in the trio low mag will toss all reading off. do not super dose as a super dose can make things worse.... by the calculate figure where you need to be with mg and split by 100 and your days will be set. it will tell you how much mg to use as a 100ppm it's alot of mg to get up. like a couple cups lol...

start off my a water change then let sit at least for 8 hrs to cycle through the system. then test and move from there....

1100 is low but not too bad better then 800 or something to that effect. most that don't dose mg will find it in the 1300-1000 area.

dosing alk and ca in the same day will precipitate and have no real effect in the dose. thats the white stuff on pumps and heaters lol...

 

[eww]

We have only been dosing either Ca/Alk (together) or Mg, never all three at the same time or on the same day. We have been dosing a lot of Mg (gone through almost 1/2 a container of Magnesion-P in the last few days) and it doesn't even move 100 ppm. We did a water change two weeks ago at about 25% by volume. Do we really need to do another one already?

 

[eww]

Also I am really questioning our Elos Mg test kit. The directions on the instructions say each drop is equal to 100 ppm and the card says each drop is 75 ppm. All the readings I have referred to above are based on the 75 ppm calculation as that is what Elos seam to say online. We have gone through almost an entire test kit in a little over a month trying to get this right. Maybe it's just a newbie thing to worry about it so much.

 

[iroll253]

I've read it takes people awhile to figure out the mag test kit from elos. I dont have first hand experience with that one. But you should be doing a 20% Water change every two weeks. I do 3 gallons a week on my 20g now.

 

[mal1099]

im my 150 i needed to raise my mag 100ppm and i needed 37 ounces of supplement. I use a elos mag test kit. Seems pretty easy to me. If you dry reagent(purple crystals) is clumpy tho its bad . Cannot let it get any moisture in it at all.

 

[Shane and John]

Eric..It takes ALOT of suppliment to raise mag..I went thru 1.32 lbs to get mine up...It was way low..Anyway..maybe try another test Kit...Elos is easy to use...Barrier carries the kit!!

 

[eww]

Thanks Shane. I just added a whole bunch more supplement. I guess I was thinking it wouldn't take that much. Our volume is about 80 gal so I added 80g of supplement. The instructions say 1g of supplement raises the Mg 114ppm per gal or water. I will let it mix in the tank for a while then re-test. Is there anywhere closer than Barrier to get Elos kits?

 

[lvsuckerfish]

ca & alk you want to dose seprate also. atleast with your size tank atleast a couple hrs apart. I never dosed at the same time I am not sure if this would be the best way but it seems to be the safest. And you can dose ca&alk but with mg low it will not budge far. by no means. Mg will have to be where you want your set goal or there around then you can slowly bring the others up... I always dosed alk with lights off as it affects the ph and ca with lights on. dosing both at the same time will cause percipitation aka harden anf stick to the walls and equipment.

water changes are good everyother week if testing is routine with out testing I would recommend everyweek..... this hobby is not cheap imagine how much water I go through a week lol. i do water changes every sunday.

 

[Shane and John]

Eric...I am not sure about that.I always just deal with Barrier....Just dont sit and Trip on your chemistry..it will get there...It just takes time...It took me 2 weeks to get my mag right...I think my Acans eat mag...lol...I personally have a NoteBook that is dedicated to my Tank..I write down everything...Its just an Idea...I can track all my perameters that way.....


Shane

 

[lvsuckerfish]

I think blue sierra has the in renton I would call first.

 

[eww]

Thanks a bunch guys. I have a notebook I started as well and write everything down and Becca keeps track of what livestock got put in when and who it came from. We knew this hobby wasn't cheap when we got in so now we just need to relax and see what the dosing I have done so far did. Justin, I have been doing the dosing just like what you described, trying to get the Mg up first, then when it is right will dose Ca during the day and Alk after the lights go out and we drip the Alk in slowly over and hour or two at least. I am working on getting a Kalk reactor DIY together to run in line on our newly installed ATO but it's a ways away still since I actually have none of it yet . We will probably run up to BR or BS tomorrow for a new kit.

 

[NC2WA]

Eric,

If you were closer I would come to your house and test your water (Ca, Mg, and KH). All Elos test kits brand new.

Kirk

 

[eww]

Thanks Kirk. That would be really cool just so we knew everything was being done right. Bothell is a long way, we know. We have been driving up there and further every weekend for equip and livestock for the last 6 weeks. We appreciate your consideration. We will have to stop by on one of our trips to meet you.

 

[NC2WA]

Eric,

There is always an open invitation to stop by and see my setup anytime.

Kirk