Calc/Mag/Alk/PH

[Boomer]

It is obvious he has a testing error and nothing else. But I won't say it is impossible to get those levels. If one keeps adding buffer for pH and gets the Alk high enough allot of that Mg++ and Ca++ can leave solution. I saw this once many years ago on a FOT. When I opened up his Fluvial 404 all of the baskets where totally filled with a white paste mass, of Ca++ and Mg ++CO3-. There was so much of it it almost brought the 404 to a halt in water output. There must have been a + 1 pound of it in there. His tank was also cloudy from precip. Hooking up a diatom filter to remove the cloudiness worked great BUT as soon as it was shut off the tank went cloudy again within 1 hr. We had to do 2 90 % WC to get it back to normal as the substrate was also loaded with the paste. If I did not see it with my own eyes I never would have believed it

 

[Frankie]

:lurk:

 

[Dentoid]

I'm on the :chair: eating :lurk: with Frankie!

 

[hma]

It is obvious he has a testing error and nothing else. But I won't say it is impossible to get those levels. If one keeps adding buffer for pH and gets the Alk high enough allot of that Mg++ and Ca++ can leave solution. I saw this once many years ago on a FOT. When I opened up his Fluvial 404 all of the baskets where totally filled with a white paste mass, of Ca++ and Mg ++CO3-. There was so much of it it almost brought the 404 to a halt in water output. There must have been a + 1 pound of it in there. His tank was also cloudy from precip. Hooking up a diatom filter to remove the cloudiness worked great BUT as soon as it was shut off the tank went cloudy again within 1 hr. We had to do 2 90 % WC to get it back to normal as the substrate was also loaded with the paste. If I did not see it with my own eyes I never would have believed it

I agree 100% to Boomer, such a thing CAN happen. Indeed, NOT IN SO SHORT TIME (only one week) and never in an OPEN SYSTEM (Berlin system, the precipitations were clearly visibly). From a magnesium level less than 1100-1150 the first corals would show sign of "unwell-being". In such a crass case only an immediate extreme water change helps of course. In, we say once, normal case (values under the norm) WC’s are the wrong way in my eyes. Here should be worked with a slowly however continuous adaptation (Two Part/ Balling).

By the way Boomer, you are this year in Sindelfingen (Fisch&Reptile)?

@cbrownfish
100% right

 

[Boomer]

By the way Boomer, you are this year in Sindelfingen (Fisch&Reptile)?


I am for what Heinz Did Claude or Habib say something or was it a MACNA thing. Got a link ? Or is it another Boomer



Dentoid and Frankie

I'm on the :chair: eating :lurk: with Frankie!

That is why you two guys look like fat rats

 

[hma]

By the way Boomer, you are this year in Sindelfingen (Fisch&Reptile)?


I am for what Heinz Did Claude or Habib say something or was it a MACNA thing. Got a link ? Or is it another Boomer



Dentoid and Frankie

I'm on the :chair: eating :lurk: with Frankie!

That is why you two guys look like fat rats

Claude has not sent me yet the topical list of speakers, if you were also in Sindelfingen as one of the speakers, we would have met. Therefore my question Boomer.

 

[Adam Black]

Just tested again and got these same numbers. Anyone using red sea pro test kits that can maybe help to see if I'm using the right amount of stuff. I don't really get how much are in the needles. Calcium and Alkalinity have a longer needle so is there 0.2 in those needles. Mag has a smaller needle and it looks like there might only be 0.1. I never used test kits. Maybe I should keep doing what works.

 

[BigJay]

those types of test kits drive me mad. I am using natureef's calcium test kit. And I would only buy a test kit that works similar.. just add drops till an obvious color change. ( 1ml of tank of water, 5 mil of deionized water, 5 drops of precipatator, 1 die pack , then add drop at a time of tritant till it changes from rose to blue multiply drops by 20 .. sounds like a lot of steps but its dummy proof). Its not cheap though. I know there are a couple other test kits that use a similar method.

 

[Adam Black]

those types of test kits drive me mad. I am using natureef's calcium test kit. And I would only buy a test kit that works similar.. just add drops till an obvious color change. ( 1ml of tank of water, 5 mil of deionized water, 5 drops of precipatator, 1 die pack , then add drop at a time of tritant till it changes from rose to blue multiply drops by 20 .. sounds like a lot of steps but its dummy proof). Its not cheap though. I know there are a couple other test kits that use a similar method.

I'm so angry right now!!!

 

[BigJay]

didn't mean to make you mad man. I've used about every test kit out there at one point or another. If its difficult to use .. two things happen.. you get test results that aren't clear and you get to the point you don't want to test because its such a pain in the rear.

 

[Adam Black]

didn't mean to make you mad man. I've used about every test kit out there at one point or another. If its difficult to use .. two things happen.. you get test results that aren't clear and you get to the point you don't want to test because its such a pain in the rear.

Lol, I'm better now. I just added a ounce of calcium and a ounce of alk. Capful of mag. Works for me! Anyone want to buy some test kits?

 

[cbrownfish]

In the past, I learned first hand how poor Red Sea tests kits work for the marine environment. IIRC, the alk test simply tells you if you are "within range" and the top end of the chart is < 3.0 meq/l. The color variations are a nightmare.

Scrap the Red Sea kits and get a more suitable brand like Salifert when you can. The Instant Ocean master test kit is a decent beginner to intermediate product. For that matter, API is way better than Red Sea.

In the meantime, implore a fellow reef keeper or an LFS to assist you.

 

[Frankie]

Lol, I'm better now. I just added a ounce of calcium and a ounce of alk. Capful of mag. Works for me! Anyone want to buy some test kits?

Why would you add anything to your tank with out knowing whats going on in there first?
I would recommend replacing those crappy test kits with BETTER ones and seeing whats up before adding anymore supplements. OR bring sample water to your LFS for another test as suggested.

Boomer, you obviously have never seen my skinny butt before I can eat popcorn all day long and still struggle to walk on a windy beach

 

[lcstorc]

One thing the Salifert rep shared with me at MACNA that I had never thought of was that if you use the same test tube for different tests even with proper washing and at different testing sessions it can skew your results. It is very important that the same tube/syringe/whatever is used for the same test every time. If you break it, go buy another of that kind of test.
Sorry, just a tip I learned that I like to share since it was a mistake I was making.

 

[Adam Black]

One thing the Salifert rep shared with me at MACNA that I had never thought of was that if you use the same test tube for different tests even with proper washing and at different testing sessions it can skew your results. It is very important that the same tube/syringe/whatever is used for the same test every time. If you break it, go buy another of that kind of test.
Sorry, just a tip I learned that I like to share since it was a mistake I was making.

I just got the test kits so I've kept everything in there boxes as to not contaminate. I run the test vials under hot water for awhile(I forget about them).

 

[Adam Black]

One thing the Salifert rep shared with me at MACNA that I had never thought of was that if you use the same test tube for different tests even with proper washing and at different testing sessions it can skew your results. It is very important that the same tube/syringe/whatever is used for the same test every time. If you break it, go buy another of that kind of test.
Sorry, just a tip I learned that I like to share since it was a mistake I was making.

I'll def. get some better test kits when I can. Until then I'll just add a little here and there. It's been working.

 

[Adam Black]

:smack: :dummy: Well just got done reading the directions front to back. Looks like I should of read them all the way through the first time. I was going by how much solution was left in the syringe and not how much I used. Just checked calcuim and I'm at 450. Check the others later.

 

[Frankie]

Happens to the best of us Adam. Glad you figured it out

 

[BobBursek]

icrotcs,
nice tip on the vials!! I inter use them but never have had chem readings out of wack, I rinse them all after each use and just grab one for a test. Actually I test very little now days, I know my tank and do my 20% water change every 2-3 weeks, not that something can not go wrong, break, die, but just getting to get lazy, and complacent!
Bob

 

[Adam Black]

Are these numbers a little more realistic?
Calc 450
Mag 1120
Alk 2.0

What do you think and how should I bring the mag and calc up? Water change is next weekend.