Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build

SPR

Well-Known Member
I did my normal weekly water testing yesterday, on both tanks.

I try and keep alkalinity around 8-8.5 or thereabouts. It has been dropping low for about 2 weeks to 7 or less so I had been increasing the daily alkalinity dosage to compensate.

It was still low, and I’m wondering did I mix the sodium bicarbonate up to weak. I’m normally very careful on this sort of thing.

Anyway, I tested the ‘big house’ and alkalinity was 6.8. That was the last bit of Hanna testing reagent so I opened the new bottle and did a retest. It was 14.4!! The S650 was 14!

So I’m thinking WTF, which is correct. So I opened another spare bottle of reagent and re tested. 14……

Ive emailed Hanna to see what they say, all reagents are from the same batch and well within date.

So I wonder if it can go off…..??

I’ve ordered a NYOS test kit because their others are very good, I’ve turned off alkalinity addition completely until I can confirm the correct reading, but I’m suspecting it’s on the high side due to a bad reagent. I’ve been using it for a while and until the last few weeks, it’s seemed to be producing ‘expected’ results.
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
These test kits can be a bit hit & miss. I found the Calc & Mag tests always read low when I compared them to the ICP Triton test.I
Your readings are strange though.
 
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SPR

Well-Known Member
I know. I’ve turned off the alkalinity until the NYOS kit arrives to double check, but on the basis of the failure for the alkalinity to increase over the previous few weeks, despite increased dosage, I’m suspecting the Hanna reagent
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Ive been hanging my nose over the Flipper Platinum long handled scraper for ages, but held off because of the price of £28 (yes I am tight sometimes!). It’s used to clean the rear glass in the tank mainly.

Ive been using a metal one which uses a replaceable razor blades which works quite well, but I had high hopes for the Flipper. I use Flipper Max’s in both tanks for the glass and there very good.

Anyway, I can honestly say, it rubbish and just doesn’t work. The plastic blade doesn’t even touch coraline algae. I think it really needs a steel blade to be effective, probably similar to the Max scrapper blades. Very disappointing.

I would have sent it back, but I buy lots from the shop and didn’t want to cause an issue and of course it had been used.

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SPR

Well-Known Member
Hello!!!

I spend a lot of time outside at this time of year, infact most of the time, so hence been a little quiet.

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SPR

Well-Known Member
Oh how time flys…..

Its time for the quarterly clean of the skimmers….. it’s been 3 months….so yes, I am a LAR!

To be honest, I can’t notice any difference between cleaning weekly or whenever I can be bothered, and I’m not condoning this, and I’m sure performance is not as good but all I can say is it makes no difference in my case.

You can also see the difference in size between the NYOS 300 and the 160 clearly here. As you will appreciate, size is of course very important …..
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Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
You cannot complain about cleaning the Skimmer. As I have no tank I don't have one to clean, and believe you me you'd rather clean it than not have one ! and no, I'm not coming round your place to do it for you :)
 
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SPR

Well-Known Member
You cannot complain about cleaning the Skimmer. As I have no tank I don't have one to clean, and believe you me you'd rather clean it than not have one ! and no, I'm not coming round your place to do it for you :)
Lol! Your welcome any time to come and clean my skimmers!
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
This corals’s grown just a bit. Originally it was in the S650 and I moved it a while ago and it seems to love its new home in the big house.

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