Tank Journal Archive

[DeWalt]

Went home for lunch time and decided to break out the test kits as I have been slack in testing lately.

Results are:

Alk = 165ppm (9.2dkh)
Ca = 400
Mg = 1400
Phosphate = 0.02
Nitrate = undetectable
Sg = 1.025

Pretty happy with most of the results given I took the Rowaphos offline about 5 weeks ago when I couldn't spot anymore algae in the tank. The vinegar dosing has obviously kicked in well and kept nitrates and phosphates in check.

The puzzling result was the magnesium however. I haven't dosed it for some time and this result is actually higher than the previous test (4 weeks ago). I made sure to follow every step exactly, including shaking the vial for the exact number of seconds on every step....

Think I'm going to get a different test kit on the weekend to check it against. Everything in the tank is going great guns though.

 

[slin1977]

1400 is a respectable level.

 

[ezza]

1400 is fine!! Usually your mag will be balanced at 3 times that of the calc.

Ie calc 500, mag 1500
Calc 450, mag 1350...

Don't stress!!!

 

[MagicJ]

Maybe there was an error with the previous test ?? What are you using for water changes?

I can pretty much guarantee that you will get a different result if you use a different test kit and, personally, I wouldn't waste the money.

Consumer grade test kits are best used to identify trends over time rather than an absolute result.

Everything in the tank is going great guns though.

What more can you ask for :)

 

[DeWalt]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not looking to fix something that's not broken just suspicious because it was +/- 1200 last time I tested and have not dosed anything to bring it up.

I use Natural Sea Water for water changes.

I'll retest on the weekend with the same kit.

 

[Franklin Dattein]

Magnesium . One of the important issues with the magnesium kit is being able to recognize the end point. When the blue end point is first reached is disappears very quickly. We write about this in the instructions but many do not fully understand the importance of this information. The blue color of the end point disappears and the liquid returns almost to the previous color. Most titrations maintain the end point when it is reached and therefore this is a very unusual instruction and differs from many other makes. Stop at the first sign of a blue liquid in the vial.

Posted by Red Sea representative here:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?427141-Reef-foundation-pro-test-kit/page3