High Tide Aquatics

Seachem Reef Salt

tuberider said:
Interesting, you may want to reference it against another kit just to see if you're getting accurate readings. I've never used the kit and for the most part use Salifert, API, or Elos for Ca, and they all seem to be in the same ball park as the results in this thread http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1714505
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I did check against another kit as well as the solution they supply to check, so far it's been dead nuts correct.


SoulFish said:
Red Sea for Mag, Cal, I2
Tetra for KH
Nutrafin for PO4

Reef Tank: Added 10ml of Mag last night, tested today up to 1300
Salt Mix: Added 5ml of Mag last night, tested today up to 1220

So added another 2.5ml to the reef and another 5ml to the mix, test again tomorrow. I'd like to bring them up to 1400, hows that level sound to you guys?

I'm also going to bring my salt level up to 1.025 (just using a standard Hydrometer) I know they arent terribly accuret, but thats what I have for now.

I'll be glad when I can stop testing everyday. But I did start a Excel spreadsheet to record numbers and doses for everything. God this is more and more like actual work than a hobby :)
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FYI I nearly killed my reef using Red Sea test kits, IMO and IME they suck and are drasticly off.

Using a Hyrdometer suck, but if you calibrate it using a refractometer it is realiable enough.
 
Soulfish,

Hydrometer easily can be off by more than 10%. And a decent Ca kit can have 10% error due to experimental uncertainty.

Lower quality kits can be off be even more. So if your errors all stack in one direction, your water parameters can be way off even with frequent meticulous testing.

Also, what is your system volume and coral load?
 
I've used Seachem Reef Salt for a few years now and haven't noticed any problems. Just my experience though.
And I second Norms comment, between the standard swing of a hobbyist grade test kit and the potential danger of over-dosing there's a lot that can go wrong.
 
"Also, what is your system volume and coral load?"

I don't know for sure. I've been adding things to the tank on and off for a year. I'd guess I have around 100lbs of rock with a 2-3" sand bed. A few corals but I would have no idea as how to get a coral load?

If red sea kits suck than which ones are good? I don't want to be wasting my time with all these tests if they are not correct.
 
and a non-calibrated refractometer can be off by 20-30% also. Remember you have to use a 35ppt calibration fluid to check them out DI water is not acceptable as the slope curve on every refractometer I have ever seen is off.
 
SoulFish said:
"Also, what is your system volume and coral load?"

I don't know for sure. I've been adding things to the tank on and off for a year. I'd guess I have around 100lbs of rock with a 2-3" sand bed. A few corals but I would have no idea as how to get a coral load?
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I didn't catch it, but what size tank do you have?
 
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