Seachem Reef Salt

[SoulFish]

Just mixed 45 gallons and I tested the mix, everything looks good other than Mag! It was way low. I think this is my whole problem is I was depending on the mixes to have enough elements in it and really they dont. I know my Kh test is bad now, but I'm still using it to get a feel for the numbers of whats going on in a good tank and whats going on in my tank, atleast till this weekend when I get another kit.

Seachem Reef Salt
Ph 8.2
Ca 500
Mg 1200 Low
Kh 4 (Bad Test)
S 1.0235
PO4 0.25
I2 N/A

Here's my reef tank
Ph 8
Ca 500
Mg 1280 Low
Kh 2.5 Relatively Low (Bad Test)
S 1.024
PO4 0
I2 0.06

borrowed waterLFS Display tank, everything looked awesome in there:
Ph 8
Ca 400
Mg 1600
Kh 3.5 (Bad Test)
S N/A
PO4 N/A
I2 N/A

 

[Mr. Ugly]

1200-1280ppm Mg shouldn't be a problem.

1600ppm Mg is kind of high. Your snails may not like it.

 

[northbay-reefer]

The element measure is for salinity of 1.026, you are using 1.0235-1.024 and that is why your readings are low. try increasing your salinity to 1.026 and retest and see what the true reading is.

 

[tuberider]

The element measure is for salinity of 1.026, you are using 1.0235-1.024 and that is why your readings are low. try increasing your salinity to 1.026 and retest and see what the true reading is.

+1 35ppt is the standard

 

[iani]

Yup, I what they said.

Also, what are you using to check your salinity?

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Ok, I was lazy when I posted, but you can just do the math.

1200 / 235 * 260 = 1328
1280 / 240 * 260 = 1387

But all of your numbers are going to be affected by the experimental uncertainties of your measurements anyway.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

How do you know your alk test is bad?

What's your kit and procedure. That kind of number could be a systematic error.

 

[northbay-reefer]

Ok, I was lazy when I posted, but you can just do the math.

1200 / 235 * 260 = 1328
1280 / 240 * 260 = 1387

But all of your numbers are going to be affected by the experimental uncertainties of your measurements anyway.

People that are good in meth are usually lazy for some reason ... LOL j/k

 

[melly mel]

Ok, I was lazy when I posted, but you can just do the math.

1200 / 235 * 260 = 1328
1280 / 240 * 260 = 1387

But all of your numbers are going to be affected by the experimental uncertainties of your measurements anyway.

People that are good in meth are usually lazy for some reason ... LOL j/k

From what I seen, people good in "meth" are usually all over the place. LOL!

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Laziness is the father of technology.

 

[Gomer]

I must be their bastard child.

 

[Roc]

what are you using to test everything, cuz I use Seachem reef salt and my readings in a new mix are generaly about

Ph 8.2
Ca 450
Mg 1300
Alk 9
Salinty 35ppt or 1.026

 

[tuberider]

That cal reading is a little low for SeaChem reef Imus, what kit are you using? I go through several buckets a week and the all hover around 550ppm @ 35ppt.

 

[sfsuphysics]

550ppm? Holy christ that's insanely high! (ok maybe not that high) but man I stopped using Oceanic because of the fact it tested too damn high for calcium.

 

[tuberider]

Mike this is for tanks that don't get supplements, it's enough that the tanks don't go into the danger zone

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Laziness is the father of technology.

I must be their bastard child.

Btw, are you related to pr0nz, the half sibling of the internet?

 

[Roc]

That cal reading is a little low for SeaChem reef Imus, what kit are you using? I go through several buckets a week and the all hover around 550ppm @ 35ppt.

I use a seachem test kit. That is an average, however I have never seen it at 550.

 

[tuberider]

That cal reading is a little low for SeaChem reef Imus, what kit are you using? I go through several buckets a week and the all hover around 550ppm @ 35ppt.

I use a seachem test kit. That is an average, however I have never seen it at 550.

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

 

[SoulFish]

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

 

[SoulFish]

But on a side note when I came down this am and looked at my tank, my staghorn corals were WIDE open, and the Acans too, never seem then open up that much before Pretty kool