AWT Results recommendations please

[nauticac4]

System is a 120 with a 30 gallon sump and 20 gallon fuge w/cheato and capulera. I have about 160lbs of live rock a SSB in the display and about 2 inch sand bed in the fuge. I run a NW-200 Protein skimmer and 2 bags of carbon and 2 bags of phosban in the baffles of the sump. I would like any constructive critism and recommendations. I dose calcium using Seachem Reef Calcium and occasionally soak the food (2 cubes a day and some pellets) in a vitamin formula made by Kent.

Ammonia (NH3-4) 0.010 Good
Nitrite (NO2) 0.040 Good
Nitrate (NO3) 9.7 Good
Phosphate (PO4) 0.07 Good
Silica (SiO2-3) 1.2 High
Potassium (K) 330 Low
Calcium (Ca) 333 Low
Boron (B) 5.5 Good
Molybdenum (Mo) 0.1 Good
Strontium (Sr) 8.8 Good
Magnesium (Mg) 1021 Low
Iodine (I¯) 0.02 Low
Copper (Cu++) 0.03 Good
Alkalinity (meq/L) 2.80 Good

My calcium test kit by API told me calcium was 380-400. I have slowly been raising the calcium. What can I do about the Silica, I am using a Ro/Di unit rated at 75GPD with a 0 TDS reading.

[bertoni]

It's not clear to me that the AWT testing is more accurate than the API. I'd ignore the silicate result for the moment. Their numbers seem a bit suspicious so far. For the iodine and the potassium, water changes should fix the situation.

The low magnesium is fairly common for some salt mixes, and I'd use Kent Tech-M or a similar product, or a DIY recipe, to raise it to around 1300 ppm over 4-5 days.

[USC-fan]

Jonathan have AWT ever gotten back to you? I plan to send my sample off next week but will hold off if they plan to change something,

[MrRyanT]

Hey Nautica! Hope I'm not thread robbing here, but would also like to get a little feedback on the results I received today. Was my 1st time using this service. Anyway, here's my results:

Water Test Summary

Ammonia (NH3-4) 0.050 Good
Nitrite (NO2) 0.005 Good
Nitrate (NO3) 0.6 Good
Phosphate (PO4) 0.21 Good
Silica (SiO2-3) 0.8 High
Potassium (K) 541 High
Calcium (Ca) 493 High
Boron (B) 1.1 Low
Molybdenum (Mo) 0.0 Good
Strontium (Sr) 8.8 Good
Magnesium (Mg) 1397 Good
Iodine (I¯) 0.02 Low
Copper (Cu++) 0.04 High
Alkalinity (meq/L) 3.66 Good

[Billybeau1]

nauticac4,

They make a silicamax cartridge for your di. if you don't have one, I suggest you replace your di cartridge with a silicamax. The Filter Guys can get you one.

I wouldn't worry about any of the other numbers except getting your calcium and your magnesium up.

I'm a little surprised your API calcium kit is off. They are usually pretty reliable. Maybe its old. Try a new one. they are cheap.

From the looks of your numbers, I'd say you are probably using Instant Ocean salt.

A good salt, but you will have to add calcium and magnesium as Bertoni suggested.

MrRyan, Your numbers look ok although that extra calcium is not really doing anything for the tank. You must be using something like Seachem Reef Salt or similar to have calcium numbers that .... unless you supplement. I would target calcium at around 420 or so.

[MrRyanT]

Thanks. I do supplement, I use a 2 part solution. Was trying to maintain calcium in that 420 range. According to my test kit, a cheap Instant Ocean kit, it was in that range, so I was surprised to see it checked that high. The copper number has a bit worried, although its just barely high, I still want to find ways to reduce it, I'm thinking maybe more carbon?

[bertoni]

A PolyFilter would be better to remove copper than carbon, since it can bind more forms. I'd try to find the source of the copper, too. The test might be off, for that matter.

[Billybeau1]

For the calcium, I would get either a Salifert kit or an API.

I've had good success with both although the Salifert dials you in a little more precise.

BTW - what salt mix ? Just curious :D

[MrRyanT]

Yes, I agree that the test could be wrong, but I'm thinking that I might be getting a little bit from the household pipes. I don't use RO/DI, just use DI water. Is it ok to use the poly filter on just freshwater? I'm sure its probably ok, just not familiar with poly filter.

[MrRyanT]

I'm using Coralife Scientific Grade Marine Salt.

[Billybeau1]

You probably wont be able to get your calcium down if you are doing regular water changes with Coralife. It runs in the middle 500's for Ca++ out of the box. Generally, heavily stocked tanks that use a lot of calcium can use this stuff.

You may want to switch to something like Reef Crystals. It is about 420 out of the bucket.

[nauticac4]

I have been raising the calcium. I will get something to raise the mag this weekend. Ill be sending the next test out next week.

[Billybeau1]

Why are you raising calcium when it is close to 500 already ?

And why do you want to raise mag when its already almost 1400 :confused:

[MrRyanT]

You looked at the wrong one Billy, his calcium is at 333 and the mag at 1021. You accidentally looked at my results.

[Billybeau1]

Oops :o

Thats what happens when you stay up until 1 am. :lol: