Water Parameters - Should I try and correct any ?

[150reef]

My 150 gal reef got away from me for a bit due to a number of reasons (mostly due to old test kits & a lack of attention on my part: As of about 4 weeks ago my parameters were:

Salinity: 1.024 (swing arm)
Calcium: 280 (using a 4 year old salifert test kit)
Alk: 3.2 dKH (new salifert test kit)
Temp: 81 (digital)
PH: 7.8 in am - 8.2 pm (using old dry tab test kit)
magnesium: was unknown
amonia, nitrate, nitrite: all zero using old dry tab kits
phosphates: zero old dry tab kits

I started making corrections by dosing B-Ionic 2 part & also by doing water changes. Also got some new test kits. My parameters are now as of today:

Salinity: 1.028 (new refractometer)
Calcium: 520 (using new salifert test kit)
Alk: 8 dKH (new Elos test kit)
Alk: 7.6 (using new salifert test kit)
Temp: 82.3 (digital)
PH: 8.05 in am - 8.46 pm (using new pin point ph monitor)
magnesium: 1400 (using new Elos test kit)
amonia, nitrate, nitrite: all zero using new salifert test kits
phosphates: zero using new salifert test kit

Should I further adjust any of these or just maintain them & keep doing the regular water changes? Also any other parameters I should be testing for and are the test kits I am now using trustworthy or should I look at other brands to verify?

Thanks!

[Bri Guy]

How did you calibrate the refractometer? Using distilled water has been shown to give readings up to .002 off!

If the salinity is truly 1.028, I would drop it over a couple of days to 1.026, this should also drop your Mg and Ca a bit (as there at the high end) then dose some Alk to get it back to where your at now.

Otherwise looks great, and nice new arsenal of testing stuff!

[sps1-2-b]

Everything looks good as Bri Guy stated. Your temp is on the upper limit of reef tanks. To be safe I would try to do 80 deg if possible. Drop Ca to 420-450 and you should be good.

[150reef]

Thanks for the reply's.

I did use distilled water to calibrate the refractometer. Is there something other than distilled water I should use? Any other device that makes measuring S.G. more accurate / reliable?

Should I be concerned with my PH getting above 8.4?

I am a bit puzzeled by my two calcium salifert test kits. The new VS old are way off. I noticed the new kit they changed the amount of each part you add to the sample of water. It is almost like the old test kit stopped reading above 350 ppm. As soon as I hit the 340 - 350 range it would change color over the past two weeks so I kept dosing. I had a hunch something was not right so that is why I ordered the new kit.

[Tang Salad]

I think your temp. is fine. Most reefs average 84 or so.

[spleify]

You can get refractometer calibrating fluid, or you can make you're own solution:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php