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Airborne
12/08/2009, 09:11 PM
Need immediate help

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Have a problem.

Been testing with my Salifert Kits and dosing accordingly. Levels do not change much after retesting the next day. Then I test with two other kits and get different readings. 3 total here they are:

Salifert 2 test kits for DKH/ALK. One comes out to 8.45/3.03 the other is 9.15/3.25.

API KH Kit comes out to 12.

Elos KH comes out to 18.

Salifert Calcium reads 395.

API Calcium reads 480.

Salifert Magnesium reads 1275
ELOS Magnesium reads 1050

Which test Kits should I believe. Some of the above tell me to keep dosing and the other tests say I shouldn't.

Tank has cycled. Set up for 8 weeks and I have a CUC, 6 small fish and numerous Chalices and LPS and 3 SPS. Everything looks to be fine. I may be loosing a little color on one Acro but that may be lighting.

Tank 120g, Light Tek Light T-5 with all new Geisman and ATI bulbs.

Thanks.

Logzor
12/08/2009, 09:22 PM
I am not sure, from my own experience with two bad Salifert test kits and other anecdotal evidence show that the Dkh kits are faulty. Although, mine gave a false high reading (it would read 9 Dkh but my true Dkh was 6). You are having the opposite situation, so I am not sure what to say.

Being that the Salifert kits have had issues I would trust API and ELOS. I really love the ELOS kits, they are a decent price and their company reps are always on the sponsor boards. I use API for calcium and trust the readings.

You ca looks fine, regardless, your MG could stand going up regardless (even if it goes way up it wont cause a problem). The major player here is the Dkh, any lower than 6 and you have some issues with stony corals. I have run at 12 dkh but never past it, I am not sure what happens after 12.

edit: I know the answer to this, what salt mix are you using :)

If it is IO or RC then go with the API KH kit :)

Airborne
12/08/2009, 09:25 PM
I am not sure. I buy my water from my LFS. I will call them tomorrow. I know they were using Tropic Marin Reef Pro and then switched.

Logzor
12/08/2009, 09:36 PM
Ask them what a freshly mixed batch of their salt reads then test it against your readings from your own freshly mixed batch of salt.

Remember, make sure you are using the EXACT same sg (measured with a refractometer) or this will be pointless.

Better yet, have them test your water.

bertoni
12/08/2009, 10:35 PM
If you have any saltwater fresh from the store, measuring that would be a starting point. Once the water's been added to the tank, the parameters could change a lot.

Laith
12/09/2009, 03:50 AM
When I was into freshwater tanks, I used to make my own test solutions to test my test kits. Can this not be done for reef systems as well?

For example:

- 1.1g of CaCl2 in 1l of RO/DI or distilled water = 420mg/l of Ca
- 13.3g of Epsom Salts in 1l of RO/DI or distilled water = 1350 mg/l of Mg
- 0.3g of Baking Soda in 1l of RO/DI or distilled water = 10 dKH

That way you can *always* know whether your test kits are reading ok.

My calculations may need to be double checked! :-)

Laith

Randy Holmes-Farley
12/09/2009, 05:58 AM
IF you know the hydration level in the salts you are using (a problem with many sources), then such a standard can work if you measure accurately, but it does not necessarily test a kit perfectly well since you are not providing a seawater matrix with the same other ions that might interfere with (or be required by) a marine test kit.