good start?

[unit15]

As hard as it was to spend this much and not be able to actually put anything IN the tank I decided it was a good investment.

Good for starters?

http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t603/unit15/20130719_150704_zpsd3cc4335.jpg

[disc1]

Not bad but you're missing alkalinity. That's probably the most important one once you're through the cycle period.

[athompson]

Ammonia is pretty important during cycling and u will want to have it if problems arise. First thing i always do if im having something goin on in a tank is test all my parameters. But u did great and have an awesome start

[unit15]

Oh I forgot to mention I have seachem tests for alc and amonia, very hard to read though, I have to keep dropping until the water turns green, then it might turn yellow and that is ur alk, I counted twelve drops then it said to divide it by two.. I guess my alk is six?

[athompson]

Api's alk test is pretty easy and has been accurate for me. Its a definitely change from blue to yellow. I was testing between 7-8 and when lfs used their fancy shmancy test it came to 7.2. And there is no conversion. 7 drops is 7 dkh.I use their ammonia too, but it can be harder to read. Only reason im very comfortable with it is because ive used api on my freshwater tanks since ive had em. Ive seen ever color of the spectrum range in api so im pretty good at discerning.

[bertoni]

6 dKH for a new tank sounds like a reasonable result to me.

[Jamey1010]

I just spent 75+ on new salifert kits too, needed mag,alk,and calcium all at the same time of course. With this hobby there always seems to be cost that sneaks up on us but your defiantly starting off in the right direction, no sense putting corals in water all out of whack

[unit15]

Ok so I did my tests after a water change last night.... I am not very good with colors but I'm pretty sure I did everything right except alk..

Salinity 1.025

Nitrite 0 ppm

Nitrate 5-10 ppm

Ph 8.0 ppm

Phosphate 0 ppm

Mag 1440 ppm

Cal 380 ppm

Alk 2.5 ppm...

Now I'm pretty sure I got alk wrong especially since I been dosing with reef builder for two weeks to raise that and it seemed to go down from six to 2.5...


Its just difficult for me to see the yellow actually become yellow.. because its yellow with the first drop and then it says it is supposed to turn green... and then yellow again.. any input on alk?

[tmz]

Alk test readings can be a bit confusing.
There are 3 ways measurements are stated on different test kits and monitors: dkh, ppm and meq/l.

1 mq/l = 2.8 dkh =50ppm. So for example 2.5 dkh equals 7dkh or 125ppm

[unit15]

So most likely I read it in dkh.. so in that case my alk is fine? And there is no reason my corals are dying lol

[bertoni]

I'd check the test kit instructions, but I hope you were reading in meq/L, which would put the tank at 7 dKH or 125 ppm, which is fine.