thecoralbeauty Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 I agree. It doesn't make sense that it's that low- but do take a look, it does seem to test that low, which is also odd. It also didn't make sense that my other readings are ok and that to be so totally off. So, Something, whether me or my test, is definitely fishy. Planning to test again this evening to confirm, and will update y'all after I finish celebrating my birthday. For those of you curious, though, that link is for the salifert test that I'm using. Link to comment
righttirefire Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I like watching youtube either from the manufacturer of the kit or Joe blow reefer. Is the kit expired? Link to comment
cnseekatz Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Morgan, don't panic is step 1. Kat is wise. Link to comment
Mom2many Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I agree. It doesn't make sense that it's that low- but do take a look, it does seem to test that low, which is also odd. It also didn't make sense that my other readings are ok and that to be so totally off. So, Something, whether me or my test, is definitely fishy. Planning to test again this evening to confirm, and will update y'all after I finish celebrating my birthday. For those of you curious, though, that link is for the salifert test that I'm using. Happy Birthday! Blessings! Alk was 8.3, Mg was <30 (yikes!) and Ca was 500 So..... Added a teaspoon of Mg to bump it slightly. Don't want to shock the system bumping it up all the way all at once. Also changed out crappy petco carbon for a bag of chemipure elite. I recieved two amazon cards for mothers day and used them to get me a hanna calcium tester. I have never tested for alk.,mg or calcium either. So I recieved my tester and tested and my calcium was 500 as well. I tested it again and it was the same. I didnt know it went that high. I am going to save for an alk tester next. Link to comment
vlangel Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Happy Birthday, hope it's a good one! Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Oh happy birthday Morgan! omgomgomg I recieved two amazon cards for mothers day and used them to get me a hanna calcium tester. I have never tested for alk.,mg or calcium either. So I recieved my tester and tested and my calcium was 500 as well. I tested it again and it was the same. I didnt know it went that high. I am going to save for an alk tester next. Like the tester? I bought two used here on NR- Alkalinity and low range Phosphate for $60 shipped. With refill kit. Hoping the Hanna tester will encourage me to test more frequently Link to comment
Mom2many Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Oh happy birthday Morgan! omgomgomg Like the tester? I bought two used here on NR- Alkalinity and low range Phosphate for $60 shipped. With refill kit. Hoping the Hanna tester will encourage me to test more frequently Yes,I like the tester very much. I was hoping the same here for me... that it would encourage me to test more frequently and give me more accurate readings. I thought the first test I did something wrong but did it a second time and it tested the same. So I guess I have high calcium. Am going to get the Alk one next. You got a great deal by the way! Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Yes,I like the tester very much. I was hoping the same here for me... that it would encourage me to test more frequently and give me more accurate readings. I thought the first test I did something wrong but did it a second time and it tested the same. So I guess I have high calcium. Am going to get the Alk one next. You got a great deal by the way! Have you ever tried to test with a well known Salifert or Red Sea test? Im curious on the accuracy Link to comment
ReefWeeds Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Harry, what did you mean start properly? There is an air bubble due to the tip's air displacement. Ben- I wasn't rushing, but I am now! Haha! I have the same test. I'm thinking maybe you didn't swirl the reagents right or something weird like that. What Kat said - don't panic. That was the test I was reading wrong as well. Like 5 times. Link to comment
Mom2many Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Have you ever tried to test with a well known Salifert or Red Sea test? Im curious on the accuracy No, I have not. I have a basic API Master test kit. All of my past tanks have been LPS and softy tanks. My current tank is a 20 long. It is the first tank I ever added SPS to, so decided I needed to start checking Alk, Mag and calcium. Calcium is the first test I could afford to get which is the Hanna I just got.. My tank is shallow so I have Current Orbit LED lighting. It is growing birdsnest very fast and some other SPS that have lower light requirement. My poccillapora just spawned a month ago and I have little babies popping up everywhere. You would be the one to ask....Could my lighting support a Crocea if I placed it up high? My guess is not as it is a pretty low light set up. But so many people said it would not support SPS and it really has so far. And my prettiest and fasted growing birdsnest is mid lower level of my tank but directly under the strip. Link to comment
ReefWeeds Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Hey are you sure you're not at .125 instead of 1.25? That would mean your mag is at 1200. And happy birthday! Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 No, I have not. I have a basic API Master test kit. All of my past tanks have been LPS and softy tanks. My current tank is a 20 long. It is the first tank I ever added SPS to, so decided I needed to start checking Alk, Mag and calcium. Calcium is the first test I could afford to get which is the Hanna I just got.. My tank is shallow so I have Current Orbit LED lighting. It is growing birdsnest very fast and some other SPS that have lower light requirement. My poccillapora just spawned a month ago and I have little babies popping up everywhere. You would be the one to ask....Could my lighting support a Crocea if I placed it up high? My guess is not as it is a pretty low light set up. But so many people said it would not support SPS and it really has so far. And my prettiest and fasted growing birdsnest is mid lower level of my tank but directly under the strip. Sorry, I have no experience with the Orbit Lighting. I believe if it can support SPS it can support a crocea, a lower-light demanding clam- but do not have any personal expierience Hey are you sure you're not at .125 instead of 1.25? That would mean your mag is at 1200. And happy birthday! Stupid Decimals. MwhiteLock? Link to comment
ReefWeeds Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Also reason I ask is the reading starts at 1 So I think you're seeing .125 instead of 1.25 Link to comment
thecoralbeauty Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Ahhhh possible!!!! Genius. And sounds like something I would do, miss a decimal. Just finished stuffing my face with delicious food- pics to come! Link to comment
ReefWeeds Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Ahhhh possible!!!! Genius. And sounds like something I would do, miss a decimal. Just finished stuffing my face with delicious food- pics to come! That thing is hard to read. Like I said, I kept misreading it for like 3 weeks So, we will have matching tanks and do the same things like miss decimals - or read from the wrong end of the black stopper (which is what I was doing) And happy birthday!! Link to comment
thecoralbeauty Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 re-did test. 1260. titrations... smh. so that makes more sense, no? THANK YOU for all the birthday wishes Link to comment
thecoralbeauty Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 also, the chemipure elite seems to have done the trick. blaming cloudy water on petco carbon. all is well! Link to comment
plainrt Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I use api alk and cal test kits. Cheap and very simple to use. Key to them is getting new wide vial and use syringe to measure 5ml. The marks on the api vials are off and can cause errors in results. I won't use any other api test kits though as I believe are pretty much garbage. Tank is looking nice btw Link to comment
thecoralbeauty Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 No, I have not. I have a basic API Master test kit. All of my past tanks have been LPS and softy tanks. My current tank is a 20 long. It is the first tank I ever added SPS to, so decided I needed to start checking Alk, Mag and calcium. Calcium is the first test I could afford to get which is the Hanna I just got.. My tank is shallow so I have Current Orbit LED lighting. It is growing birdsnest very fast and some other SPS that have lower light requirement. My poccillapora just spawned a month ago and I have little babies popping up everywhere. You would be the one to ask....Could my lighting support a Crocea if I placed it up high? My guess is not as it is a pretty low light set up. But so many people said it would not support SPS and it really has so far. And my prettiest and fasted growing birdsnest is mid lower level of my tank but directly under the strip. I think typically maxima's require less light than croceas... but i also could be mis-remembering. I would guess that if you're successfully growing SPS then you're probably safe for a clam, especially if you feed phytoplankton. Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 re-did test. 1260. titrations... smh. so that makes more sense, no? THANK YOU for all the birthday wishes That makes way more sense! So you're going to slowly bring it back up to 1400? Makes me want to get new reagent for my Salifert Mg (I spilled part A ) and start testing Mg again Link to comment
vlangel Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 My tank is shallow so I have Current Orbit LED lighting. It is growing birdsnest very fast and some other SPS that have lower light requirement. My poccillapora just spawned a month ago and I have little babies popping up everywhere. You would be the one to ask....Could my lighting support a Crocea if I placed it up high? My guess is not as it is a pretty low light set up. But so many people said it would not support SPS and it really has so far. And my prettiest and fasted growing birdsnest is mid lower level of my tank but directly under the strip. Croceas do require the highest light of the big clams. I have had one for 2 and a half years but it is at the top of my rock work about 8" from my 4 bulb T5 fixture. They get nutrients from the water column more when they are small, (less than 2") but as they grow and their mantle gets bigger they begin to utilize the light. I think I would choose a lower light clam if possible unless space is an issue. I chose a crocea because my tank was only a 36g and croceas stay the smallest and grow the slowest. Link to comment
Exodus Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Have you ever tried to test with a well known Salifert or Red Sea test? Im curious on the accuracy Red Sea Yes, I use The Reef Essential Kit as Well I have the Alk and Cal Hanna Checkers. They are in fact right in line with the hanna and API kits (Magnesium IDK Only have Red Sea for that) You have to follow directions, and I did find out something odd early on that had me thinking the test kit was bad; for the CA you have to actually shake both those bottles up to get an accurate reading it states that no where in the directions and the other 2 come out fine without shaking... Link to comment
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