AWT results

[rigleautomotive]

AWT results
here are my results from my recent test from AWT
my test results on the big three with salifert on the day i sent in the samples were
alk 9.6
cal 390
mg 1305

Please feel free to make recomendations on what changes i should make to improve my parameters.I have started to add kent tech iodine today and will follow there dosing instructions since i am showing 0 on there test and i do not test for it myself.I do not use any phos absorbing media currently and use rodi water with the membranes and di cartridges coming from the filter guys.


Water Test Summary
Ammonia (NH3-4) ........................Good ......................................... 0.008
Nitrite (NO2)................................Good ......................................... 0.001
Nitrate (NO3)...............................Good .............................................0.3
Phosphate (PO4) ..........................Good ........................................... 0.02
Silica (SiO2-3) ............................. High..............................................1.3
Potassium (K) ...............................Low............................................. 316
Calcium (Ca)................................Good ............................................ 401
Boron (B) .....................................Low..............................................2.9
Molybdenum (Mo).........................Good .............................................0.1
Strontium (Sr) .............................Good .............................................9.8
Magnesium (Mg) ..........................Good .......................................... 1246
Iodine (I¯)....................................Low............................................ 0.00
Copper (Cu++) ............................Good ........................................... 0.02
Alkalinity (meq/L).........................Good ........................................... 3.09
Thank you for your business! Please let us know if you have
questions, comments, or concerns.
Please remember that the information that accompanies your tested
values is a courtesy and is offered only to frame the results in a way
meaningful to the aquarium hobbyist. The NSW values, acceptable
ranges and recommendations are not meant to replace the advice of
aquarium professionals and experienced hobbyists.

Ammonia (NH3-4)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.010 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.050 mg/L
Tested: 0.008 mg/L
(GOOD) Your ammonia level is within the recommended range. We recommend staying
with the current feeding and stocking levels. Be sure to maintain a good schedule of water
changes and additives. Ammonia levels can rise after the addition of new animals, after a
water change, or after the changing of food diet. Any ammonia level above 0.05 mg/L is a
cause for concern, and the source should be found and corrected.
Nitrite (NO2)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.010 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.100 mg/L
Tested: 0.001 mg/L
(GOOD) Your nitrite level is within the recommended range. We recommend continuing
with your current maintenance and feeding schedules. Residual levels of nitrite are common
in marine aquariums. Levels of 0.05 or less are of little concern. If the levels are higher than
this, the source should be found and corrected.
Nitrate (NO3)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.050 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 25 mg/L
Tested: 0.3 mg/L
(GOOD) Your nitrate level is within the recommended range. Be sure to maintain
reasonable stocking and feeding levels, as well as a regular water change schedule. Nitrate
is not toxic in and of itself, but a rising level is indicative of deteriorating water conditions,
and any level above 5.0 mg/L in reef aquariums is a reason for concern.

Phosphate (PO4)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.030 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.250 mg/L
Tested: 0.02 mg/L
(GOOD) Your phosphate level is within the recommended range. We recommend continuing
the current maintenance and water change schedule. The use of a phosphate absorbing
resin is recommended to keep phosphate levels below 0.05 mg/L.
Silica (Sio2-3)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.040 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.500 mg/L
Tested: 1.3 mg/L
(HIGH) Your silica level is too high. We recommend that you use a silica specific R/O
membrane in addition to deionization resin for your make-up/top-off water. You may also
use a commercially available phosphate absorber, as these will also remove some silicate.
Silicate is required by many types of sponges for growth/reproduction, but will also
encourage brown diatom algae growth. Any level above 0.3 mg/L may cause a diatom
bloom in the aquarium.
Potassium (K)
Natural Seawater Value: 390 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 350 to 450 mg/L
Tested: 316 mg/L
(LOW) Your potassium level is too low. We recommend performing a partial water change,
and possibly adding a commercial additive containing potassium. Potassium is rapidly
depleted from aquarium water by several plant and animal metabolic processes.
Maintenance of appropriate levels is critical for cellular respiration, as well as being an
important nutrient for coral zooxanthellae and macro algae.

Calcium (Ca)
Natural Seawater Value: 400 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 350 to 450 mg/L*
*These values represent only the amount of free calcium ions present in the samples. According to Randy Holmes-Farley, the
total calcium concentration can be 10% to 20% higher.
Tested: 401 mg/L
(GOOD) Your calcium level is within the recommended range. We recommend that you
continue with your current schedule of calcium additions. Calcium is critical to healthy coral
skeletal growth, and many other biological processes. Maintenance of calcium levels that are
at or near seawater values is an important factor in having a healthy reef aquarium.
Boron (B)
Natural Seawater Value: 4.6 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 3.0 â€"œ 6.0 mg/L
Tested: 2.9 mg/L
(LOW) Your boron level is too low. We recommend performing a water change, and
possibly the addition of a commercial buffer containing borate salts. Boron is an important
part of the water buffering capacity, and a lack of boron can lead to dangerous fluctuations
in pH and alkalinity.
Molybdenum (Mo)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.01 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.0 to 0.12 mg/L
Tested: 0.1 mg/L
(GOOD) Your molybdenum level is within the recommended range. Molybdenum is found
in many common additives and at highly elevated levels in most salt mixes and so a vast
majority of reef tanks demonstrate a level 10 to 50 times higher than natural levels. 0.12
mg/L is the upper toxicity limit for Molybdenum, the point at which negative effects can
begin to manifest themselves. Your level is below this limit and is in proximity to natural
sea water values. Molybdenum is important to microbial activity in the aquarium filter, and
may also be important to stony coral health and reproduction.

Strontium (Sr)
Natural Seawater Value: 8.1 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 5.0 to 12.0 mg/L
Tested: 9.8 mg/L
(GOOD) Your strontium level is within the recommended range. We recommend continuing
with your current additive schedules. Strontium is important to coral growth, as they
incorporate strontium ions into their skeletal mass, particularly SPS corals. It is also
important to coralline algae growth.
Magnesium (Mg)
Natural Seawater Value: 1280 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 1100 to 1400 mg/L
Tested: 1246 mg/L
(GOOD) Your magnesium level is within the recommended range. We recommend staying
with your current water change and additive schedule. Magnesium is a very important part
of the water buffering system, and is incorporated into coral skeletons. It is also critical to
any photosynthetic processes.
Iodine (I¯)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.060 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.030 to 0.090 mg/L
Tested: 0.00 mg/L
(LOW) Your iodine level is too low. We recommend using an iodine-specific additive to raise
this level. Iodine is removed from the water by various biological processes, protein
skimming, and activated carbon. Iodine is required by soft corals, macro algae, and for
pigment development in SPS corals.

Copper (Cu++)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.030 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.030 mg/L
Tested: 0.02 mg/L
(GOOD) Your copper level is within the recommended range. We recommend continuing
with your current water change schedule, being careful to use only RO/DI water for makeup/
top-off water. Use of activated carbon can also help keep this level in check. Copper is
fatal to marine invertebrates at levels as low as 0.05 mg/L for many species.
Alkalinity (meq/L)
Natural Seawater Value: 2.5 meq/L
Acceptable Range: 2.5 to 5.0 meq/L
Tested: 3.09 meq/L
(GOOD) Your alkalinity level is within the recommended range. We recommend continuing
with your current water change and buffering schedule. Maintaining an appropriate alkalinity
is crucial to maintaining a healthy aquarium. A fluctuating alkalinity will lead to serious
problems in maintaining an appropriate pH, as well as problems keeping calcium and
magnesium levels within required ranges.
Thank you for using AquariumWaterTesting.com

 

[Todd March]

Dan, can you direct me to a WWW site for this AWT testing...?

 

[HighlandReefer]

It would be interesting to send in two or three separate samples From the exact same source tank, in different names. Sounds like a good experiment for a Reef Society.

What affects would low readings in potassium, Boron & iodine show in reef inhabitants? Have you noticed any affects?

Do you have silica based sand or rocks in your tank?

 

[rigleautomotive]

Sure,here it is

http://www.aquariumwatertesting.com/

 

[rigleautomotive]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13680419#post13680419 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HighlandReefer
It would be interesting to send in two or three separate samples From the exact same source tank, in different names. Sounds like a good experiment for a Reef Society.

What affects would low readings in potassium, Boron & iodine show in reef inhabitants? Have you noticed any affects?

Do you have silica based sand or rocks in your tank?

It is believed that nsw potassium levels (acording to the zeo heads) will give you better colors in sps corals.iodine is basically the same with it being beneficial to soft corals also.boron is a buffering element and helps buffer ph.

possiblly sand,i have a small amount of sand still hanging around in the tank but i plan on sucking it out this weekend,it was the bagged aragonite live sand from caribsea

 

[HighlandReefer]

Are you experiencing diatom blooms at this level?

I like to try to maintain natural salt water levels. Your test results, may lead one to start dosing potassium, Boron & iodine, but unless you can get hobby grade kits that can accurately measure these, one would need to send samples off to properly dose them or risk potental overdose.

How often do you change your water and how much?

 

[rigleautomotive]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13680500#post13680500 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HighlandReefer
Are you experiencing diatom blooms at this level?

I like to try to maintain natural salt water levels. Your test results, may lead one to start dosing potassium, Boron & iodine, but unless you can get hobby grade kits that can accurately measure these, one would need to send samples off to properly dose them or risk potental overdose.

How often do you change your water and how much?

no algae problems at all.the results are from my oldest reef and diatoms and algae are not present.

there are kits to measure potassium (Kallium test kit) and also for iodine (salifert is pretty good i believe) but i just really test for alk,cal and mg regularly and monitor ph also.i do water changes weekly and normally 20 to 25 percent with reef crystals

 

[volcom69]

Were you having problems Dan or did you just wanna see what all your test read. Also seachem reef salt has a higher potasium rate in it, i measure potasium and its always between 350-400 and never have to add anything. Not sure what salt you use but alot of salts are low in potasium.

 

[rigleautomotive]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13680789#post13680789 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by volcom69
Were you having problems Dan or did you just wanna see what all your test read. Also seachem reef salt has a higher potasium rate in it, i measure potasium and its always between 350-400 and never have to add anything. Not sure what salt you use but alot of salts are low in potasium. [/QUOTE

no problems,just trying to see where all the parameters that i do not measure were at and to compare my salifert kits to something else.i use reef crystals and i have had real good results with it.the potassium is not real low but i am thinking i will bump it up with one of the k additives.i figure the iodine is low cause i skim heavy and use carbon so i want to get that in range also.

 

[gkyle]

Thanks for the post, very interesting. I just ordered my test also, I'm mainly interested in how close the results are to the various test kits I use.

 

[rigleautomotive]

no problem,thats one of the reasons i did it also.just to get something to compare to.its good to test right before you send out your samples and record the results so you will have a good reference

 

[bertoni]

I might do some water changes, on the principle that some of the low levels reported might be accurate, but the system seems fine to me as is, basically. It's not clear how accurate their testing is.

 

[Todd March]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13683208#post13683208 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bertoni
I might do some water changes, on the principle that some of the low levels reported might be accurate, but the system seems fine to me as is, basically. It's not clear how accurate their testing is.

Yeah, I've seen people post some crazy results from them... I just checked them out today, and had no idea is was so expensive. It was totally accurate with a flawless rep, okay... But from some of the posts I have seen, they seem no more accurate than hobby tests...

 

[rigleautomotive]

IMO they are able to test stuff we have no kits available for and for instance the K test kits are reported to be a almost imposible to read kit so for the 40 bucks it was well worth it for me.for what its worth they were pretty close to alk,cal and mg acording to my salifert kits which is a good sign at the least.i think they were right on the iodine because i have added a double dose of it today and i am noticing better PE on almost every coral in the tank.could be a coincidence but i doubt it.

 

[Todd March]

That's all good to hear, Dan, you have posted among the most positive results from them, and that's great hear. I agree that for K+ (particularly since I'm a full blown Zeo user) and iodine, that's pretty cool. Hard to know those particular levels any other way (reading the KZ K+ kit is a nightmare)...

 

[rigleautomotive]

yea i know the zeo mods always point people to the awt when there is a question on parameters that are hard to decifer with a kit so i am not sure why some people have problems with the results from them.i have heard that they use probes and monitors for much of there testing and do it in a chem lab enviorment with good calibration tools.I dont see how a kit would be more accurate for much of the parameters involved but i am sure there are exceptions to the rule.

 

[bertoni]

Some of their numbers have been very far off in the past. There are lots of threads about all of the issues. Their calibration and use of the equipment might have improved, but I'm not sure either way yet. Using probes and monitors can be fine, but there's no guarantee that they are more accurate than hobbyist test kits. The Hanna phosphate meter is one good example of that.

I haven't seen any data to convince me that iodine supplementation is useful.

 

[rigleautomotive]

i am aware of the inconclusive data on whether iodine is beneficial or not to corals but i would have to say that i would not consider a hanna phos meter to be a hobbiests test kit.the comparison i would think would be a phosphate kit made by one of the popular brands which are not very accurate IMO

 

[bertoni]

I was comparing the Hanna phosphate meter to the more standard test kits, like the Hach, Salifert, and Elos. As far as I can tell, the kits might be more accurate than the meter.

I'm not sure I'd call the data inconclusive. I think they point towards not dosing iodine.

 

[rigleautomotive]

no kidding,thats good to know,i was actually thinking i need a more accurate way to test phosphate because my salifert kit never gives me a reading.i was actually going to get a hanna colormeter.maybe i will save my money or try a hach kit