griss’ Battle with Cyano - all the Things I’ve Tried

[griss]

Got my “new” Salifert Ca test kit from eBay today. The measuring spoon is missing and the syringe tip. In addition, the reagent 2 bottle is supposed to have a dropper top and it doesn’t.

The shipping box was fine, the the Salifert box was all smashed up inside. Requesting a return and ordering elsewhere.

Quoting myself here. Got my new Salifert Ca kit and it and the instructions only reference 2 reagents. Where the last one I got with the smashed box and missing parts had/mentioned 3 reagents.

Maybe @Habib made a change to the kits?

Anyway, I now have new Salifert Alk, Ca and NO3 kits with a new Salifert Mg kit on the way.

Tonight’s results with the new kits:
Ca 375 ppm
Alk 7.3 dKH
NO3 1 ppm

Added 3.5 oz BRS Soda Ash and 4 mL ESV NO3.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

There is a change Boss. That's why I told you to read the directions first.
Same thread!

 

[griss]

There is a change Boss. That's why I told you to read the directions first.
Same thread!

Ah, I get that now that I've got the new kit. However, the old kit instructions mentioned adding reagent 2 dropwise, but the reagent bottle didn't have the dropper top. So, I had no way of measuring out that reagent accurately.

 

[griss]

Tonight’s results with new kits.

Ca 365 ppm
Alk 8.2 dKH
NO3 2 ppm

Adding 2 oz BRS soda ash, 4 mL ESV NO3 and 0.5 oz BRS Ca.

 

[griss]

Also mixing water with the old bucket of salt and will test with the new kits just for poops and giggles.

 

[griss]

I tested the “old” salt mix tonight with the new Salifert kits.

5.9 dKH
815 ppm Ca

So, throughout this journey of tank issues, I’ve dealt with stray voltage, a refractometer out of calibration leading to low salinity and a bad batch of salt with low Alk and super high calcium. Hopefully I got all this bad luck behind me.

 

[griss]

DT - tonight

10 dKH
395 ppm Ca

 

[JohnL]

What's your new salt mix? How does it test?

 

[griss]

What's your new salt mix? How does it test?

I bought 2 buckets of Coralife at the same time because Petco Online had then on sale for half price with free shipping. The first bucket that I've been using for several months is the bad batch. The new bucket I just recently started using after realizing the one may be bad. The two buckets had different batch numbers, so that further confirmed the bad batch of salt theory. The newer bucket I'm using is testing at (going from memory here as my notes are at home):
Ca - 395 ppm
Alk - 10 dKH

 

[JohnL]

I'm glad you figured it out George.

 

[griss]

Last night’s results, got my new Salifert Mg kit.

Alk - 8.45 dKH
Ca - 390 ppm
Mg - 1320 ppm
NO3 - 1 ppm

Added 3.5 oz soda ash, 5 mL ESV NO3 and 5mL Microbacter 7.

 

[griss]

The tank is really starting to look good again.

 

[griss]

And without the actinics.

 

[Misled]

Nice!!!

 

[griss]

Going to visit @Nanook tomorrow and see his tanks for the first time in a gagillion years. Also, going to hit a LFS I’ve never been to.

 

[griss]

Okay, just went from the new bucket of salt testing at 572 Ca on 12/4/22 and now newly mixed salt from the same bucket is <100????

 

[JohnL]

Okay, just went from the new bucket of salt testing at 572 Ca on 12/4/22 and now newly mixed salt from the same bucket is <100????

Your patience is being tested for sure

 

[griss]

Ugh, weekly 5 gallon water changes in the 40, running gfo and carbon and skimmer rated for 120 gallon tank. Things were looking great. Get home from work tonight and the Cyano is making a comeback???? This is really getting frustrating.

 

[griss]

Okay, just went from the new bucket of salt testing at 572 Ca on 12/4/22 and now newly mixed salt from the same bucket is <100????

I think this might have been a testing error on my part.

 

[griss]

Alk at 8.9, NO3 at 2ppm