Post your test numbers

[jeffbrig]

Okay, since we all did the tests last night, how about a thread to share those numbers?

250g Reef:
Nitrate: undetectable
Silicate: undetectable
Mag: ~1500ppm (salifert, tested at the meeting), 1410 (salifert, tested at home)
PO4: undetectable (salifert kit), .07 (Elos, thanks coralfragger)
Alk: 7.6dKH (salifert, tested at home)
Ca: 420ppm (salifert, tested at home)

55g QT:
Nitrate: 20ppm


I was hoping to run the strontium and organics tests on water from my reef tank, but I didn't get a chance to use either of them.

 

[nyvp]

560/g
Nitrate: 2
Silicate: undetectable
Mag: 1450
PO4: undetectable
Alk: 8
Ca: 480ppm

 

[ReefWreak]

120g
Nitrate: 0
Silicate: Undetectable
Mag: 240
P04: .025ish
Alk: 11
Ca: 450

 

[Ding2daDong]

33g Long
Nitrate: 0
silicate: 0
Mag: 1240
po4: 0
Alk: 8.2
Cal: 425
Copper: 0
iodate: Couldn't understand test kit or get a color change
iodide: Couldn't understand test kit or get a color change
Organics: was not about to mix and wait 30+ minutes...

Other tests at home;
pH: 8.26
nitrite: 0
Salinity: 1.025


I wish I could have gotten some type of reading on the iodine test kit since I dose iodine once a week.



-Matthew

 

[coralfragger101]

Jeff: Your welcome

Ding2: I'd be weary of dosing anything that you aren't testing for.

I did make the meeting and met a couple of folks. I apologize for not being more "outgoing". I'd already worked 32 hrs for this week prior to showing up for the meeting. Was sort of dead on my feet. Snuck out early to get to bed. I do plan on starting to show up and meet more folks. Looks like you all got a fun group of geeks together.

Now that we've been through the "test kits" when is the great debate on Salt preference?

 

[ReefWreak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10003067#post10003067 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralfragger101

Now that we've been through the "test kits" when is the great debate on Salt preference?

Man, why bring that into the club? Keep it out in the RC world. That debate goes on and on, with no right answer. It's all about preference....

 

[Rockblast]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10004197#post10004197 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefWreak
Man, why bring that into the club? Keep it out in the RC world. That debate goes on and on, with no right answer. It's all about preference....

Haha that's true that debate will never end.

*Cough*Instant Ocean rules! *Cough*

 

[nyvp]

thats an easy answer..... NSW 8 )

 

[gasman059]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10004871#post10004871 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nyvp
thats an easy answer..... NSW 8 )

NSW AGREE LOL

 

[ReefWreak]

Lol. NSW says the 2 guys with tanks large enough to have someone drive to their house with NSW and do waterchanges for them from a truck...

 

[ReefWreak]

Update on my Params:

I checked and rechecked my Alk this morning, and the concensus was that it was in the low 6s. I dosed 2 part, using 60ml of Alk, and 30ml of Ca. I tested my alk about half an hour ago, and now my alk is up to 7.2ish. So i'm almost on the right track.

After last night, I'm going to start keeping a tighter leash on my params with closer testing, especially since I rarely ever do water changes.

 

[coralfragger101]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10004390#post10004390 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rockblast
Haha that's true that debate will never end.

*Cough*Instant Ocean rules! *Cough*

I'll have to check out in the main forum for this debate thread. I'd be willing to bet that I'm a black sheep in this area as well.

 

[rawbomb]

All with salifert kits
nitrate: undectable
Salinity: 1.022 ( need to raise it, skimmer went insane)
PO4: undectable
Alk: 12
Cal: 510
Ph: 8.4
Mag: 1400

I have them elevated to run the pappone as you can tell.

 

[jeffbrig]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10003067#post10003067 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralfragger101

Now that we've been through the "test kits" when is the great debate on Salt preference?

IMO, you can use just about anything, just be consistent about it.

Personally, I've always used IO because it's always readily available and it's been around forever. I don't like changing things unnecessarily, so using the most common salt out there was a no-brainer for me.

I recently bought several buckets of Reef Crystals, but it's essentially IO with slightly higher Ca/Alk levels.

 

[coralfragger101]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10012517#post10012517 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeffbrig
IMO, you can use just about anything, just be consistent about it.

Personally, I've always used IO because it's always readily available and it's been around forever. I don't like changing things unnecessarily, so using the most common salt out there was a no-brainer for me.

I recently bought several buckets of Reef Crystals, but it's essentially IO with slightly higher Ca/Alk levels.

I was half joking about getting into a salt debate but I would have to disagree with this. I have found that there are considerable differences in salts. I would consider a salt mix inferior if it mixes and stays cloudy, if it forms scum on the surface when aerated, if ion levels are so low that you have to add supplements to bring it up to par before you even use it, if you immediately get a diatom bloom after doing a major water change or if it doesn't contain enough buffer to control PH swings within your tank.

 

[jeffbrig]

I didn't say some salts aren't better than others. It's just that I don't see a huge difference between IO ($35/bucket at Petsmart) vs. something like Tropic Marin Pro at ($65/bucket + shipping).

My point was that I don't think there's an obviously superior salt, or that there's a clear winner between synthetic and natural. Pick any method, and someone out there has used it successfully.

When I mentioned consistency, I am suggesting to stick with whatever method you started with, and is working for you. Avoid trying every new product or brand that comes out. A few years ago, widespread problems were reported when people tried to switch to Crystal Seas Marinemix Bio Assay after an article suggested it was the best salt on earth. Oh, except for that nagging problem where everyone's sps RTN'd after switching.

I started my tank with IO, and I'm going to stick with it because it's proven and readily available.

 

[coralfragger101]

I would definately agree that someone has used most brands successfully. The key to their success "probably" will be found in what else they are doing to their system though. If brand X is notoriously low in CA but you are dosing kalk or are running a CA reactor to compensate then brand X looks pretty good.

I will be attempting to run my new new system without dosing anything until such time that I have so many SPS's that my CA level can't be kept up through 10-15% weekly water changes.

Yes, the key word is "attempting". I have heard from others that have thrown away all their supplements for the ease of weekly water changes and I have not done this personally - yet. This system is just now at the very beginning of the stocking stage. Born 5/7/07, with no cycle to speak of and only a very mild diatom bloom that lasted days (not weeks). This system had mushrooms, button polyps and some xenia in it from day one and all are doing fine. Two diamond gobies were added last weekend.

Only time will tell if I'm on the right track.

 

[bawla47]

ive found if you dont keep your unused salt air tight, it tends to harden fast and takes alot longer to mix for me and stays cloudy for a while.

 

[NanoKat]

Okay, as for the test results...

Organics...Off the charts...didn't want to use all of the bottle to find out!

Didn't have much time for other tests as they were so busy and I was also taking pics of the meeting.

Guess I should do a water change now !

 

[prsouthfl]

nsw on big tanks 200 gls and up but small tanks were stuff happens very fast instant ocean salt from lfs is how i do it
im going to do nsw on my 250 that will soon be up and running
i need 400 watt metals anybody??????????