You better get that checked out bro

[Suohhen]

Gah water testing. So important, so expensive, and so time consuming. And oh yeah how could I forget, so unreliable!

This weekend I tested my water with every test kit I owned. Some of the tests I have 3 kits for and many I have 2, needless to say it was a lot of testing. This experience reminded me just how inaccurate testing kits are, especially after they age a while. It got me thinking, should I pay someone periodically to test my water to see if my kits are accurate, how about AquariumWaterTesting.com. It's anywhere from $25 to $45 per round of tests depending on how many you preorder, up to 24 kits for $580 for example, there has to be a better way.

How about water testing at club meetings? I for one have multiple tests that don't use any reagents, refractometer, ph meter, and a pinpoint calcium monitor. It would be simple for me to bring these meters to club meetings and as a group we could probably test every parameter possible. What do you guys think about this?

 

[Bdimas]

I think that's a great idea to do tests at the meetings.

 

[DZs]

+1
I'm curious to see the diffence of differet brands too.

 

[RiOnRoxXx]

This is pretty interesting. I seriously just got done testing my water (which I rarely do). Here are my readings:

Nitrate 0ppm -API

Nitrate 0ppm -Salifert

Nitrite 0ppm -API

pH 8.0 -API Liquid

pH 8.0 -API Test Strips

Ammo 0ppm -API

Ca 390 -Salifert

Ca 400 -Instant Ocean

Ca 390 -API

Mag 1300 -Salifert

Alk 7dkH -Salifert

Salinity 35ppt 1.026 -Marine Depot Refractometer

Salinity 35ppt 1.026 -Deep Six Hydrometer

Salinity 35ppt 1.026 -Instant Ocean Square Hydrometer

Temp 79.1 -Coralife Digital Thermometer

Temp 78ish -Dollar Store Glass in tank thermometer

Temp 78-79 -Marina Sticker Style Thermometer

It would be nice to test some of params against other test kits. I know I want to purchase a handheld phosphate checker. But yes indeed, maybe we all can bring some test kits at the next go around and compare results.

 

[Suohhen]

Your readings are surprisingly close to one another. In my experience I have been happy with a test kit with a standard deviation of less than 5%. The bigger issue however is that I have many times been fooled by test kits that were just plain wrong. New test kits from great companies including API and Salifert. The reason I feel it would be great to have a second opinion is to eliminate these problems.

I think the biggest issue would be that many people don't want to announce their water parameters to the whole club, but I think this could be easily handled by having the testing done in a private area, with one or two people performing the tests to make sure there is no abuse of the equipment or theft. This would also provide a private place for us to discuss any issues that may arise from these tests.

 

[JoshuaG]

I have a Hanna phosphate meter I can bring for people to use. It's pretty easy, takes a little longer then a normal test but I love having the digital read out.

 

[RiOnRoxXx]

You have the egg Bob? When I drop off the goods I'll bring a water sample for you to test. Been meaning to see what my phosphates have been.

 

[Suohhen]

Sweet Josh.

That gets me thinking. This could provide a good opportunity to discuss what you think about different test meters. I for one don't like the Pinpoint Calcium Tester, although I got it for free so I can't much complain. But the biggest component is the tip, which they recommend to replace every couple of years, but it is 80% of the cost of the meter. Mine worked for a few years, it isn't calibrating currently and might be able to calibrate with new fluid.

The reasons I see to use meters are cost, ease of use, accuracy, and constant monitoring. It doesn't provide constant monitoring as it constantly needs re-calibrating, and just the act of having to calibrate it makes using it a pain. It measures down to .1 ppm but it is hardly accurate within 20ppm and doesn't even move between 1ppm, it jumps by 10ppm, reading 412.1 and then changing to 402.5 and the like. And obviously it doesn't save you any money as it wears out in a few years costing another $200 to get it back up and running.

 

[DZs]

That reminds me of the reviews I've read about Pinpoint nitrate reader.

 

[brianbigoats]

Ryan
I would not trust Salifert kits they have had some major QC issues Elos and LaMotte seem to be better i always check a new kit against the old kit to see if they are close none of the kits we use are that accurate how ever that is not that important as long as perimeters are close and stay stable. Stability is the real key

 

[sfexplicit]

I have also had issues with Salifert Alk tests. It always reads higher than my Elos Alk test kit. By at least 1dKH. I think what we really need is a reliable reference sample to actually be able to see how close our test kits really are though. I know Fauna Marin makes a reference sample but I have yet to order one.

 

[RiOnRoxXx]

Good point Brian. I'm not too concern with my params from the test kits. As mentioned I rarely even test, just twice since my tank has been up. But I agree having a stable tank will do wonders. I keep up on my WC and that's about it. Down the road when my corals get bigger I'll test more frequently to see the needs of them. For now I have good color and polyp extension which indicates a healthy tank again IMO.

As Johnny has mentioned I think we need a solid test sample that we can all test against. For now I guess the best we can do is "ballpark" what we have and also just do things in moderation. Seems like the best method in this hobby

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Suohhen]

That's a good point about checking your replacement kits against the ones your replacing. I try to do that but often times forget, or the kit I am replacing is old and inaccurate.

I think it would be ideal to have a testing station where you can get solid tests performed but I just don't think that is practical. There are not electronic tests for everything, some of them are not very accurate, and it is just so common to have a faulty test kit whether it be electronic or reagent.

I generally feel that if I get the same answer from 2 test kits they are accurate. This is of course not 100% true but it's definitely close.

Here is a list of all the things we really care about as reef keepers
Salinity, Temp, PH, Alk, Cal, Phosphate, Nitrate

Obviously temp is and ph are out the window as they will change by the time you get them to a meeting. Salinity easy. Phosphate Hanna's meter is good as far as I know. Pinpoint makes a calcium probe that give acceptable readings however not worth owning IMO. I know nothing about Nitrate probes. Hanna just recently released a alk probe but is it any good? I dont know.

And here are the things we need to be mindful of
Ammonia, Nitrite, Magnesium, Strontium, Silica, Potassium, Boron, Molybdenum, Iodine, Copper, Chloride.

The only things on the 2nd list I have ever tested for are ammonia, nitrite, and magnesium. The reason I say be mindful of them is many of these things can reach toxic levels as a result of the actions of the aquarist. For example long term use of calcium supplements with contain chloride, or use of a salt that contains elevated levels of any of these things.

Will it be as simple as 10 people bring 10 different probes and everyone goes home happy, unlikely, but there are other options. Such as trades, for example I agree to let someone use my test kit/s in exchange that I use theirs.

 

[plankton]

Also a good idea to calibrate your refractometer every once and awhile as they are mechanical and can 'drift'. Some calibrate with ro/di but I prefer to use the milwawkee std (1.026 @ 76 deg F or something like that).

Scott

 

[plankton]

@ Ryan,

"Alk 7dkH -Salifert"

7dkH...really? Do you purposely keep it low are are you dialing in your dosing and/or Ca Rx? If you keep it at 7 dkh then I'd watch your pH and ORP and if the pH and/or orp ever dive down then do an emergency water change; it would prolly mean something died in the back that you can't see and it breaking down.

Scott

 

[RiOnRoxXx]

I think it may have been low due to the fact all I rely on is water changes to adjust params. No dosing, no tweeking, just good ol' water changes. Still trying to dial in the tank and see what the usage is from my coral. May need to get on a dosing routine since I did just added over 10+ SPS frags in the last week so it could have thrown my stability way off. No way of really knowing since this is the first run of tests on the tank since its initial setup.

I recently just started testing so I can compare it to the BRS calculator and see what I would need to dose with and how much. Been thinking about dosing two-part pretty soon to keep the tank more stable. Good catch Scott on the low alk. I just did a 5% water change earlier today and it brought it back up to 8.5ish. I'll test again for the next three days to see where it dips at. I have some Seachem Reef Builder to bring up the alk if it gets low. My target number is 9. Also may just be a bad test kit, since it was mentioned that Salifert kits aren't up to par now. I'll hit up Johnny and have him test my water and see what the comparison is to the kits he runs in his full blown SPS tank

 

[RiOnRoxXx]

After thinking about it some, I think I seen an Elos dkH at Tropical Haven in their display case. Just might go purchase it to test it against the Salifert kit that I have.

 

[brianbigoats]

Scott
I run my Alk between 7-8 dkh ULNS require a lower alk.

I try to keep it simple i only test Alk, PO4, and i check my PH(calibrate every other mo.) and temp on my controller. I use a auto top off so my salinity is very stable i check it once a month. If you use a good quality salt mix most of the other things are in line

 

[sfexplicit]

My Alk has been anywhere between 6.5 - 7.5 for the last year or so. I also am trying to hit low nutrients. Im trying to raise it closer to 8 slowly over the next couple months. Stability is much more important than your actual alkalinity as long as it falls anywhere between 7-12dKH IMO.

 

[sfexplicit]

+1 on calibrating refractometer or anything that you can calibrate on a regular basis. @Ryan, think about it this way, even though I know Salifert Alk test kit always reads high I still use it because I know that it reads high consistently. I just need to know how high and try to maintain it within the acceptable range consistently. So when raising alkalinity go SLOW. With those colorful sticks they demand stability. Borrowed from DML08- SPS= Stability Produces Success.

IMO magnesium is very important because proper levels allows you to maintain proper calcium and alkalinity. If your magnesium is low it can take ALOT more calcium and alkalinity whether it be provided through water changes, a calcium reactor, or 2 part dosing to maintain acceptable levels or even reach those levels.

Here's a link to that reference standard I posted earlier.
http://www.cherrycorals.com/product.php?productid=2856&cat=158&page=1