Salifert results...

[mikeguerrero]

Hey guys,

Here are my results on my testing:

Specific gravity: 29 ppt

Temperature: 79.1 F

Ammonia: < .25 mg/L

Nitrite: .025 ppm

Nitrate: 10 ppm

Calcium: 500 ppm

I was concerned with my calcium level, is that too high. They say natural sea water is about 420-450. I'm using catalina water, should I be concerned. I had been dosing with Kent Marine Calcium supplement before I ever tested.

On a positive note, my nitrates did drop to 10 ppm from 20 ppm I read 2 days ago. I have officially removed all bio balls, ceramic rings and the carbon that came with the tank.

In it's place I have a 800 micron net with Kent Marine, nitrate sponge and on top of that I have 1 chemi-pure pack.

I ran my HOT magnum for a full day with activated carbon, because the Nitrate sponge even though I thoroughly rinsed it, it caused my tank to go slightly cloudy.

All my inhabitants look happy, I'm just going to watch that algae and see if it regrows as quickly as before, I managed to scrape most of it off the walls in the back of the tank.

Mike

 

[Phischy]

You still have ammonia in your tank? What is living in there that would be rotting to produce ammonia? The nitrate/nitrite depends again on what's in there, too much flake food decomposing or fish waste could produce the NO problems. If you have fish it'll be something you have to live with, more frequent water changes? I don't really know. I wouldn't sweat the high calcium unless it starts to preciptate out and cements up your substrate. Or just stop dosing kaltwasser or whatever CA addititive you are using.

 

[incysor]

I wouldn't be concerned about your calcium being that high. I would check the ph, to make sure it's good. As long as it's about right your calcium being that high isn't gonna hurt anything, and is likely to help your coraline algae growth, as well as your LPS growth.

B

 

[Narkon'n'more]

Actually you say Salifert Cal test kit? They had a batch that reads 50 points higher than it is, mine is that way, so I compared to a friends who is older test kit from Salifert, and sure enough it read 50points less than mine. I bought mine in August.

 

[incysor]

Ahhh, yes. I'd forgotten about that. MANY people have reported that the new Salifert calcium test kits are reading about 50ppm too high.
Either way you should be fine at the level you're at. Take a sample of water in the next time you go to the LFS, and have them check it. If it tests lower you know that you've got one of the high-reading salifert tests and you can just subtract 50ppm from your readings in the future.

B

 

[dragon79]

Ahhh, yes. I'd forgotten about that. MANY people have reported that the new Salifert calcium test kits are reading about 50ppm too high.
Either way you should be fine at the level you're at. Take a sample of water in the next time you go to the LFS, and have them check it. If it tests lower you know that you've got one of the high-reading salifert tests and you can just subtract 50ppm from your readings in the future.

B

and this salifert tests have been talked of being the best, and now the new ones are inaccurate? How terrible, I hope they fix their tests, and release a salifert test, rev. 3 or something, lol.

 

[Narkon'n'more]

i have a problem keeping my cal up, since if I drip kalk it clouds my tank bad, so I just dose Turbo Cal, and I shift from 360-440.

The test is very accurate, just the chart you go by needs adjusting.

 

[incysor]

The test really isn't inaccurate. It seems that eveyones that reads high, reads consistently the same 50ppm high. So the test IS accurate, they just didn't update the chart/literature that went with the new test. You'd think it would be an easy fix, and that's why it's a bit dissapointing.

B

 

[mikeguerrero]

Incysor and gang,

Thanks for the response, I can't believe the new test kit for calcium is off by 50 ppm. That royally sucks, since I paid a hefty price for there kits. I believe they were the best.

They should let there LFS know and warn the consumer. I will call Salifert and ask them to send out a correct measure or that we should indeed subract 50 like Brian says.

Phisy regarding my ammonia, it's the lowest reading on the chart that salifert offers. Remember I posted with the < than sign. That means that I have less than the amount posted.

With a side note phisy, I did remove all filter media from the back of my nano. I didn't do it one day at a time like most suggested. That is why I purchased the ammonia and nitrite kit to monitor any spikes. So far none and I think I will be okay.

Mike

 

[mikeguerrero]

I did speak to the rep, he said my batch of Calcium test very accurate and that it's actually better than the old batch that read lower....

I guess it's just really sensitive to the calcium it detects...

I also purchased today the Kh/Alkalinity test along with another anenome shrimp. He's awesome looking has like a really cool colored tail and white claws,,,

I'll post,,,, he's only 10 bucks at my LFS....

Mike

 

[djconn]

I'm glad you got ahold of a salifert rep and I was happy to hear what you had to say. I still believe that they are one of the best test kits around.

Mike, what is the reps name and ph# (if you don't mind) just for reference in case someone else needs it?

 

[mikeguerrero]

As per DJ's request I have brought the link for anyone to speak to the rep of Salifert.

Do understand that, it's through email, but he'll respond back quickly. The only numbers I found were the holland numbers.

He goes by the name of Habib as his nick, I think and signs off as Tia. So it might be a woman.

I did have trouble with the calcium test kit, it reads way to high. I'm going to purchase either a refractometer or a digital pinpoint salinity tester.

Can anyone guide me on the more accurate and easier to use gadget. I've looked throught a refractometer at my LFS and didn't quite get it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Heres the link:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forum ... orumid=196

Mike

 

[incysor]

As per DJ's request I have brought the link for anyone to speak to the rep of Salifert.

Do understand that, it's through email, but he'll respond back quickly. The only numbers I found were the holland numbers.

He goes by the name of Habib as his nick, I think and signs off as Tia. So it might be a woman.

I did have trouble with the calcium test kit, it reads way to high. I'm going to purchase either a refractometer or a digital pinpoint salinity tester.

Can anyone guide me on the more accurate and easier to use gadget. I've looked throught a refractometer at my LFS and didn't quite get it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Heres the link:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forum ... orumid=196

Mike

I know people that never liked looking through telescopes, microscopes, rifle scopes, etc.... If you're one of these people then a refractometer probably isn't for you, and I'd go with the pinpoint meter.

I don't mind looking through scopes and the refractometers are cheaper, and less apt to have problems, so I'd say they are the better deal.

B