Water Test Results

[fastrd400]

I did a full blown water perameter test today. Most my number look okay, however I get conflicting information on some of the others. I am hoping that someone can look at the outcome and tell me if anything is off, and how to go about correcting. As of right now my dosing consists of B-Ionic 2 part calcium, Bio-Fuel to help reduce Nitrates, and Brightwell's Magnesion-P for magnesium.

Readings are as follows:
Amonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 10
Calcium = 480
Magnesium = 1260
KH = 8.3
Alk = 2.97
Phosphate = 0

 

[d2mini]

Mag and Alk seem a tad low, no?

Is that PH or KH of 8.3?

 

[fastrd400]

My KH is reading 8.3 My PH right now under just actinics is reading 8.45 on the monitor.

 

[ccCapt]

KH (karbonate hardness) is 1 of the ways alkalinity is measured. You are saying your alk is 2.97 meq/l or 8.3 dKH. They are measuring the same thing and the result is the same.

Mag could be bumped up a little, but everything else looks fine. pH is creaping towards the high side, but still OK. You want to stay below 8.5.

 

[fastrd400]

KH (karbonate hardness) is 1 of the ways alkalinity is measured. You are saying your alk is 2.97 meq/l or 8.3 dKH. They are measuring the same thing and the result is the same.

Mag could be bumped up a little, but everything else looks fine. pH is creaping towards the high side, but still OK. You want to stay below 8.5.

Thank you ccCapt. I knew you'd chime in on this one :bowdown:. So are you saying that the KH/Alk is okay? I new that my Mag. was low, which is why I've been dosing for it. I've also watched my PH slowly creep higher and higher. I am getting ready for a water change, so I'm assuming these number will change for the lower.

 

[yote]

+1 Capt.
Yeah,You alkalinity is fine.
For magnesium,I use epsom salts and this Reef Chemistry Calculator calculator to figure the dose.
Its a lot cheaper than the Brightwells Magnesion-P.

 

[d2mini]

ah, Alk of 8.3.... ya that's fine. Original post confused me.

 

[fastrd400]

Very nice. Thank you all. Yote, I've already bought the Brightwells, so may as well use it up. However I am going to get the calcium/magnesium solutions from BRS whenever we get around to getting the group buy going.

 

[fastrd400]

So after a week of monitoring and dosing as needed I now have readings of:

Calcium 500
Amonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate .5
Magnesium 1350
K.H. 8.6
S.G. 1.026

 

[Melosu58]

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[yote]

Whats you PH?

 

[fastrd400]

8.5 and doing a water change now. I wanted to wait until I got the Mag up to do it.

 

[Brian_G]

why would you wait til you got the mag up to do the water change? its going to fall a little when you do the wc(unless you pre-buffer your water), so why wouldnt you do it after?

 

[fastrd400]

Because it was super low to begin with. So rather than do the water change as scheduled I waited another week to get it above 1300 before WC knowing it would drop some after.

 

[fastrd400]

so basically, I did my WC at 3 weeks rather than the normal 2 weeks.

 

[Brian_G]

i personally think it would have been better to do the water change as scheduled and just buffer the wc water and then raise the tank water as well. that way you wouldnt waste mag supplement in water that you are taking from the dt. but thats my two cents
it doesnt really matter though either way you raise your mag haha