Got a new Reef test kit.. here are the results..

XtremeFromHell · 01/09/2010, 01:58 PM

as the title says i ordered a "reef test kit" that tests for Nitrates, Phosphates, Calcium, and KH.

here are my test results
Nitrate:0ppm

Phosphate: 0.5ppm

Calcium: 360

KH: 10*dkh, 179ppm

i knew my nitrates were at 0 because my other test kit has nitrates already and reads 0ppm as well

for the phosphates... ive been fighting an algae problem and its starting to get better, i am runnin a phosphate reactor 150 with phosban (which im changing the media today) and i also have a red Mangrove for nutrient export that i just got)

now my calcium is on the low side, no wonder ive noticed that my coraline algae has been kinda dying off, what can i do to raise this safely? i was thinking to start making my own salt mix becuase i purchase it from the LFS, but instead i would mix it myself using Reef Crystals, would this help raise it and maintain?

now with KH im not sure what purpose KH serves in the reef aquarium, so any info and help and if i should raise and how would be great! Thanks in advance!

Sisterlimonpot · 01/09/2010, 02:04 PM

Instead of answer your spacific questions I think that you'll get more out of this. It will answer all your questions and then some.

XtremeFromHell · 01/09/2010, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sisterlimonpot

Instead of answer your spacific questions I think that you'll get more out of this. It will answer all your questions and then some.

Wow! thanks for that!! i hadn't seen that before!

DC_40gallon · 01/09/2010, 03:48 PM

Xtreme - do you like phosban? I bought a reactor and added it a week after Thanksgiving and found that I depleted the entire jar in a month! I didn't like how it caked up when you changed it and how low I had to turn the flow to get it on that soft weak tumble.

I changed over to phosguard by sea chem. It's a synthetic bead so it won't pulvarize. I put it in yesterday and was able to immediately crank the reactor full open and the surface of the phosguard beads barely jiggle. I only put in about 3.5 inches worth, the same as I did on the phosban.

XtremeFromHell · 01/10/2010, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DC_40gallon

Xtreme - do you like phosban? I bought a reactor and added it a week after Thanksgiving and found that I depleted the entire jar in a month! I didn't like how it caked up when you changed it and how low I had to turn the flow to get it on that soft weak tumble.

I changed over to phosguard by sea chem. It's a synthetic bead so it won't pulvarize. I put it in yesterday and was able to immediately crank the reactor full open and the surface of the phosguard beads barely jiggle. I only put in about 3.5 inches worth, the same as I did on the phosban.

i never changed the media on it so i have had what i put in it since the first time, and when i first ran it i did notice the water was really clear for a few days then it went back to how it was, and i agree it kinda is a pain to adjust the flow and all that, im going to look into the sea chem when i run out of phosban, let me know how it works out for you

DC_40gallon · 01/10/2010, 01:19 AM

I've already seen a huge difference, the stuff on the sides of the walls and the algae that builds up on the powerheads, it is all turning snow white. It's dying off that fast!

What's funny is I again siphoned off all the cyano on the floor with a 25% zero TDS ro/di water change and the damn cyano started coming back and darkening up within an hour of the water change. The phosguard is killing off all the algae except the cyano!

What tiny bit of hair algae that starting to come back (that told me the phosban was used up) is even getting the tips turning white from die off.

I simply cannot get rid of this cyano! Zero phosphates and I'm running phosguard in a reactor full blast and the cyano is thriving!

XtremeFromHell · 01/10/2010, 01:23 AM

wow, thats crazy, but im pretty sure im gonna be getting something like that with my luck so far lol,

im going to change the media tomorrow morning along with a water change, as of now the tanks brown algae is getting a lot better, and my hermits are starting to eat off the green hair algae that is growing so thats a plus, but im afraid that it will bloom again with the water change

DC_40gallon · 01/10/2010, 01:25 AM

I went from a several month long diatom outbreak, to an immediate transition from diatom to hair algae, started running a reactor with phosban and hair algae went from collapse in a few days after running the reactor to now cyano.

This cyano I have even thrives when the lights are all off in that room through the night. It gets more blanketed out and stringy over night and deepens in color when I turn the lights on for the day.

XtremeFromHell · 01/10/2010, 01:35 AM

yeah i have long stringy brown algae in my sump area that i noticed today, i think it may be from the light i have on the mangrove, (my mangrove is in my sump) and i think my tank may be clearing up because the new algae in the sump may be overtaking it.. dont know for sure though but i thought it may be possible lol

01/09/2010, 01:58 PM	#1
XtremeFromHell Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Miami, FL (hialeah area) Posts: 735	Got a new Reef test kit.. here are the results.. as the title says i ordered a "reef test kit" that tests for Nitrates, Phosphates, Calcium, and KH. here are my test results Nitrate:0ppm Phosphate: 0.5ppm Calcium: 360 KH: 10*dkh, 179ppm i knew my nitrates were at 0 because my other test kit has nitrates already and reads 0ppm as well for the phosphates... ive been fighting an algae problem and its starting to get better, i am runnin a phosphate reactor 150 with phosban (which im changing the media today) and i also have a red Mangrove for nutrient export that i just got) now my calcium is on the low side, no wonder ive noticed that my coraline algae has been kinda dying off, what can i do to raise this safely? i was thinking to start making my own salt mix becuase i purchase it from the LFS, but instead i would mix it myself using Reef Crystals, would this help raise it and maintain? now with KH im not sure what purpose KH serves in the reef aquarium, so any info and help and if i should raise and how would be great! Thanks in advance!

01/09/2010, 02:04 PM	#2
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	Instead of answer your spacific questions I think that you'll get more out of this. It will answer all your questions and then some. __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

01/09/2010, 03:48 PM	#4
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	Xtreme - do you like phosban? I bought a reactor and added it a week after Thanksgiving and found that I depleted the entire jar in a month! I didn't like how it caked up when you changed it and how low I had to turn the flow to get it on that soft weak tumble. I changed over to phosguard by sea chem. It's a synthetic bead so it won't pulvarize. I put it in yesterday and was able to immediately crank the reactor full open and the surface of the phosguard beads barely jiggle. I only put in about 3.5 inches worth, the same as I did on the phosban.

01/10/2010, 01:19 AM	#6
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	I've already seen a huge difference, the stuff on the sides of the walls and the algae that builds up on the powerheads, it is all turning snow white. It's dying off that fast! What's funny is I again siphoned off all the cyano on the floor with a 25% zero TDS ro/di water change and the damn cyano started coming back and darkening up within an hour of the water change. The phosguard is killing off all the algae except the cyano! What tiny bit of hair algae that starting to come back (that told me the phosban was used up) is even getting the tips turning white from die off. I simply cannot get rid of this cyano! Zero phosphates and I'm running phosguard in a reactor full blast and the cyano is thriving!

01/10/2010, 01:23 AM	#7
XtremeFromHell Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Miami, FL (hialeah area) Posts: 735	wow, thats crazy, but im pretty sure im gonna be getting something like that with my luck so far lol, im going to change the media tomorrow morning along with a water change, as of now the tanks brown algae is getting a lot better, and my hermits are starting to eat off the green hair algae that is growing so thats a plus, but im afraid that it will bloom again with the water change

01/10/2010, 01:25 AM	#8
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	I went from a several month long diatom outbreak, to an immediate transition from diatom to hair algae, started running a reactor with phosban and hair algae went from collapse in a few days after running the reactor to now cyano. This cyano I have even thrives when the lights are all off in that room through the night. It gets more blanketed out and stringy over night and deepens in color when I turn the lights on for the day.

01/10/2010, 01:35 AM	#9
XtremeFromHell Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Miami, FL (hialeah area) Posts: 735	yeah i have long stringy brown algae in my sump area that i noticed today, i think it may be from the light i have on the mangrove, (my mangrove is in my sump) and i think my tank may be clearing up because the new algae in the sump may be overtaking it.. dont know for sure though but i thought it may be possible lol