Need help understanding test results.

[KMS.Kyle]

Hello,

I just started testing my Calcium, dKH & Magnesium

First off - I'm using the API test kit for the KH and it changed color at 16 drops... Does that mean that it's 300ppm? (It says on the back 12-22(I'm assuming drops) = 200-400ppm.

What is the next step here? Does this tell me my alkalinity?

Magnesium is 1275ppm

Calcium is 400ppm

---

I'm about to start using C-Balance by Two little fishies and I'm feeling quite confused on what to do here.. It says if my Calcium level is low or the alkalinity is high or vice versa correct first through water changes..

Thank you for the help.. Feeling a bit overwhelmed

[CStrickland]

The API alk kit that I have for salt water has a chart, 16 drops is 16 dkh. That's high.
What makes you think your tank needs dosing after just a couple months?

[KMS.Kyle]

My Calcium and Magnesium are low aren't they?

And my tank is technically almost a year old - I purchased it as a transfer from a couple which had it established for 10 months.

I have quite a few corals in there now and I wanted to make sure I could keep some difficult ones.

[CStrickland]

They aren't in the danger zone. What's ur water change schedule? It might be easier to upgrade your salt than to start tweaking stuff you are fuzzy about. The ca/alk/mg balance is pretty interdependent, they kinda hang together in a way that makes screwing with some deleterious to the others. You can, but it might not be the easier path.
Here's a good article about params http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

[KMS.Kyle]

I do a solid 25% every weekish - Red Sea Coral Pro salt.

I'm 2 days past my water change schedule - on it tomorrow.

[KMS.Kyle]

If Alk should be around these - Isn't mine way too high at 16?! Won't that have consequences? I read in that link you posted that it should be brought lower.. But how?

2.5-4 meq/L
7-11 dKH
125-200 ppm CaCO3 equivalents

[Jlentz]

RSCP salt has crazy high alk/ca/mg. make sure your bucket is mixed up really well. It will settle out and give you really wacky numbers otherwise.

I switched away from this salt when I started into sps.

[KMS.Kyle]

Ok - well that still doesn't answer my question - I'm confused still... 16 is very high right?! Does this have any major consequences?

And if you're saying the ca/mg are very high in the salt as well - wouldn't they be as high as the alk? but they're not - they're actually below average.

Can anyone help me out here?

[Dkuhlmann]

Yes 16 is way high, you need to figure out why that is.

I also recommend and use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, which in most cases can help you in most cases to avoid doing any dosing, as long as you do your water changes to keep up with demand. In my case that is a WC of 20% every two weeks.

The best test you can have for your tank IS your corals.

[Ron Reefman]

Alk of 16dKH is really high. I've never been that far, but I did see 14 once when I had a doser issue. That didn't have any consequences. Not sure if 16dKH will.

Make a small batch of new water, like 1 or 2 gallons. Then test it for Ca, alk and Mg. If it's OK, then make a batch that you want to use for a water change. Then test your new water for Ca, alk and Mg before you add it into your tank. If the results are in an acceptable range, use it. If the alk is above 10 dKH I'd seriously look into your salt mix issue. Water with a 10dKH is high but not a huge issue, but given your already high dKH that water is less helpful at lowering your parameter.

I've never tried any of the possible 'emergency' methods for reducing alk, so I can't give advise about it. But if your new water has lower alk, it will bring down your alk in the tank by 1 or 2dKH.

Given the volume of water you change every week (mostly) you shouldn't need to dose anything unless your tank has lots, and I mean LOTS of lps and sps coral showing good growth. If your Ca, alk and Mg are up in the acceptable range, there is no need to dose.

If you slow down on the water changes and the Ca, alk and Mg levels start to drop, then consider dosing. I'd recommend that at the start you dose manually and only to adjust whichever parameter is out of line low. I'd do it by using a parameter calculator and adding the appropriate amount of one part into some top off water. If you have auto top off, just mix the Ca, alk or Mg in a small amount of water and add it slowly to the sump.

Doing this way has 2 advantages. First, you keep all 3 parameters in line very well which is good for the tank. Second, you get a very personal look at how your tank is using these items and how your dosing them.

When you get to the point that all 3 parameters are where you want them and you find that the amount of alk and Ca you dose is fairly consistent (Mg is much slower to move) then a dosing pump could be a good option for you. But even then, you need to watch the parameters and you may need to step in and do a manual dose (or adjust the dosing pump). I use a medical grade dosing pump that does both Ca and alk with just one pump. So I dose equal amounts of Ca and alk into my sump every day. I find I need to do a manual dose of alk every 2 or 3 months because it gets down to 7dKH and that is as low as I'd let it get. I always dose Mg manually because it is so slow to go down.

[Sk8r]

I've fought this battle with Oceanic salt, only for sky-high magnesium. A switch of salt brands and successive small water changes are shifting it. I went from Oceanic to Instant Ocean, and started with a 30% water change, then smaller ones. If your mg is over 1200, that alk will stay up, unless you change brands, far as I can see. Lid the old salt tightly, keep it in reserve against emergencies, but try something else.

[Indymann99]

Originally Posted by CStrickland

The API alk kit that I have for salt water has a chart, 16 drops is 16 dkh. That's high.
What makes you think your tank needs dosing after just a couple months?

+1 I would verify your API test kit... I have used API for years and they always use a PER drop chart for Ca and Dk (no "ranges")...

[KMS.Kyle]

Ok - I'm going to re-test this tomorrow..

I mixed up the batch of salt before using it after reading a lot of posts from Red-Sea about their salt sometimes shipping funny and separating.. So I hope that helped..

"The best test you can have for your tank IS your corals. "
That said - Everything in the tank seems like it's doing incredible - like, REALLY well - all of my corals, fish and anemone are great!(it seems?)

Though - I did start dosing NO3:PO4-X - Red Sea - a week ago because I wanted to get rid of the algae my tank had from when I got it - It worked great - It's all gone now and everything seems to be thriving? Could that be maybe what raised the alk?

Again, going to test it - maybe I screwed up - it was my first time ever testing it before

Thank you to everyone for helping me - I want to do my best I can at this hobby and I appreciate it.,

[CStrickland]

There's a thing where high alk is more problematic when you are carbon dosing (nopox). Idk, something about corals bleaching.
It's not uncommon in the beginning to see a little algae, or a slightly off number, and be tempted by all of the potions one can buy. The marketing on that stuff is really good. That's usually a bad idea for your wallet and your tank. IMO for the first year it should really be about setting up good maintenance so that your tank is balanced where your water changes are keeping up with ca/alk/mg and removing waste. Dosing in a new tank is like using a sledge hammer to kill a spider on your wall. You might get that one issue resolved but create others.

I wouldn't add anything to the tank for a while. Get in a routine with testing and track your results in a notebook or app. If, after 6 weeks or so, you have established that your tank consumes x ppm of ca on average per day more than your salt can keep up with doing weekly 10% wc's, then maybe add that much. Same with carbon, get you husbandry up to where you can feed plenty and the water stays clean. If there's a few (like 10ppm) nitrates that just won't go, then use carbon to polish them out of the water.

These doses are part of a long-term, big picture of frequently imperfect stability. Not fast changes chasing a perfect score on a test kit.

[KMS.Kyle]

Ok, thank you - good to know.

I didn't end up dosing anything in my tank except for the NO/PO and only because I definitely over-fed my tank a few times trying to hand feed my corals (until I got the proper tools). Was trying to correct that and I did notice my corals were a LOT happier afterwards.

I have been keeping my test results every 3 days in a book.

[KMS.Kyle]

Re-did the test today.
Is the result the moment the color changes? Or when its completely yellow? (API)

It changed color at 14 to a greeny yellow - 15 - completely yellow.

[thegrun]

It usually takes one more drop of regent after the initial color change to get the full color which is where most brands set their results. The API tests are not the most accurate, before you start making major changes it might be worth your time and money to get either a Salifert or Red Sea Pro alkalinity test kit.

[KMS.Kyle]

Originally Posted by thegrun

It usually takes one more drop of regent after the initial color change to get the full color which is where most brands set their results. The API tests are not the most accurate, before you start making major changes it might be worth your time and money to get either a Salifert or Red Sea Pro alkalinity test kit.

Ok, on it!