00W's AIO Smorgasbord

[Rocks reef]

At the end he says mag levels aren't that important. I just flat out disagree with RHF on this. I've had in depth conversations with very reputable coral growers that have proven to me that corals (especially euphyllia) do well with higher mag levels, and suggest a positive influence on nuisance algae. I believe he may be right for a science class, but not necessarily an aquarium. Mag has to be a readable, testable element or we wouldn't have proportions to compare it to. Why would anyone be inclined to add it at 5-10% per 10ppm calcium if it isn't able to be measured or quantified. This is one article by one person written a couple years ago. I just don't see the proof here to base all my thoughts on mag off of it. But at the end of the day, I also went to public school and thought the word "until" had two "L"'s in it forever.

I agree on the mag John, that article was meant is it really doesn't have to be tested if you are dosing it in a reasonable manner... ie... AFR or Randys DIY two part. I know my euphyllia look much better when I started dosing AFR with an additional capful of mag.
Did you see those photos I posted? I sent you those last night, but they look like I took them with a potato through a smudged window!

 

[kingranch2003]

I only did it once because all the young cool kids were doing it. It only came back with high iodine and I cut way back on dosing but my zoa garden was loving it when it was that high.

I've definitely got more to learn about iodine. I dose fuel aminos and trace by aquavitro. It has iodine in it. I'd love to know more about testing this and my tank's consumption rate.

 

[Rocks reef]

 

[Anna K]

Teach me, I struggle to keep mine up even with dosing!

It's all in the amount of swearing and stress I think. I just look at my tank and it poops parameters

 

[kingranch2003]

Thank you sir. Now if I can learn to take better pictures rather it looking like the side window of the Jeep after the Huskies have had their wet noses all over it, I'll be ok.

You could draw those with a pencil, Keith and they'd still be gorgeous!

 

[kevgib67]

It's all in the amount of swearing and stress I think. I just look at my tank and it poops parameters

Should I get a hog?

 

[Rocks reef]

I agree with you, and this is partly why I disagree about testing being innacurate. I contend that if we can supplement the value of a variable into an equation, it has to be quantifiable, therefore can be measured.

That was deep John... I had to Google half the words you wrote!

 

[Anna K]

Should I get a hog?

That or a cow

 

[Rocks reef]

1530 today lol

Your softies and LPS must love you!

 

[Rocks reef]

I've definitely got more to learn about iodine. I dose fuel aminos and trace by aquavitro. It has iodine in it. I'd love to know more about testing this and my tank's consumption rate.

Hanna sells a checker

 

[tharbin]

That post wasn't meant to NOT test mag, it was simply saying you don't really need to if you are dosing extra mag with your alk and cal. Only reason I posted that is to show how inaccurate mag tests are and it's not really needed if you are dosing it responsibly. I use Randy DIY two part which has mag added and I don't test mag since if the alk and cal are in range, the mag is good to go.

Mg test may not be overly accurate but they are fairly consistent as long as your procedure remains constant. You may not know whether your Mg is really 1200 or 1300 but at least you know if it is trending up or down and a decent test kit will be close enough to help identify problems.

None of our test kits are really accurate but I'm not going to stop testing. I don't test very often but when I suspect a problem, I break out the test kits and that includes Mg.

I had similar issues to @tbrown with my corals and when I tested (I use AquaForest for my Mg test) it showed I was around 1000 when it was normally 1300+. I added Mg over a few days to get it up to 1200 and saw some improvement. I waited a few days and brought it up to 1400 and things completely turned around. I try to keep it around 1500 but it drops quickly. Is it really 1500, probably not but I'm pretty sure it is more than 1000.

If you are using Randy's DIY 2-part, I agree as you know what is in it, but I use a commercial 2-part (ATI Essentials) so I'm not as sure of the ratios in the solution. I'll continue to test.

 

[Anna K]

Your softies and LPS must love you!

Yea, but I don't know why it's like that. I'm still trying to learn the good/ decent/ best parameter in measurements

 

[Calmwaters]

That or a cow

Don't tell him that I think he wants a highland cow.

 

[Anna K]

Don't tell him that I think he wants a highland cow.

 

[Calmwaters]

I think his wife told him no...

 

[Anna K]

I think his wife told him no...

My husband also told me no, so I bought longhorns

WHAT an adventure that's been

 

[tbrown]

The grail is obviously amazing and a centerpiece. But I've never seen green torches like that. Completely amazing

What they're saying is that the "hobby grade" tests are highly inaccurate.

 

[kevgib67]

Don't tell him that I think he wants a highland cow.

That’s Tim I’m more of a lowland cow fan.

 

[Calmwaters]

That’s Tim.

Oops lol I knew it was one of you guys just couldn't remember which one. Lol

 

[tbrown]

Really, they are strats?

The problem is my strain doesn't melt so the market is flooded locally...

I sell them cheap - $40 per polyp but I usually drop the price even more when people want to buy some.