Anyone figure this out?? .......

[Rick Mathew]

Emma:

I 100% agree with Martin....When I have strange "things" going on with my reef parameters the fist thing I suspect is the measurement.

I would suggest you do a precision experiment with your test kits & Hanna Checkers. This is easy to do....although it takes some time....I get a large sample of tank water... 1L should do it. Then you run each test multiple time ....I usually do 5 or 6. Record your data for each test. If your precision is good the results of the multiple tests should be close...they most likely wont be exact but they should be withing 10-20% of each other...If they are then you can proceed to look at the accuracy using a reference standard....If they are not withing the 10-20% then you are approaching the random results world....when this happens you end up chasing the data all over...You will then need to figure out how to get the precision better...Different test kit...more constant testing practices...both precision and accuracy are important...that being said if you have precision even if it is not very accurate you can make a correction factor to bring it back in...For example my Hanna Calcium checker is quite precise... + - 12% but it is consistently 22 points low when compared to a know standard in the 350-450 ppm range...so when I get a reading I add 22 to the value to correct it..."Kentucky Windage" ....If you are interested I have a short presentation on testing I could send to you.

Once you have nailed down the testing if you are still getting these results then you can start looking elsewhere...Hope this helps

Rick

 

[Rick Mathew]

Here is a sight where you might be able to get the reference solution in the US

http://cm-distributors.com/product/multi-reference-solution/

http://bigshowfrags.com/multi-reference-solution-fauna-marin/

Rick

 

[vetteguy53081]

The bucket gets a shake every time. :)

A shake? A good stir or a water pump is more effective in totaling mix/blend of salt

 

[Martin Kuhn]

A shake? A good stir or a water pump is more effective in totaling mix/blend of salt

The issue isn’t „making proper salt water“ but that the dry salt mix in larger buckets often get „unmixed by transport reasons“.
So,
A) Moving each bucket several times from one side to the other
B) then open it and mixing the dry ingredients with a spoon
Is a very good idea before using/mixing the salt mix with water for the first time.

The reason that is recommended: salt mixes are just different types of salts, weighed in and mixed at production. Once they are tranported, vibrations might de-mix the dry ingredients as they have differences in their densities.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm not sure what the concern is. If parameters are low, it is normal to dose them. There's no big unexpected sink for calcium and magnesium if alk is not rapidly dropping. For calcium to drop 20 ppm, alk would have to drop by about 2.8 dKH (or otherwise be boosted back up).

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm not sure what the concern is. If parameters are low, it is normal to dose them. There's no big unexpected sink for calcium and magnesium if alk is not rapidly dropping. For calcium to drop 20 ppm, alk would have to drop by about 2.8 dKH (or otherwise be boosted back up).

Alk would drop as well as calc as each work together.
To start with, I would get a second opinion on your readings to assure accuracy. Take a water sample to a trusted LFS and see what they come up with.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

What refractometer are you using and how and how often are you calibrating it?