Aqua Medic Water testing

[pirate2876]

Hello Randy,

I recently had my water tested by the Aqua Medic water testing kit and I was wondering how reliable these results are? As far as the process goes, it was quick and easy to get the results even with the Christmas holiday. These were my levels, please let me know if any could be inaccurate.

Reef Tank - 24 of 50 *
12-28-2015 Ammonia (NH3-4) Good 0.01 0.000 - 0.050 mg/L
12-28-2015 Nitrite (NO2) Good 0.006 0.000 - 0.100 mg/L
12-28-2015 Phosphate (PO4) Good 0.09 0.000 - 0.250 mg/L
12-28-2015 Nitrate (NO3) Good 0.9 0.000 - 25.000 mg/L
12-28-2015 Silica (Sio2-3) Good 0.1 0.000 - 0.500 mg/L
12-28-2015 Potassium (K) Good 384 350.000 - 450.000 mg/L
12-28-2015 Ionic Calcium (Ca) Good 140 100.000 - 400.000 mg/L
12-28-2015 Boron (B) NA NA 3.000 - 6.000 mg/L
12-28-2015 Molybdenum (Mo) Good 0.1 0.000 - 0.300 mg/L
12-28-2015 Strontium (Sr) Good 7.7 5.000 - 12.000 mg/L
12-28-2015 Magnesium (Mg) Good 1240 1100.000 - 1400.000 mg/L
12-28-2015 Iodine (I) Good 0.04 0.030 - 0.090 mg/L
12-28-2015 Copper (Cu) Good 0.01 0.000 - 0.100 mg/L
12-28-2015 Alkalinity (meq/L) Good 2.6 2.500 - 5.000 meq/L
12-28-2015 Total Calcium (Ca) Good 370 350.000 - 450.000 mg/L
12-28-2015 Iron (Fe) NA NA 0.000 - 0.010 mg/L

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

In the past, some of the results were not, IMO, especially reliable.

Potassium often seems low, and they report a weird "ionic calcium" which I have no idea what they mean.

Their idea of "good" for copper is ridiculous. 0.1 ppm is not good, but yours is OK. :)

I'd raise calcium (if accurate), but nothing else seems necessary of a change in the tank care. ;)

 

[jason2459]

I found the AWT testing to be very unreliable and not worth it.

I compared multiple test kits vs. AWT vs. Triton here:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...ts-api-salifert-elos-redsea-hanna-etc.222909/