Fudsey's 135.4 Box of Water

JFLU · Jun 3, 2019

I haven’t had those yet in my tank yet as least. I didn’t know the filefish helps with those. Good to know.

Fudsey · Jun 3, 2019

Aiptasia eating Filefish, Copperband Butterfly, Peppermint shrimp & Berghia Nudibranch are all ways to combat aiptasia. Peppermints are hit or miss as well as filefish. CBB will only eat smaller ones and Berghia you need 1 per 10 gallons with minimum of 2-3 so they can reproduce. Problems with them are they are about $10 each, may get eaten and die once the aiptasia is gone unless you can catch them and sell them to someone else. Their biggest predator is the peppermint shrimp too.

Fudsey · Jun 4, 2019

So seeing as everyone else is doing testing I figured I'd go ahead and test too @mta_morrow, @NY_Caveman. After 3 weeks of no testing I figured more would be out of whack than it actually is. Although PO4 is a little high (need to change out GFO) other stuff is decent enough.

PO4 - .107 (Hanna)
Ca - 410 (RedSea)
dkH - 7.67 (Hanna)
pH - 8.2 (RedSea)

I can't test Mg or NO3 as my tests ran out and I am waiting for new kits from BRS. I am going back to RedSea Pro for NO3 as I don't like the NYOS kit.

Gareth elliott · Jun 4, 2019

Fudsey said:
So seeing as everyone else is doing testing I figured I'd go ahead and test too @mta_morrow, @NY_Caveman. After 3 weeks of no testing I figured more would be out of whack than it actually is. Although PO4 is a little high (need to change out GFO) other stuff is decent enough.

PO4 - .107 (Hanna)
Ca - 410 (RedSea)
dkH - 7.67 (Hanna)
pH - 8.2 (RedSea)

I can't test Mg or NO3 as my tests ran out and I am waiting for new kits from BRS. I am going back to RedSea Pro for NO3 as I don't like the NYOS kit.

What didnt you like about the nyos? Asking out of curiosity as i have never used, currently use the red sea pro as well.

JFLU · Jun 4, 2019

Fudsey said:
So seeing as everyone else is doing testing I figured I'd go ahead and test too @mta_morrow, @NY_Caveman. After 3 weeks of no testing I figured more would be out of whack than it actually is. Although PO4 is a little high (need to change out GFO) other stuff is decent enough.

PO4 - .107 (Hanna)
Ca - 410 (RedSea)
dkH - 7.67 (Hanna)
pH - 8.2 (RedSea)

I can't test Mg or NO3 as my tests ran out and I am waiting for new kits from BRS. I am going back to RedSea Pro for NO3 as I don't like the NYOS kit.

Have you ever used the Hanna for the nitrates ?

I haven’t used Hanna check yet but I want to get one.

Fudsey · Jun 4, 2019

Gareth elliott said:
What didnt you like about the nyos? Asking out of curiosity as i have never used, currently use the red sea pro as well.

NYOS jumps from 5 to 12 to 20 and everytime my color was somewhere in between and didn't match or even come close to any. Goes from yellow to orange and my color was always dark yellow with no orange, so it was hard to judge

JFLU said:
Have you ever used the Hanna for the nitrates ?

I haven’t used Hanna check yet but I want to get one.

There is no Hanna Nitrate checker yet that I am aware of. They do have a nitrite one and there are some on here that are testing it for nitrates but too much work if you ask me.

Hanna is great for Alk(dkH) and Phosphates(PO4) I use the ULR Phosphorus checker to get a closer result but the new ULR Phosphate one might be as good. Not really sure though

JFLU · Jun 4, 2019

Fudsey said:
NYOS jumps from 5 to 12 to 20 and everytime my color was somewhere in between and didn't match or even come close to any. Goes from yellow to orange and my color was always dark yellow with no orange, so it was hard to judge

There is no Hanna Nitrate checker yet that I am aware of. They do have a nitrite one and there are some on here that are testing it for nitrates but too much work if you ask me.

Hanna is great for Alk(dkH) and Phosphates(PO4) I use the ULR Phosphorus checker to get a closer result but the new ULR Phosphate one might be as good. Not really sure though

Oh ok that’s probably where I’m getting confused on them.

Nice, I wanna get one. I was thing of get the bundle kit with the salinity checker.

Fudsey · Jun 4, 2019

The calcium checker is nice but it's seems a little more complicated than using the RedSea test though. I want a salinity probe but haven't gotten one as of yet

Janci · Jun 5, 2019

Fudsey said:
NYOS jumps from 5 to 12 to 20 and everytime my color was somewhere in between and didn't match or even come close to any. Goes from yellow to orange and my color was always dark yellow with no orange, so it was hard to judge

There is no Hanna Nitrate checker yet that I am aware of. They do have a nitrite one and there are some on here that are testing it for nitrates but too much work if you ask me.

Hanna is great for Alk(dkH) and Phosphates(PO4) I use the ULR Phosphorus checker to get a closer result but the new ULR Phosphate one might be as good. Not really sure though

I would be interested to see what is the difference between the Hanna ULR Phosphorus and the ULR Phosphate.

SPR1968 · Jun 5, 2019

Fudsey said:
NYOS jumps from 5 to 12 to 20 and everytime my color was somewhere in between and didn't match or even come close to any. Goes from yellow to orange and my color was always dark yellow with no orange, so it was hard to judge

I find this as well, mine is higher than the last yellow one but not orange so you have to guess. I thought it was my eyes! Lol

It’s good at the lower nitrate levels but it’s the only NYOS test I’m not sure I like, but I’m not keen on the Red Sea either, but I might give it another chance......

Gareth elliott · Jun 5, 2019

SPR1968 said:
I find this as well, mine is higher than the last yellow one but not orange so you have to guess. I thought it was my eyes! Lol

It’s good at the lower nitrate levels but it’s the only NYOS test I’m not sure I like, but I’m not keen on the Red Sea either, but I might give it another chance......

Not sure if this helps but for the red sea test i bought a pack of 10-12 digital timers. Have one set for each steps required time. Using this and something to flaten out each scoop i get replicable results if preform a few tests in a row. Also have one set for the 2 minutes shake time for the hanna url phosphate(i think this is just as accurate just less math needed).

I also have used the salifert nutrient tests, only thing i find them useful for is saying i have 0 or more than 0. Have an incredibly hard time reading their color changes, especially phosphate.

For salinity i actually back up my refractometer with a cheap amazon digital salinity/temp checker. Use calibration fluid to verify every other use. Useful for spot checking the tank or new salt water. The thermometer is less accurate than the salinity reading so use another thermometer when calibrating. I might pick up the hanna pen one day as uses glass instead of metal contacts.

Fudsey · Jun 5, 2019

Janci said:
I would be interested to see what is the difference between the Hanna ULR Phosphorus and the ULR Phosphate.

As am I

SPR1968 said:
I find this as well, mine is higher than the last yellow one but not orange so you have to guess. I thought it was my eyes! Lol

It’s good at the lower nitrate levels but it’s the only NYOS test I’m not sure I like, but I’m not keen on the Red Sea either, but I might give it another chance......

I found the RedSea easier for me to distinguish the color differences.

Gareth elliott said:
Not sure if this helps but for the red sea test i bought a pack of 10-12 digital timers. Have one set for each steps required time. Using this and something to flaten out each scoop i get replicable results if preform a few tests in a row. Also have one set for the 2 minutes shake time for the hanna url phosphate(i think this is just as accurate just less math needed).

I also have used the salifert nutrient tests, only thing i find them useful for is saying i have 0 or more than 0. Have an incredibly hard time reading their color changes, especially phosphate.

For salinity i actually back up my refractometer with a cheap amazon digital salinity/temp checker. Use calibration fluid to verify every other use. Useful for spot checking the tank or new salt water. The thermometer is less accurate than the salinity reading so use another thermometer when calibrating. I might pick up the hanna pen one day as uses glass instead of metal contacts.

I have found all thermometers read differently. I have 3 in my tank and have used 2 different kitchen instaread ones and have gotten different results from every one. How do you accurately calibrate a thermometer??? I used to work as a chef's apprentice many years ago and he showed me how to use ice water but it can still be off a few degrees in either direction....

Gareth elliott · Jun 5, 2019

Fudsey said:
As am I [emoji6]

I found the RedSea easier for me to distinguish the color differences.

I have found all thermometers read differently. I have 3 in my tank and have used 2 different kitchen instaread ones and have gotten different results from every one. How do you accurately calibrate a thermometer??? I used to work as a chef's apprentice many years ago and he showed me how to use ice water but it can still be off a few degrees in either direction....

I use 3 single thermometers calibrated like above and average as my standard. Then set this to my main thermometer to this point. Currently this is my seneye but next week will switch this to my profilux since i can control temperature not just monitor. Thermometers are not equal and electric noise on digital ones can be an issue. As an example my current controller says the tank is 80.6 but seneye(which i can calibrate well offset) says 80.2 my temperature controller actually says 82.3. So set the different settings 2 degrees lower. Lesson i have learned is use multiples. Dont buy a single expensive one. Ime anyway.

120reefkeeper · Jun 5, 2019

I use this traceable thermometer.

What it says I set everything else to it .

Thomas Traceable Kangaroo Thermometer, 7.5" Probe Length, -58 to 572 degree F, -50 to 300 degree C https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006H8M24G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_heg-Cb8HSK37W

Fudsey · Jun 5, 2019

120reefkeeper said:
I use this traceable thermometer.

What it says I set everything else to it .

Thomas Traceable Kangaroo Thermometer, 7.5" Probe Length, -58 to 572 degree F, -50 to 300 degree C https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006H8M24G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_heg-Cb8HSK37W

Funny thing is.....

Amazon said:
with an accuracy of + or - 1 degree C between -30 and 250 degrees C

That's a swing of 3.6 degrees F

120reefkeeper · Jun 5, 2019

Janci · Jun 6, 2019

Fudsey said:
As am I

I have found all thermometers read differently. I have 3 in my tank and have used 2 different kitchen instaread ones and have gotten different results from every one. How do you accurately calibrate a thermometer??? I used to work as a chef's apprentice many years ago and he showed me how to use ice water but it can still be off a few degrees in either direction....

Found it. There is no difference other than the reading is a pure phosphate level. Even the tolerances are the same with the phosphorus.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/n...a-low-range-colorimeter-–-checker®-hc.504706/

What did you cook as an apprentice?