- Joined
- Jan 16, 2019
- Messages
- 60
- Reaction score
- 35
Background first: Redsea Max Nano - started cycle Dec 2018 - finished cycle on or about end of Jan 2019.... Life rock as my base. Never had much AM or Nitrite during cycle, but tank is doing very well. Mostly softies, three fish, all healthy. Three snails, 4-6 dwarf blue leg hermits. Only loss was my Duncan - which remains a mystery. No other losses. No GHA, only minor cyano.
Had a mild cyano issue back a few months - did chem clean (one treatment - ran large air pump during), since then only minor bits of cyano on rocks. Was shortly after the chem clean treatment that the Duncan went south. Everything else did well and is growing as I'd expect. Since the CC treatment, I added larger return pump to increase flow - have had one IM wave maker since startup.
I do dose 2 part (seachem) but will be switching to All-For-Reef soon.
About 20% water changes every two weeks. Mainly because I've had zero PH4 and zero Nitrate like forever. Trying to build up some nutrients. I run RS reef spec carbon, but don't change it but once every 10 weeks or so.
Been using Salifert KH test kit since Jan - but haven't really trusted the results....
The range of KH using the Salifert test kit readings have been between 8.9 to 11.5 since March.
Since July 1, the average has been 10.92 (that was five tests over that period that I have records for).
Today I just got a Hanna Checker - and I ran four tests - two with Hanna, two with Salifert.
Hanna read 9.6 and 9.7 for the two tests. The Salifert test yeilded 10.2 and 10.9.
So I'm going to stop using the Salifert KH test kit... I just never have had any consistent readings using it.
Since I'm using Salifert also for Calcium, I'm wondering if those readings are accurate? Once again the Salifert readings have been between 350 and 450 since January and the last five readings from July 1 averaged about 400, but that average is based on readings from 380 to 410.
I read the Hanna KH checker is very accurate, but I'm not familiar with their Calcium checker.
I use Salifert also for PO4 and never had anything other than Zero readings since Feb when the PO4 was .3
So I'm really not having a good feeling about the Salifert test kits.
Anyone having what you think are good results using Salifert? I'm just not feeling it anymore.
What would you suggest for CA and PO4 testing - I need to feel more confident in my water testing methods.
Had a mild cyano issue back a few months - did chem clean (one treatment - ran large air pump during), since then only minor bits of cyano on rocks. Was shortly after the chem clean treatment that the Duncan went south. Everything else did well and is growing as I'd expect. Since the CC treatment, I added larger return pump to increase flow - have had one IM wave maker since startup.
I do dose 2 part (seachem) but will be switching to All-For-Reef soon.
About 20% water changes every two weeks. Mainly because I've had zero PH4 and zero Nitrate like forever. Trying to build up some nutrients. I run RS reef spec carbon, but don't change it but once every 10 weeks or so.
Been using Salifert KH test kit since Jan - but haven't really trusted the results....
The range of KH using the Salifert test kit readings have been between 8.9 to 11.5 since March.
Since July 1, the average has been 10.92 (that was five tests over that period that I have records for).
Today I just got a Hanna Checker - and I ran four tests - two with Hanna, two with Salifert.
Hanna read 9.6 and 9.7 for the two tests. The Salifert test yeilded 10.2 and 10.9.
So I'm going to stop using the Salifert KH test kit... I just never have had any consistent readings using it.
Since I'm using Salifert also for Calcium, I'm wondering if those readings are accurate? Once again the Salifert readings have been between 350 and 450 since January and the last five readings from July 1 averaged about 400, but that average is based on readings from 380 to 410.
I read the Hanna KH checker is very accurate, but I'm not familiar with their Calcium checker.
I use Salifert also for PO4 and never had anything other than Zero readings since Feb when the PO4 was .3
So I'm really not having a good feeling about the Salifert test kits.
Anyone having what you think are good results using Salifert? I'm just not feeling it anymore.
What would you suggest for CA and PO4 testing - I need to feel more confident in my water testing methods.