Need some Guidance

[Lithoman]

My tank is 4 years old and I'm still chasing chemical and visual issues. This is the latest Analysis and I have no clue what to add or subtract. I have been doing gravel cleaning and 20% water changes weekly, but last month I went to biweekly, as weekly it is getting costly. I recently changed salt brands from Red Sea Coral Pro to NYOS Pure Reef. I have attached my Analysis and I need a starting point as my corals are receding or just not growing.. I have plenty of flow and lights are giving par readings top 375 bottom 100..

Thanks for looking and any help.
Lithoman

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If we believe the ICP company results, the salinity is quite high. How are you measuring it and what do you think it is? I would definitely lower it.

Many specific parameters that are high will come down as you lower the salinity.

The alkalinity is a bit low. I would be looking to dose alkalinity to maintain at least 7 dKH.

Aluminum is a bit high, but not an emergency. White media of various sorts may be contributing it.

 

[Lithoman]

Thanks for the help.. I measure the salinity with a hanna handheld. I also have a refractor and a Milwaukee digital.. its funny as I calibrate all but have no way to know if the calibrations are correct. I have spared no money on equipment.
I will order a Hydrometer and see if that will help. I use all Hanna testing products. I tested my tank on the same day i took samples to send off.. I measured ALK 10.1 Nitrate 17.2 Phosphate 0.06 so Im a bit confused..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks for the help.. I measure the salinity with a hanna handheld. I also have a refractor and a Milwaukee digital.. its funny as I calibrate all but have no way to know if the calibrations are correct. I have spared no money on equipment.
I will order a Hydrometer and see if that will help. I use all Hanna testing products. I tested my tank on the same day i took samples to send off.. I measured ALK 10.1 Nitrate 17.2 Phosphate 0.06 so Im a bit confused..

How did you calibrate the Hanna?

The 10 dKH is fine.

Maybe the ICP company got your samples confused with someone else's, or they mismeasured. That alk difference is pretty substantial. The nitrate is inline.

 

[Lithoman]

How did you calibrate the Hanna?

The 10 dKH is fine.

Maybe the ICP company got your samples confused with someone else's, or they mismeasured. That alk difference is pretty substantial. The nitrate is inline.

I used Fritz 35 calibration fluid for two see pic. Both Those tests results we 1.026. I then recalibrated the Milwaukee and the results were 1.031.. which matches the online analysis.. Go figure the ones i use every week are incorrect. I changed out 5 gals to drop it to 1.030 will do another tonight and continue till i get it to 1.025. I double checked the dKH it is at 9.9 last night.. I have no way of knowing if that is correct..

Thanks again for the help

 

[Pod_01]

I use this lab and my measurements are inline with the report. Not exact but close enough. You can email them and inquire, they take time to respond but the support I received is great.

Good that you resolved the salinity, I use TM Hydrometer and I found it to be the easiest to use, consistent and affordable. I hAbe no luck with GHL electronics salinity probe (it bounces around too much, I use it for general tracking) or Red Sea refractometer (no luck with that device).

For Alk you could try brand new Hanna regent bottle. Also you could buy different titration kit for more confusion. I have Hanna Alk, titration kit and KH director and they all provide different numbers. Generally they are within 1dKh so I leave it or average it etc… The lab results for Alk are in ballpark as well.

I do wish there was better way to do this testing, not my favourite chore….

Good luck,

 

[Lithoman]

I did try a new bottle of regent last night.. DKH 6.1.. Wow I'm not a happy camper with Hanna..

Will try to slowly over a week bring that up as well as the salinity down.

Thank you all for the suggestions..

 

[Pod_01]

I did try a new bottle of regent last night.. DKH 6.1.. Wow I'm not a happy camper with Hanna..

Will try to slowly over a week bring that up as well as the salinity down.

Thank you all for the suggestions..

Hanna works most of the time, but contaminations, age etc… will impact the performance.

Below you will find additional guidance that might be helpful :

Important findings according how to store open bottles of the reagent for Hanna Marine alkalinity checkers

There is a way to hinder the Hanna alk to show lesser and lesser dKH (or ppm for that matter) with age of open reagent bottle. I had the same story as many have reported here - my reading decrease from a new open bottle with time. Double check with another method show that there was not a real...

www.reef2reef.com

I keep my regent bottle in the fridge and I open close the bottle quickly.
Also make a note how much regent you pull in the needle and make a note, I noticed that over time the needle loosens and I was not getting the same amount of regent.