Potassium Test Kit

[angrycubano]

I read some where a while back that the bacteria consume some potassium in their process's. Potassium Nitrate was specifically mentioned. I will have to see if I can dig it up. I also think Bill had mentioned something that John from Warner Marine also said something similar and he recommended his potaassium suppliment. Bill??

So other than your kalk reactor, what else are you dosing and what products are you using to dose the other elements? Do you recommend that I use the Red Sea products for dosing? BTW I am two parting right now my Kalk and Ca via BRS, and my Mg stays high with water changes.

 

[mixer911]

Here is a good read, its older info, but is saying almost exactly what Red Sea is claiming. He also mentions using Caps for indicators of potassium levels.... Guide of SPS coral coloration (make them more vivid, bright)

 

[mixer911]

So other than your kalk reactor, what else are you dosing and what products are you using to dose the other elements? Do you recommend that I use the Red Sea products for dosing? BTW I am two parting right now my Kalk and Ca via BRS, and my Mg stays high with water changes.

Mitch, I am using a Calcium Reactor :), not to be confused with a Kalk reactor. The are doing similar things though. So for this question, I am using only a Calcium reactor to Maintain my Alk and Ca. I have to add Calcium from BRS to keeep up with my demand as the reactor is just barely keeping it up. I don't have to add much though. I also dose Mg via a dosing pump. Other than that, I dont dose anything. I just dosed the potassium to get my levels back to par and will see what I need to keep that at the 400 level.

For you, what u are doing is perfect. The 2 part is perfect for your system. No need to change, as the Red Sea Foundation stuff is expensive. The test kits they have are mainly what we are talking about and they seem to be good at this point. I have found that the Mg test is off and it seems to show the Mg is higher than it actually is. It is off by about 5oo-600 ppm. All the other tests have been dead on with others.

 

[Dowtish]

And I was just saying the other day how much I love the new Red Sea test kits. The hard plastic shell, the laminated card, and the titration dripper thingie. But I only own the Mag test, so I probably need a different Mag. test kit. what's the most accurate???

 

[poolkeeper1]

Jon Warner had sent me some samples of his products and it included Potassium supplement along with Magnesium, So this could be taken that he thought is was needed.
As far as a Mag test kit I have used Salifert for years and they seem to be accurate as far as i know.

 

[mixer911]

I have been using the Seachem Mg test for a few yrs and it seems to be pretty accurate. I think if we can narrow down how much the Red Sea test is off, it would still be usefull. I have been trying to see what the gap is.

 

[Dowtish]

I hear ya Rick, if I can get a seachem or salifert, and then compare the 2, I would still use the red sea setup. I even use the red sea setup with my Salifert calcium test kit. I use the couvette, and the titrater, it's just easier to find the end point with one hand.

 

[mixer911]

Yea, red sea's design for the kits is awesome. I love the titrater they come with. Their Calcium and Alk tests are dead on with the hanna Alk colorimeter and with the API Calcium test kits.

 

[rcmike]

Thanks for that link Rick. In reading what potassium deficiency does I would almost bet that was a big part of my problem years ago. He described what happened to my tank exactly. Everything died a very slow death.

I have really noticed some growth in the monti cap I got from you. It hardly grew at all until I put in the potassium. Now I can see new growth almost daily.

 

[mixer911]

No Prob Mike! I have a feeling that most salt mixes are low on potassium. My corals are looking a lot better since adding the potassium also. It's crazy that one thing can make such a difference. I have been chasing all the other things in the tank and it just clicked after reading up about potassium.

 

[angrycubano]

I have been using the Seachem Mg test for a few yrs and it seems to be pretty accurate. I think if we can narrow down how much the Red Sea test is off, it would still be usefull. I have been trying to see what the gap is.

No wonder my Mg showed off the chart. So now I need to get a Potassium test kit, a Potassium supplement and a Seachem Mg kit......anyone?

 

[mixer911]

Mitch, We just bought 2 kits for the club to test Potassium. Jay is in line for it next, so maybe you can get if from him or test together. :bigsmile:

 

[Dowtish]

I just tested my Mag with a Salifert last night and it was 1600, just like what my Red Sea says...

 

[mixer911]

I just tested my Mag with a Salifert last night and it was 1600, just like what my Red Sea says...

Wow 1600? Are you dosing Mag?

 

[Dowtish]

Not ever. Just water changes do this. I have had a gallon of it mixed up from my first initial 2 part kit, and have never used it. This has been the kind of readings I have been getting all along. I freaked out initially, and was posting threads, and had a few folks say that their tanks had high mag as well and as long as it was stable, don't stress it. I figure it is from the Instant Ocean salt, because I still get most of my h2o from AC, and Jay uses it as well. I get water from him on occasion.

I am going to do another comparison test when I get home and do them back to back on each kit, just to make sure.

 

[mixer911]

Thats gotta be wrong. There is no way I/O is 1600. I use I/O and dose about a gallon of mag every 2 weeks and can barely keep my mag at 1000-1200. I would think that the right number s somewhere around 1100 to 1200 as I have found that the red sea kit is about 400-500 ppm off.

 

[Dowtish]

Wow, so my theory might be completely off. Like I said, I will do 2 back to back tests with each kits tonight, and post my results.

 

[angrycubano]

I concur with Chris. I get the my water from AC or Jay and get the same readings.

 

[mixer911]

This is an old test, but look at the anlaysis of these salt mixes. http://www.aqua-medic.com/aquariumwatertesting/AWT_Salt_Analysis_0208.pdf None are over 1500 in Mg. So you guys are testing something wrong, unless its the Red Sea test, as this makes what I was thinking correct. If you are saying 1600 and they claim 1221, then 1221 + 400 = 1621 give or take. No also consider that the salt water from the critter is also a lower salinity and in these tests its 30 ppt, about what the critter mixes it at. They may even be a little lower.

One other thing I noticed about all the mixes is the low potassium.... hmmmm, maybe why we are all needing to dose.

 

[Dowtish]

Ok, so....I just tested back to back on the Salifert and Red Sea Mag kits.

Salifert: 1650
Red Sea: 2000

I told you my mag was always high...now the question is, what depletes mag in your tank? Because obviously I don't have it in my tank.