Readings all over the place

Starkrost

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Hi all. I’m getting very inconsistent readings across some test kits. I’m not sure which ones to believe or how to treat (if needed). Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Temp 77.9 deg F
salinity 1.026
pH 8.4 (API) / 7.9 (Seneye)
alk 8.1 (Hanna)
phosphate 1.05 (Hanna) / 0 API
magnesium >1500 (Aquaforest)
Calcium 430
ammonia 0.001 (Seneye)
nitrates 22.9 (Seneye) / 80 (API)

I’m running protein skimmer with air full open and 1/2 tsp/gal Kalkwasser in ATO. Everyone appears to be doing just fine. There’s no weird smell to the tank. No unusual algal outbreaks. No one’s died. Fish are eating and behaving as usual for clown fish. Should I quit with the readings and just WATCH the tank for changes?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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I'm not a fan of pH test kits. There's no way to check them (unless you have a known seawater sample). If the meter was recently calibrated, I'd believe it.

Phosphate is above 1.00 ppm by the Hanna?
 
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Starkrost

Starkrost

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I'm not a fan of pH test kits. There's no way to check them (unless you have a known seawater sample). If the meter was recently calibrated, I'd believe it.

Phosphate is above 1.00 ppm by the Hanna?
Yes. But it’s a new tester and I could be reading it wrong. There was a second reading right after the 1.05 but I don’t remember what it was.
 

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