Test parameters weird

rayn · Dec 20, 2015

I don't quite understand these results. 40b no sump. Maybe about 20 lbs of rock well established, couple acan mini colonies, gsp, meet coral, couple zoa colonies, blasto coral, small carpet anemone. 3 false percula clowns.

Alk 8.4 dkh
Cal 380
Mag 1600+

I tested the mag twice thinking it could not be that high. I dosed nothing. Should I dose cal and alk to bring it up? Would that kinda marry up with the three part trinity?

TheEngineer · Dec 20, 2015

When was the last time you tested? What were the values? What test kits are you using?

TheEngineer · Dec 20, 2015

And what salt are you using and when was the last water change.

zwulfke · Dec 20, 2015

some salt will have high mag your cal should come up though DKH 9-11 is what people suggest I keep mine about 9.5 -10

rayn · Dec 20, 2015

Salt is IO. Just did a 15 gallon water change about a half hour or so before. There is a mp 40 and a mp 10 on anti sync in this tank as well. This tank has been up for three weeks with these inhabitants, no additions and no losses. They came from a 20 after my move and just got a bigger tank. All new water in this tank, none moved over from the 20 except what might have been in the rock. This is also the first test results on this tank. Doing phosphate and nitrate test now.
Phosphate will be Hanna checker all other tests are Red Sea.

TheEngineer · Dec 20, 2015

The Alk and Cal are about right for instant ocean. Mag is higher than I thought IO has.

rayn · Dec 20, 2015

That's about what I was thinking. I can't recall ever testing IO mag at that range. That gives me a idea on range atleast now for the two.

zwulfke · Dec 20, 2015

I switched from IO because of the inconsistency in levels. One time it's high in mag the next it would be cal I gave up and now I mix Red Sea salts together

rayn · Dec 20, 2015

I may do the same if this is going to be a issue. I need to test my water once it gets done filling and mixing again. That should give me a base line on what I am getting with water changes.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 21, 2015

I expect it is testing error. I do not believe it is the salt mix unless you made a small amount out of a larger bucket or box, in which case settling of the contents can result in inhomogeneity.

Testing error is VERY common, especially with magnesium (as is easily demonstrated by reading through the huge numbers of posts from folks who find the magnesium jumping up and down by large amounts in a few days, which cannot happen), and salt mix variations that great in normal Instant Ocean are not at all common.

rayn · Dec 21, 2015

I thought that too. I tested it twice though. I will do it again tonight and see what o get, both in tank and new batch.

From reading other posts by you, I mixed the new bucket...by shaking and rolling around on my floor to deal with settling. I make bigger batches, so there was 30 gallons made up to do the 15 gallon water change. I add fresh ro/di to the mixing bucket and add salt to bring it back up to 35 ppt, checked with a calibrated refractometer.

But alas, I could be doing it wrong I admit it. I will post again tonight my results.

rayn · Dec 21, 2015

This is the test from tonight out of the 40.

This is the test tonight of new water in my mixing barrel. I also tested with a freshly calibrated refractometer. Salt level came in at 30 ppt.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 22, 2015

What do those latest syringe readings translate to in ppm?

rayn · Dec 22, 2015

If I recall correctly, the top one is over 1600 and the bottom one is right at 1600 ppm.

jsker · Dec 22, 2015

jsker · Dec 22, 2015

Is there residue in the test bottle for other test? That could be throwing off your numbers?

Brian Kim · Dec 22, 2015

I do get large fluctuation of mag levels when I use my red sea test kit. What annoys me is that you need to drop solution A and shake it for 15sec and you must do that 5X then add solution B and shake for a minute. I have skipped or added a drop during the solution A process a couple times.
Also, I see in your pictures that the "air" gap on your syringe is somewhat inconsistent. It should be around 0.1 or less just as the first pic, please correct me if I am wrong but I see 0.2 on the second picture. What works for me when using those testers is to submerge the syringe completely and fill it in one pass all the way and remove it. That almost always gives me about 0.1 gap for compensation.

bobbyM · Dec 22, 2015

I had the same problem with the red sea kit. I just stopped dosing Mg. Nothing in my tank was effected or even slowed down in growth, so I just looked the other way. lol

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 22, 2015

So I can't tell if the problem is the salt or the test.

If you get a new batch of salt mix, or a different kit, that might help figure it out.

In general, elevated magnesium is not likely to be a substantial problem, if real.

WetWhistle · Dec 22, 2015

Red sea mag testing is tricky. Go back over the instructions and follow exactly. If I don't follow exactly I get a wide range of readings. Are you using the tip that attaches to the syringe? Make sure you pre-wash your test vials twice with tank water before you test. If it has hard water stains rinse with vinegar to get ride of them. They need to be as clean as possible to avoid contamination.