Water Tests from Today's Meeting

[penguinsix]

Salinity Cal Mg Alk(meq) P04
Crib 1.024 344 1221 1.84 0.05
Glenne 1.028 328 1539 1.77 0.05
Dan M. 1.027 492 1276 no alk 0.13
Rosey 1.027 328 1751+ 2.6 0.06
jay1 1.026 700+ 1550ish 1.8 0.08
jay2 1.022 410 1185 2.7 0.54
Gavin 1.026 328 1326 2.6 0.25
stingything45 1.024 361 1309 3.5 0.07
jenn p 1.025 344 1240 1.9 0.13
cindy 1.0265 525 1470 4.2 0.1
andy+reba 1.025 361 1270 2.9 0.08
mr.gamboozlebag saltwater 1.025 328 1230 2.5 0.14
ken g 1.0245 607 1406 2.9 0.28

Here are the results from the tests, sorry about the format, the internet hates me tonight.

 

[KAS2]

(reformatted using CODE tag)

[B]                       Salinity  Cal  Mg    Alk(meq) P04[/B]
Crib                      1.024  344  1221    1.84   0.05
Glenne                    1.028  328  1539    1.77   0.05
Dan M.                    1.027  492  1276    no alk 0.13
Rosey                     1.027  328  1751+   2.6    0.06
jay1                      1.026  700+ 1550ish 1.8    0.08
jay2                      1.022  410  1185    2.7    0.54
Gavin                     1.026  328  1326    2.6    0.25
stingything45             1.024  361  1309    3.5    0.07
jenn p                    1.025  344  1240    1.9    0.13
cindy                     1.0265 525  1470    4.2    0.1
andy+reba                 1.025  361  1270    2.9    0.08
mr.gamboozlebag saltwater 1.025  328  1230    2.5    0.14
ken g                     1.0245 607  1406    2.9    0.28

 

[JayM]

Thanks Josh, et al. Got some work to do here on my reef chemistry

 

[Dave]

Thanks Josh, I thought my Mg kit (Salifert)was giving be a bogus result when I got about the same reading. I tested a fresh batch of Instant ocean to check the high reading I got from my tank. The fresh batch of IO gave me a reading in the 1700's too. I have to assume that this is the source of my high Mg. The bucket was purchased from Dr. Fosters this past summer. I just finished the bucket my last water change but have another bucket I got in the same shipment that I will check.

 

[~Flighty~]

Thank you very much , Josh. You had so many samples I felt bad adding mine to the pile. You're going to need to start rounding up a team of subordinates to do the testing under your command.

 

[gavinrobinson]

Thanks again Josh!

 

[gavinrobinson]

Alright so I'm kind of new to all these numbers such as Phosphate and so forth. What are the acceptable ranges, for each measurement, that people should fall in?

Thanks

 

[Moe_K]

Alright so I'm kind of new to all these numbers such as Phosphate and so forth. What are the acceptable ranges, for each measurement, that people should fall in?

Thanks

Randy's handy dandy ranges in this article:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

 

[1fish2fish]

Thanks Josh! Appreciate it.

-Andy & Reba

 

[stingythingy45]

Thanks Josh.
Jay........700+?

 

[JayM]

Thanks Josh.
Jay........700+?

Kinda over did it a little.

When I added the second clam and some SPS, my Ca was dropping 50 points every other day, so I , errr, overcompensated a little. It will be down to 450-500 in less than 2 weeks. not gonna touch alk or pH until then, because the snow we have outside is enough for me....don't want the same storm in my tank

you ought to see my superman monti growth rate

 

[stingythingy45]

Hopefully your sand bed doesn't become a solid piece of limestone before then.lol

 

[~Flighty~]

Judging by all of my numbers, the salinity meter might be reading a little low.

 

[Scott]

From Randy's article:

Phosphate < 0.03 ppm

So everybody's got a phosphate problem?

 

[JayM]

hey, I'm only 18x the suggested number.....

 

[Jennifer]

Thank you Josh, Glad to see you made it through all of those samples.
I was expecting to see my low Alk. I was not expecting that high a phosphate level. Thats a large discrepancy from what my salifert test showed, but it explains my algae outbreak.

 

[gavinrobinson]

From Randy's article:

Phosphate < 0.03 ppm

So everybody's got a phosphate problem?

Yeah not looking so great huh? What's the best way to lower this?

 

[JayM]

phosban reactors, aggressive skimming, less feeding, water changes.

I do 3 out of 4 but I guess it hasn't been enough

 

[Moe_K]

phosban reactors, aggressive skimming, less feeding, water changes.

I do 3 out of 4 but I guess it hasn't been enough

And for folks who don't have too high levels of calcium and alkalinity, nightly dripping of kalkwasser (lime water) can help with the phosphates. Kalkwasser is generally used to supplement calicium and alkalinity (it'll also give pH a boost), but a nice side benefit is a little phosphate control.

 

[JayM]

And for folks who don't have too high levels of calcium and alkalinity.....

with Ca at 700, I guess that rules me out