chemistry

[mvm]

I just got done testing my water with some new elos kits, and the results are a little discerning.
KH 4
calcium 350
mag 950

My PH probe usually indicates 8.05-8.1 during the day, 7.85-7.9 at night.

I was using seachem reef salt, but am now using D-D h20 salt. Is it possible that the elos test kit doesn't adjust for the borate buffer that seachem uses? The D-D new water had a KH of 9. I use bionics 2 part, 7.5 ML day. I guess I need to up my dosage. I have a heavily sps and clam stocked 34 gallon solana. Thoughts?

 

[derek_s]

Well, the first question is how were things looking? Is stuff growing looking well? If so that might indicate a test problem...

Its not entirely impossible the elos kits are bad. Maybe got really hot/cold in shipment. Might wanna double check.

 

[FutureInterest]

Well either the Elos kits aren't all they're cracked up to be or your tank is about to go bye bye?

Do you have other kits to test your water with? I have some Elos and LaMotte kits you can check your results against.

 

[mvm]

Everything looks great, decent growth, but virtually no coraline growth. I just threw out my salifert kits when I got these. I'm going to test a new batch for fresh saltwater to see if the results are similar. I did already do that with the KH and the "fresh" water was at 9, so it seems that test is working correctly. Hmmm.

 

[spike]

Do you have a LFS near you that will test your water?

 

[derek_s]

Yeah nd just re read the directions really closely or have someone else read them allowed. As someone said in my KH thread sometimes there is a simple error that you might be making, especially if you are really use to doing it one way. A fresh set of eyes may spot it, if it's there.

 

[dannybradley]

Elos does detect borate. I can't believe your KH could actually be 4 with marine life still in your tank. Carbonate tests all work on the same basis premis: How much of x does it take to lower the pH of the solution to either 4 or 5, depending on the test. This includes all other anions like phosphate, but are in such a low concentration they do not account appreciably in the test results.

Technically Karbonate Hardness refers only to carbonate and bicarbonate in the water. However, it's been bastaradized and adopted because those numbers are easier to remember than meq/l, which is a more appropriate scale for measuring alkalinity. KH is to the point now where it's understood to include all anions in the results, so it actually doesn't really matter which scale you use.

 

[mvm]

I was actually told that the salifert tests didn't register the borate. I had a long talk with Sam from AB about it. I switched from the seachem salt for this and many other reasons. Everything in my tank says "happy," no hair algae, tons of polyp extension on my SPS, nem fully inflated; Clams...well, you know, happy as a...

 

[ralph atl]

so are you using 1 drop per 1 kh? I would retest just to make sure, then get an api kit which uses the same principle and same type of regents.

 

[ralph atl]

did you measure 5ml with the syringe, not the test tube? 1 drop when it changes color equals 1 dkh.

 

[tim8111]

Matt,

If you bring me a sample of your water, I can test it for you.

Thanks,
Tim