Aquarium Water Testing

[jmait769]

I noticed a few people using this service here on RC for water testing. I decided to give it a try. It should give me a base to check my hobby water test kits against. It was $35 for a one time test and $22.50 or $254.99 for a year of monthly tests (I went for the one time test!). I will keep this updated to see how long it takes and what the results are!

Aquarium Water Testing

Jay

[jmait769]

Well, I ordered on Saturday and got the test kit today via USPS. Really just two bottles and a return box. I will test my water with what kits I have here at the house to see how close they are. I should have mailed it to my In-laws there in EP as I would have gotten it sooner I think.



Jay

[benjabba]

seems like a really good idea.

[Salty Sam]

Test the water? Just taste it!

[jmait769]

I hope I’m not blowing the money! I have Salifert test kits but my Alk test kit keeps telling me its low and I don’t trust it so will be interesting to see the reading. Probably send me an email telling me to drain and flush the tank!!

Jay

[killingseed]

ya , ya, post your failing test results!, na would be cool to see what you get as in the form and info they provide.

[jmait769]

Here are my current tests using all Salifert to compare what they test. My Alk is measuring low and man am I adding the part 2 of Randy’s recipe so I think this is not correct. Or something is really consuming it! It is a new test kit I got and the old one was measuring at 3.0 meg/L most of the time.

Ammonia (NH3-4) 0
Nitrite (NO2) 0
Nitrate (NO3) 0
Phosphate (PO4) 0
Silica (Sio2-3) No Test
Potassium (K) No Test
Calcium (Ca) 390
Boron (B) No Test
Molybdenum (Mo) No Test
Strontium (Sr) No Test
Magnesium (Mg) No Test
Iodine (I) No Test
Copper (Cu++) No Test
Alkalinity (dkh) 2.4 meg/L

Jay

[consuelo]

Jay, hubby just got a really expensive test kit at his work, since he uses my salt, he's going to check my stuff for just the same reason. Theres is a spectrophotometer approach, I use titration kit except for pH and Specific Gravity...I'm looking forward to my comparison also.

[jmait769]

That sounds great Consuelo! You are lucky he is able to do that. Keeping the water parameters in the proper range will make you very successful! I hope to get my results tomorrow.

Jay

[jmait769]

OK Here are the results.

Ammonia (NH3-4) 0.003 Good
Nitrite (NO2) 0.004 Good
Nitrate (NO3) 0.4 Good
Phosphate (PO4) 0.23 Good
Silica (SiO2-3) 2.4 High
Potassium (K) 365 Good
Calcium (Ca) 452 High
Boron (B) 3.9 Good
Molybdenum (Mo) 0.2 High
Strontium (Sr) 9.7 Good
Magnesium (Mg) 1131 Good
Iodine (I¯) 0.01 Low
Copper (Cu++) 0.03 Good
Alkalinity (meq/L) 2.01 Low

I will post what they tell me in the write up for the bad stuff here in a sec and post the complete results later tonight (.pdf file)

[jmait769]

Silica (Sio2-3)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.040 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.500 mg/L
Tested: 2.4 mg/L

(HIGH) Your silica level is too high. We recommend that you use a silica specific R/O membrane in addition to deionization resin for your makeup/top-off water. You may also use a commercially available phosphate absorber, as these will also remove some silicate. Silicate is required by many types of sponges for growth/reproduction, but will also encourage brown diatom algae growth. Any level above 0.3 mg/L may cause a diatom bloom in the aquarium.

I’m going to have to look at those filters again. I just changed over from that Ebay special to TheFilterGuys filters a few months ago so maybe it is just a matter of water changes. I do run a phosphate remover. Hmmmm Any ideas? 2.4 is pretty high but I do not have any diatoms just a little red slime in my fuge.

[jmait769]

Calcium (Ca)
Natural Seawater Value: 400 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 350 to 450 mg/L
Tested: 452 mg/L

(HIGH) Your calcium level is too high. We recommend that you suspend any calcium additions until the level stabilizes. If you have a calcium reactor, it may need to be adjusted. You may also need to adjust the alkalinity of the water. Maintaining the correct calcium levels is critical to the growth of corals and coralline algae. Fish also require calcium to maintain their health. High
levels of calcium can cause dangerous fluctuations in other important elements, as well as in the alkalinity and pH of the water.

Not really near what my Salifert test kit was reading so this was a surprise! I have been dosing like mad to get it up above 400 so will get a new test kit (LaMotte).

[jmait769]

Iodine (I¯)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.060 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.030 to 0.090 mg/L
Tested: 0.01 mg/L

(LOW) Your iodine level is too low. We recommend using an iodine-specific additive to raise this level. Iodine is removed from the water by various biological processes, protein skimming, and activated carbon. Iodine is required by soft corals, macro algae, and for pigment development in SPS corals.

I have been relying on water changes on this one so will have to start dosing that. Anyone test or dose iodine? Let me know how you do it in your system. Maybe this is why I only have so so results with my zoas?

[jmait769]

Alkalinity (meq/L)
Natural Seawater Value: 2.5 meq/L
Acceptable Range: 2.5 to 5.0 meq/L
Tested: 2.01 meq/L

(LOW) Your alkalinity level is too low. We recommend the addition of a commercial buffer designed to raise alkalinity. You may also wish to perform a partial water change to help correct this issue. Maintaining correct alkalinity levels is critical to corals, as well as any shelled invertebrates, including snails, clams, etc. It is also crucial in maintaining appropriate pH and calcium levels. This is one of the most important parameters for the maintenance of marine aquariums.

Well, I knew this was out of whack but was not sure to what side of natural seawater. I had been using the Salifert test kit and read on RC here where they are having testing result issues. I was using one that always tested just above the lower limit and dosed according to that. I got a new one and it said it was low. I decided just before sending in this sample to get a LaMotte Alk test kit. It verified that the Alk was pretty low so I did a one time correction a few nights ago. I think I will stick with the LaMotte test kits from now on.

[consuelo]

wow Jay, looks to me like you got your $$ worth! I may have mine tested at the 3 month mark?

[jmait769]

Magnesium (Mg)
Natural Seawater Value: 1280 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 1100 to 1400 mg/L
Tested: 1131 mg/L

(GOOD) Your magnesium level is within the recommended range. We recommend staying with your current water change and additive schedule. Magnesium is a very important part of the water buffering system, and is incorporated into coral skeletons. It is also critical to any photosynthetic processes.

This one was a surprise as I don’t test for Mg and was planning on getting a test kit for it. I do dose Kent Marine Essential Elements once or twice a week.

OK well, in my mind that was worth the $30 dollars. I ordered the kit on the 13th of Oct, received the kit on the 18th and mailed the sample back on the 19th and So a little over a week and a half. I’m thinking this is something I may do every six months or so.

Jay

[jmait769]

Originally posted by consuelo
wow Jay, looks to me like you got your $$ worth! I may have mine tested at the 3 month mark?

Yes. I think it would be beneficial at the three month mark. That way you could compare to your own testing results. The hobbyist test kits are good but I’m always afraid I’m adding to much regent or not shaking it enough so this helps to actually have a lab test it. I think if I could afford to have it tested more often I would but I'm cheap!!

Jay

[benjabba]

very comprehensive test results. probably something i will do at some point. thanks for sharing them with us.

[killingseed]

well they seem to have thier sh@# down from that testing company.

Anyone test or dose iodine?

i do, only because i dip my zoa in idone but do not test for it.

[jmait769]

Yea, I always dip mine too. I’m having my wife add a little right now to the tank. I’m hoping that this will improve my zoas. I had a nice colony up and disappear that I had bought and shipped to my house from someone here on RC a while back. You would have like them John! I have one polyp left that is about the size of a pencil eraser I have been nursing along.

Jay

[killingseed]

Silica, you might have to wait that one out , being you just upgraded your ro system and it may take a good couple water changes to lower this. if anything post a message with "thefilterdudes," eheheh, and ask about the membrane you got as well.

[killingseed]

ya for being listed as an easy hardy coral , they are more work then i'd ever thought. i have lost more then 20 morphs in the past. i have more then 52 morphs and would like to keep it that way.

[Goodwin9]

I have also sent samples to AWT to double check my testing. My results also had high copper & silica readings. Where I differ from you was the CA reading. Mine prior to sending sample was 450, AWT reported it to be 310...

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5#post11041025

[jmait769]

Thanks Chuck. I'm reading your thread now!

Jay

[Salty Sam]

420-450 ppm range is desired range on calcium according to everything I have read. I did recently read that ALK is as important as Calcium if not more so.