I am worried that my test kits is accurate

[gkimble]

I have an instant ocean reef testing kit.
My test results:
Ph:8.1
Calcium:450
Alk:8
nitrates:0
Phosohates:0
Amonia:0

Stock list
2 crocra clams
one 4 to 5"
one 2 to 3"
one 2" birdsnest frag
one 1" Purple tipped Acropora
one 1" Fiji Samoensis
One 1.5" Purple Samoensis
One 1.5" orange monti
one 2" green digi

Everything looks good for all the coral except the birdsnest. I found it one day laying in my anemone and now some of it is turning brown and then turning white. You think this is from teh anemones sting? Or was there to much flow because I had it right in front of my koralia 4.
Clams hav done wonderfull so has the digi. All the others are 1 day old and have seemd to color up even more than where I got it from.

The reason I am worried is that everything seems in check and it always seems that I don't have to add calcium at all maybe once a week. (Reef mud)
Could it be the water source. I am using spring water from the grocery store until I get an Ro unit for xmas. my previous one got stollen. I have a little green algae on teh rocks. Probably form the lighting.
I don't have askimmer right now but am doing water changes once a week.
I will be getting a skimmer for xmas as well.
Should I get a new test kit?
Birdsnest seem like its been stung by an anemone?
Water source allright if corals are thriving for now?

[bertoni]

The anemone will kill most corals it touches, so I'm not surprised that the birdsnest is having trouble.

The water source might have some calcium and carbonate in it. That's not uncommon. Since the corals are doing well, I wouldn't worry much about the short term. People have reported problems with long-term use of water sources such as wells and tapwater, though, so the spring water could be an issue. Hard to say.

[gkimble]

I will be switching to Ro water. Yeah the birdnest has to be dieng from teh ouch because it turnd brown in patches. where the anemone touched.
Is the test kit I'm using good you think. MY fiji and purple Samoensis are doing great polyps are out and everthing retaining color.
The acro is glowing but i can see alittle polyp extension. Not a huge amount though. Probably becaus its been in there one day.

My question is would i start seeing some bad signs of coral death by now or not yet.

[bertoni]

The test kit might be fine. A second opinion might help build confidence.

How long it'd take to see coral problems from bad water would depend strongly on what's in the water.

[gkimble]

I am going to switch to ro water soon. I have only been using spring for 1 month. So I think i should be fine.
So you think I need some confidence? Yeah I think I do. It's just that I care so much about my tank that I obsses about everything.
I wahnt everything to thrive. I will become more confident as time goes on. But I think overconfidence bights people in the *** all the time. So ill keep going this way until I find the perfect solution.

[bertoni]

I think test kits always deserve a second opinion. :) Too many reported problems. :(

[gkimble]

Yeah I think I need to get a test kit from salfrit. I'll get a calcium and magnesium test kit from them and if they read the same then I just have more test kits that I will use up anyway.