Using API tests

[gonebad395]

Ok guys I'm testing my water with API reef master test kit

My phosphates are between 0ppm to 0.25ppm kinda hard to read
My nitrates are 0


Now here comes the shit I hate because it's a chasing game
My KH is 10dkh or 179 ppm kh
And my cal. Is between 480 to 500

So what do I need to fix and how to fix it

This is a 29gallon biocube

 

[york3rdbase]

Maybe I'm missing something, but what's wrong with those numbers?


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[gonebad395]

Was just wanting to know it the cal and alk are fine really I'm a worry wort when it comes to testing lmao

 

[york3rdbase]

I feel like your good. Calc between 4-500 and alk between 8-10. That's at least what I have always been told and what my tank usually runs. I use reef crystals which tends to put the alk up around 10


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[madjoe]

Alks kinda high if its sps 8 is a good number but reef crystals does run about 11 in fresh batch so kinda hard to lower unless u switch to regular i/o and just dose to raise cal and alk zoas and lps should be ok at those nimbers though

 

[gonebad395]

Right on man thanks a lot

 

[#theMatrix]

Id say it looks perfect.

But thats just me.
I run high alk high mag and high cal. Nutrients are going up aswell since the fish has gone from 6 to 11.


But yours being 29g might have a quicker effect. My water volume is high that changes might not affect me as they may you.

 

[cment]

Everything looks fine to me depending on the corals you have in there. My only advice is to throw out that API test kit and start acquiring reliable ones like hanna, red sea or salifert. I know they are not cheap but if you are a worry wort like you say then it only makes sense to get something more reliable than API. Im not bashing API, I do use them while cycling a tank, but they are notorious for being inaccurate and extremely hard to read for accuracy.

 

[gonebad395]

Right on I'll look into other kits this tank has been running since 2013 I'm pretty sure tested in the beginning and stopped for the longest. It's mostly zoas and lps a couple sps tank is doing great and everything is growing well. And that's the big reason I stopped testing but I figured oh wth I'll test. I do 5 gallon water change every Saturday and vacume the sandbed I can reach.

 

[madjoe]

Right on I'll look into other kits this tank has been running since 2013 I'm pretty sure tested in the beginning and stopped for the longest. It's mostly zoas and lps a couple sps tank is doing great and everything is growing well. And that's the big reason I stopped testing but I figured oh wth I'll test. I do 5 gallon water change every Saturday and vacume the sandbed I can reach.

Dont bother with hanna they r crap in fact i have a extra alk one u can have for free but thats still to much money to pay for them lol. I hate mine never accurate test with there calibration kit reads fine so its there crappy fluids i bought two new ones tested with both and numbers didnt match ugh. I just bought new test kits from ap think saferite maybe havent used yet but anyways long story short ive found api more accurate then hanna and hell lot cheaper

 

[jrpark22000]

but if you are a worry wort like you say then it only makes sense to get something more reliable than API. Im not bashing API, I do use them while cycling a tank, but they are notorious for being inaccurate and extremely hard to read for accuracy.

While not a worry wort, I fit into this category with Keith. All that said, I use API ALk and CA weekly. Comparing the API results to my lab grade eqpt, API can really be close. It comes down to being very accurate on how much water is in each vial (hint the line from vial to vial varies) as well as the dropper on the bottles. The white tip on some bottles is just crap and put out large or small drops. I always compare a new bottle of solution to the last over a couple test to make sure they both read the same.
Every month to two months I compare to the lab gear to make sure my testing hasn't drifted using API. For the most part API is solid given good practices.

 

[jrpark22000]

Dont bother with hanna they r crap

Couldn't agree more. Hanna aren't repeatable. Some tests can be spot on but test again immediatly afterwards and the results are different. can only guess if it's the meter or the reagent, but I never could trust mine and sold them both on ebay.

 

[gonebad395]

Thanks joe and Josh agian till I start the new tank which will be sps knowing the lps tank is thriving I'm ok with the kits I've seen