switching API to RS

[james1990]

I have been using the API test's to test for cal,alk,mg but the measurements rubbed off on the syringes and now its pretty much useless. I got a good deal on the red sea so I have been testing with both.

the results are really different. I know I am testing for consistency more than accuracy, but im trying to tune in my new bubble magus doser so I need to know which is more accurate.

also, my cal has been testing a bit high around 480 and alk a tad low at 9.8-10.1

I started manually dosing ESV 2 part 10ml of each a day about 3 months ago and so far its been going well. Is it time to cut back on the cal and add a little more alk?

thanks

 

[JonnyJ]

I have been using the API test's to test for cal,alk,mg but the measurements rubbed off on the syringes and now its pretty much useless. I got a good deal on the red sea so I have been testing with both.

the results are really different. I know I am testing for consistency more than accuracy, but im trying to tune in my new bubble magus doser so I need to know which is more accurate.

also, my cal has been testing a bit high around 480 and alk a tad low at 9.8-10.1

I started manually dosing ESV 2 part 10ml of each a day about 3 months ago and so far its been going well. Is it time to cut back on the cal and add a little more alk?

thanks

James's your thoughts on your alk cal are off in my opinion.

Ideally Alk should fall around 8.5-10.0 and calcium around 420-450 ish. If anything only your cal is high.

I would let your calcium come down a bit and continue what you are doing with the alk dosages and continue dosing calcium again once it comes down a little... depending on where you want to sit at.

Maybe your dosing a bit much ATM or your water change may have possibly thrown your parameters off a little (only a little)


-jonny

 

[james1990]

thats what my guess was. Its hard to get an idea of what a water change puts my levels at that day. The IO reef crystals are really high with cal and alk so I dont dose in the AM and test later on that night hours after the water change and see where I am at.

just curious which test kit to trust more, I heard the Red Sea is a bit more accurate.

 

[duke62]

API are garbage

 

[JonnyJ]

Yah API is just not as accurate. It's decent to let you know if your in range.

Salifert here, on my third set of kits and my tanks doing great. !

 

[vio]

I like Red Sea.

 

[BaaMNYC]

I think if your cal is high you should lower the amount of cal you dose on your doser.

has anyone had problems with their red sea test kit? my alk goes from blue to yellow to orange instead of going to pink?

 

[ecvernon]

Never had a problem with Red Sea foundation alkalinity and calcium as results were very close to my salifert test kits. The only Red Sea test kit I was unsure about was the magnesium. The mag was reading about 300 too high when compared to my salifert kit.

 

[BaaMNYC]

maybe my kh solution is no good? mine constantly goes from blue to yellow to orange. in the video and i even had petethegreek come over with his. his and the video goes from blue to purple to pink.

my test kit is brand new.