Who has 2 thumbs...

[Haulin Oates]

...And has been reading his Red Sea test kits wrong for about 2 years? This guy!!!
I just happened to glance at the back of the box the kit came in and noticed 2 sets of numbers. I thought the numbers on the wheel were the low range, but alas... They were the HIGH range!! Then there were the lower numbers that are the real low range corresponding to the colors!!! I'm mad and happy at the same time... Because my nitrates are .18 and my phosphates are around .08 but now I have no ideas as to what's been killing my coral...

 

[ReefCheif]

Both should be 0. FYI, the fruit loops and orange monti are doing great in my tank, already showing lots of growth on both. Has to be something in your water that is reaking havok. Your son hasnt dropped any pennies in there recently has he?

 

[Haulin Oates]

Sweet man! I haven't even played with those halides yet... According to the red sea lineup they want me to have .02 phosphates and less than 1 nitrates or something like that... So I'm not shooting for 0's here. But my phosphates are still high, but now manageable with GFO, so I'll be getting some of that on the August BRS group buy!

 

[09bumblebee]

You definitely don't 0 for nitrates and po4 unless your tank is all sps and than still you don't want 0 blazinjack sounds like your getting to that sweet spot though.

 

[Cake_Boss]

Def don't want 0, you still need some no3 and po4.

Sent using Forum Runner

 

[Munch]

So on a mixed reef, you want some no3 and po4. How do you keep some, without going crazy? Whenever I test, it looks like 0 (using API kits), but it could easily be a few PPP which are undetectable with my kit, but good for the system.

 

[ReefCheif]

Unless your using test kits that provide digital read outs its very hard to get an accurate reading from color strips. I know you want some no3 and po4 present, but when using tests that require you to match a certain color I generally shoot for the color that represents 0. There will still be traces that these types of test cannot detect, just becuase of the method of testing. I may be way off here, but this has always worked well for me when using the API Masters Test Kit.

 

[Munch]

Yeah, I figured it it was closer to 0, that was ok, as I wanted some trace of it in the tank. But as I increase the variety of inhabitants, I started to wonder about hitting a target number, and maintaining.

 

[Haulin Oates]

The red sea test kit is a low range test test kit, and the color difference is very visible. It's accurate to .014 on phosphates and .06 on nitrates. Also, if you follow the red sea program, they want you to keep 1-2 ppm nitrate and .1 phosphate during the accelerated growth phase and then reduce to .25 nitrate and .02 phosphate for the enhanced coloration phase.

 

[Munch]

Thanks for the info, I'll pickup a kit!

 

[hurrafreak]

I used to test water from around the world using a spectrophotometer and I honestly don't remember a tank having 0 phosphates, and that's lab grade testing.

 

[Haulin Oates]

So generally what numbers did you see in successful tanks, Juan?

 

[hurrafreak]

So generally what numbers did you see in successful tanks, Juan?

We never knew what the tanks looked like, the water was mailed to us, so I couldn't tell ya . I just know that even using a spectrophotometer I don't recall phosphates being at 0.00

 

[coloagro]

So on a mixed reef, you want some no3 and po4. How do you keep some, without going crazy? Whenever I test, it looks like 0 (using API kits), but it could easily be a few PPP which are undetectable with my kit, but good for the system.

The only PO4 test that I trust is my Hanna Checker. My API shows zero as well and thats because its a color chart...no digital readout. Alk with Hanna's too. The Calcium tester sucks though.

 

[Haulin Oates]

Reef chief: got 3 out of 5 bulbs working just by plugging on and flipping switches!! 2 switches don't do anything as of yet... I'm assuming wiring but... Good trade!!! Thanks for coming out!!