Coral problem.

[nl5882]

No but tearing apart your pumps will.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

No but tearing apart your pumps will.

Yup. Been there! 100%

 

[TinaMarie026]

I have a Fluval 105. Im pretty sure the impeller is all composite.

 

[TinaMarie026]

I just checked most of my API test chemicals and most have expired. I'm going to try another company and I just ordered the Salifert Master Reef Testing combo kit.(calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, nitrate, phosphate, & pH.) I hope its good as it was pricy. I found it a lot cheeper on Amazon than at the LFS. I should have it in a few days.
I did test a few parameters with the chems I had, but I guess I can't trust the results completely. I did get a new Ammonia test. Also a new copper and Nitrite test. I haven't done those yet.

Ammonia -0
Salt - 1.024
Phosphate - .5
PH - 8.2
Nitrate - 10 to 20
Calcium -500

 

[FishGuyBri]

I just checked most of my API test chemicals and most have expired. I'm going to try another company and I just ordered the Salifert Master Reef Testing combo kit.(calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, nitrate, phosphate, & pH.) I hope its good as it was pricy. I found it a lot cheeper on Amazon than at the LFS. I should have it in a few days.
I did test a few parameters with the chems I had, but I guess I can't trust the results completely. I did get a new Ammonia test. Also a new copper and Nitrite test. I haven't done those yet.

Ammonia -0
Salt - 1.024
Phosphate - .5
PH - 8.2
Nitrate - 10 to 20
Calcium -500

I used API to start, switched to Hanna and Red Sea, they take more time and can be a little more complex, but much easier to read and they seem more accurate.

 

[Bradley Crocker]

I try to "buy local" as much as possible, but it's hard to when you know where the lfs got something AND you know they're marking it up 200%. Plus Amazon comes with free shipping!

All of the nicer test kits are expensive. What you're getting with the increased $ is mostly higher accuracy and readability. I think you'll be happy with the salifert kits. They've been around and well trusted for a very long time. I've never seen a master kit from them, I'm totally getting on Amazon after this!

Back to the matter at hand. Your results look good (you're definitely not the only one testing with expired kits) so hopefully the new kits show us something we aren't seeing.

I just checked most of my API test chemicals and most have expired. I'm going to try another company and I just ordered the Salifert Master Reef Testing combo kit.(calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, nitrate, phosphate, & pH.) I hope its good as it was pricy. I found it a lot cheeper on Amazon than at the LFS. I should have it in a few days.
I did test a few parameters with the chems I had, but I guess I can't trust the results completely. I did get a new Ammonia test. Also a new copper and Nitrite test. I haven't done those yet.

Ammonia -0
Salt - 1.024
Phosphate - .5
PH - 8.2
Nitrate - 10 to 20
Calcium -500

 

[TinaMarie026]

I try to "buy local" as much as possible, but it's hard to when you know where the lfs got something AND you know they're marking it up 200%. Plus Amazon comes with free shipping!

All of the nicer test kits are expensive. What you're getting with the increased $ is mostly higher accuracy and readability. I think you'll be happy with the salifert kits. They've been around and well trusted for a very long time. I've never seen a master kit from them, I'm totally getting on Amazon after this!

Back to the matter at hand. Your results look good (you're definitely not the only one testing with expired kits) so hopefully the new kits show us something we aren't seeing.

I went to my LFS and half their kits on the shelf were expired. They were pushing the API kits.

 

[TinaMarie026]

tried a new turbo snail yesterday. After 6 hours it was fine and moving around. The next morning, not so good. This is what I have been experiencing for 8 months now. Discouraging.

 

[TinaMarie026]

I did a new test with my old chems, plus a new copper test. Still interested with how my new test kit will compare. My Nitrate is slightly high, but I don't think killing high for my snail. My calcium was again at 500.

 

[Bradley Crocker]

My lfs tried selling me an expired kit, I refuse to buy it and he went and grabbed me a new one. 2 weeks later, the same kit was still on the shelf. They make it hard to love them at times....

You're right, nitrate is high, but not astoundingly high. Ph is a little low, but again, nothing to be super concerned about.

Is that a big fat zero on the copper test? That's a relief. If it tested positive you'd likely be looking at replacing everything.

I wonder why your calcium is so high? You don't add any supplements or anything, do you?

 

[TinaMarie026]

My lfs tried selling me an expired kit, I refuse to buy it and he went and grabbed me a new one. 2 weeks later, the same kit was still on the shelf. They make it hard to love them at times....

You're right, nitrate is high, but not astoundingly high. Ph is a little low, but again, nothing to be super concerned about.

Is that a big fat zero on the copper test? That's a relief. If it tested positive you'd likely be looking at replacing everything.

I wonder why your calcium is so high? You don't add any supplements or anything, do you?

No, I don't add any additives. This test has always been high for me. I am curious to what I get when my new test chem's come in.

 

[TinaMarie026]

No, I don't add any additives. This test has always been high for me. I am curious to what I get when my new test chem's come in.

Oh, and the copper was a zero. They didn't have an iron test. I will look further for one.

 

[nl5882]

You don't have any coraline algea. 'I bet your po4s are higher than that test kits showing.

 

[Bradley Crocker]

Calcium is one of the more difficult ones to get consistently accurate readings.

What kind of salt do you use? It should say the water parameters on the bucket/box/bag. Your Calcium levels should be fairly close to what's advertised without any corals or inverts.

And sorry for the turbo, poor fella...I can only imagine how disheartening all this is for you. You'll get it turned around though.

 

[TinaMarie026]

You don't have any coraline algea. 'I bet your po4s are higher than that test kits showing.

Could that cause my quick deaths? Now I'm eager to try my new test products. I should have it Monday.

 

[Bradley Crocker]

Could that cause my quick deaths? Now I'm eager to try my new test products. I should have it Monday.

I don't think the phosphate and nitrate are causing your problem. I do agree that they could be much higher than the test shows, but I would expect to see some sort of algae taking over everything if this were the case.

You can weed it out as a possibility, or at least narrow it down. Do a 15 gallon water change and see if your turbo's health improves.

 

[FishGuyBri]

Thought I'd chrome in- my Ca is also high and going up using Hanna checker despite no dosing, only livestock is a pair of chromis and clove polyps. Interesting.

 

[TinaMarie026]

I don't think the phosphate and nitrate are causing your problem. I do agree that they could be much higher than the test shows, but I would expect to see some sort of algae taking over everything if this were the case.

You can weed it out as a possibility, or at least narrow it down. Do a 15 gallon water change and see if your turbo's health improves.

The turbo was very dead.

 

[TinaMarie026]

I don't think the phosphate and nitrate are causing your problem. I do agree that they could be much higher than the test shows, but I would expect to see some sort of algae taking over everything if this were the case.

You can weed it out as a possibility, or at least narrow it down. Do a 15 gallon water change and see if your turbo's health improves.

I've been doing 5gal changes weekly. I will again try a bigger one.
Does anyone think I need to replace my live rock or substrate?

 

[Bradley Crocker]

I guess his health won't be improving then. Sorry, thought it was on the downhill, not dead.