Help i never tested before!

Bradsreeeftank · Jan 3, 2014

So this is my first time testing for something other then nitrates and nitrites. So i got the red sea kit and i dont think i did too bad on testing but it was a little difficult too do for some reason, anyway the ruslts i got were crazy i got 1,000 ppm for mag ( i want it up to 1500 ppm to kill my byropsis algea), my alk was 2.0 and my calcium was 515! So right now im dosing kent tech m magniusm to raise and kill my algeaa problem. But i dont think my results for any of these are good... how do i fix alk and calcium?

mike007 · Jan 3, 2014

I don't think your test results are correct. Maybe you need to review instructions carefully and retest. These are very reliable test kits. If you can take a sample to lfs and have them double check.

marvelousone · Jan 4, 2014

you can look on you tube and it will show you how to do the mag. test fro red sea. Very easy just follow the times.

marvelousone · Jan 4, 2014

You can use baking soda to raise alk. and get liquid calcium for cal.

backpack · Jan 4, 2014

Your results don't add up unless everything in your tank is dead imho. It helps to know the salinity as well.

mike007 · Jan 4, 2014

You said your alkalinty was 2 do you mean 2 meg/l ? If so that would give youa dkh of 5.6. If that is the case that means your calcium level is way to high and your parameters are out of balance. You want your alk. to be around 2.5 with calcium 410. If you are dosing you need to dose alk. and ca. in equal dosages. As of now you need to let ca. come down on its own thats probaly driving your alk. down.

NanaReefer · Jan 4, 2014

Go to youtube and search for RedSea Test Kit. They have great video instructions.
Aside from dosing your Kent Tech-M, DO NOT start dosing anything else until you fully understand and preform the testing well.