Help! Red sea foundation kit

gashunk · Sep 20, 2015

So Im fairly new to the reefing community about a year into it and I've decided I wnt to grow sps now so I got the red sea foundation test kit as well as the reef foundation supplements abc and I have no idea how to read the test I've performed I did them right but the numbers are confusing to read and it makes it more confusing to figure out how much I need to do if I do need to dose right now

Downbeach · Sep 20, 2015

Maybe these demo's will help:

gashunk · Sep 21, 2015

Downbeach said:
Maybe these demo's will help:

They help but I don't understand if my levels are optimal or if I need to dose some

MTWiley · Sep 21, 2015

In the first few pages of the pamphlet that cam with your test kit it tells you what the optimal levels are for various different scenarios(SPS VS LPS VS SOFTIES VS MIXED)

gashunk · Sep 21, 2015

Lol you mean to tell me the instructions are actually useful .-.

Downbeach · Sep 21, 2015

What salt mix are you using? Most regular salt mixes are within and "optimal" range when mixed(accurately) to a SG of 1.026(35ppt), some of the "Pro", or "Reef" types can be a little on the higher side. Here are some articles worth reading:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/rhf/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

gashunk · Sep 21, 2015

I get mine premixed from my lfs so I don't know what mix they use

gashunk · Sep 21, 2015

Of my parameters are a little high rite now is that ok?

Downbeach · Sep 21, 2015

gashunk said:
Of my parameters are a little high rite now is that ok?

What are they? i.e. Ca, Mg and Alk. Also, are you toping off with SW or plain RO/DI water?

gashunk · Sep 21, 2015

Downbeach said:
What are they? i.e. Ca, Mg and Alk. Also, are you toping off with SW or plain RO/DI water?

Mag is at 1680 ppm cal is at 650 alk is at 4.5 meq/ l 12.6 I'm topping off with to/di

twilliard · Sep 21, 2015

gashunk said:
Mag is at 1680 ppm cal is at 650 alk is at 4.5 meq/ l 12.6 I'm topping off with to/di

Are you dosing any 2 part?
Before adding any sps coral lets work on these numbers.
Are you fighting bryopsis? Your mag is high.
I don't know of any salts that mix that high unless your dosing.
Don't worry, we will get it straightened out

@Randy Holmes-Farley any thoughts?

gashunk · Sep 21, 2015

I haven't started dosing!! Yet but I did put two chem cubes in my sump what's bryopsis

gashunk · Sep 22, 2015

twilliard said:
Are you dosing any 2 part?
Before adding any sps coral lets work on these numbers.
Are you fighting bryopsis? Your mag is high.
I don't know of any salts that mix that high unless your dosing.
Don't worry, we will get it straightened out

@Randy Holmes-Farley any thoughts?

i believe those chemi cubes i uese are Sea-Lab formula 14ph cubes

Downbeach · Sep 22, 2015

Those cubes are a form of dosing, and possibly why some of your numbers are elevated. Are you buying your RO/DI water from the LFS too? How big is your system? I think you would be better served to get an RO/DI unit, a decent salt mix, and start making your own SW. What are you using to measure your SG with? I would suggest a decent refractometer, and a bottle of a 35ppt calibration solution for it. Here are a couple more articles to add to the three I already posted:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/rhf/index.php

gashunk · Sep 22, 2015

Downbeach said:
Those cubes are a form of dosing, and possibly why some of your numbers are elevated. Are you buying your RO/DI water from the LFS too? How big is your system? I think you would be better served to get an RO/DI unit, a decent salt mix, and start making your own SW. What are you using to measure your SG with? I would suggest a decent refractometer, and a bottle of a 35ppt calibration solution for it. Here are a couple more articles to add to the three I already posted:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/rhf/index.php

Yeah I'm getting my ro from my lfs my tank is 55g with a 10g sump I do need to get a refractometer it wouldn't be too much to start making my own sw right I do have some left over from when I started my tank but yeah I just never thought of using it

stevediaz1 · Dec 1, 2015

twilliard said:
Are you dosing any 2 part?
Before adding any sps coral lets work on these numbers.
Are you fighting bryopsis? Your mag is high.
I don't know of any salts that mix that high unless your dosing.
Don't worry, we will get it straightened out

@Randy Holmes-Farley any thoughts?

whats the difference between reef foundation abc+ & the individual reef foundation abc is abc+ a all in one powder for me to dose all at once or is it separate I'm a new reefer and it doesn't make any sense i assume i should use the abc+ because its better right ? so i want to balance my chemistry and i don't know the difference between this to products they seem alike please explain the difference between the two in detail if you can