Noob Levels Question

[Ian Baxter]

Noob question. I was running a FOWLR tank (9 mo old) so I’ve never tested the big 3. Tank has been fallow for 90 days and I wasn’t really doing water changes (2 total). 120g and 20g changes. Just got my sailfert test kit and the levels are below 2 days after last wc. If I do another water change will it help raise my levels? I use Tropic Marin salt.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Raising the salinity to 35 ppt (sg = 1.0264) will boost the values some. I'd do that before I bought additives.

The magnesium may be test error. Try the kit on some new salt water. If the new salt water also reads low for whatever reason, water changes would not help.

 

[Ian Baxter]

Raising the salinity to 35 ppt (sg = 1.0264) will boost the values some. I'd do that before I bought additives.

The magnesium may be test error. Try the kit on some new salt water. If the new salt water also reads low for whatever reason, water changes would not help.

I’ll definitely give that a try. Usually I run is at 1.025. Don’t want to dose if I don’t have too. The test kits are a little confusing. Not sure if I’m supposed to stop adding the last liquid once the color starts to change or once the color changes and is clear. I may go with Hanna checkers.