Parameters and Tank Statistics

[Ro Bow]

Temperature: 77.5~78 F
PH: 8.2 but below is an image of the result (Using Red Sea)

Nitrite: 0 but below is an image of the result

Nitrate: 0 I believe. I'm colorblind so it all looks so similar ;Hilarious

Alkalinity: This looks confusing, how I go about testing this? Is there anyone else who uses Red Sea test kits who could simplify it for me? That would be much appreciated . Thanks!

Phosphate: How would I read this? What is this telling me?

Anybody else who uses this know how to do it? Its confusing

Thanks so much guys, sorry but once I understand it I will be set. Thanks again!

 

[Doctorgori]

pardon my bad eyes but it looks like you have the disk off center, and BTW that Red Sea Calcium is a few steps no?
for the alkalinity I think you have a choice of “resolution” either in 1/2 dkh increments or full..
After that it’s drop by drop…shake, add a drop shake
count your drops until the reaction/end point color change
I won’t be too embarrassed if someone corrects me
Sending to the top for a better answer than mine

if I may add, Red Sea makes darn good test kits but I do like the Hanna Alk checker dKh version for daily testing , if ya got $50 to spare that is….I’d keep the Red Sea regardless

 

[Ro Bow]

pardon my bad eyes but it looks like you have the disk off center, and BTW that Red Sea Calcium is a few steps no?
for the alkalinity I think you have a choice of “resolution” either in 1/2 dkh increments or full..
After that it’s drop by drop…shake, add a drop shake
count your drops until the reaction/end point color change
I won’t be too embarrassed if someone corrects me
Sending to the top for a better answer than mine

if I may add, Red Sea makes darn good test kits but I do like the Hanna Alk checker dKh version for daily testing , if ya got $50 to spare that is….I’d keep the Red Sea regardless

Yes the calcium is a few steps but after doing them I dont know how to determine what number the Calcium is at. Thanks

 

[Doctorgori]

Yes the calcium is a few steps but after doing them I dont know how to determine what number the Calcium is at. Thanks

usually you have to count the number of drops or whatever it takes until you get a color change in the solution. You got the reference paper ,to convert a endpoint number to measurement?

 

[Ro Bow]

usually you have to count the number of drops or whatever it takes until you get a color change in the solution. You got the reference paper ,to convert a endpoint number to measurement?

Thanks so much. Yes I have the reference paper

 

[Idech]

I use the Red sea pro kit for magnesium, calcium and KH. Your KH card is different than mine, so that’s odd.

The calcium is the same. To find out what the number is, you need to look at how much solution is left in the seringe, and subtract that from 1,0. For example, if there is 0,32 ml left, then 1 ml - 0,32 ml = 0,68 ml. That means you used 0,68 ml of the solution to match the color on the card.

Flip the card and look at the chart : 0,68 ml used = 340 ppm calcium.

The logic is the same with magnesium and KH.

 

[Ro Bow]

I use the Red sea pro kit for magnesium, calcium and KH. Your KH card is different than mine, so that’s odd.

The calcium is the same. To find out what the number is, you need to look at how much solution is left in the seringe, and subtract that from 1,0. For example, if there is 0,32 ml left, then 1 ml - 0,32 ml = 0,68 ml. That means you used 0,68 ml of the solution to match the color on the card.

Flip the card and look at the chart : 0,68 ml used = 340 ppm calcium.

The logic is the same with magnesium and KH.

Thanks so much

 

[PatW]

Temperature: 77.5~78 F
PH: 8.2 but below is an image of the result (Using Red Sea)

Nitrite: 0 but below is an image of the result

Nitrate: 0 I believe. I'm colorblind so it all looks so similar ;Hilarious

Alkalinity: This looks confusing, how I go about testing this? Is there anyone else who uses Red Sea test kits who could simplify it for me? That would be much appreciated . Thanks!

Phosphate: How would I read this? What is this telling me?

Anybody else who uses this know how to do it? Its confusing

Thanks so much guys, sorry but once I understand it I will be set. Thanks again!

Temperature is fine.

Alkalinity is maybe a tad bit low, but OK.

I assume that you are cycling the tank. So you are not getting nitrite or nitrates showing up yet. You want to add ammonia and see it converted to nitrite and then nitrate. Eventually, you want 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and whatever for nitrates.

Alkalinity is easy. You take 10 ml in your vial. You add the reagent. The sample will go from blue to green to yellowish green (which is the end point). If it gets to yellow, you have added too much. Not great but not that bad.

Phosphate - I only use Hanna ULR phosphorous. It is the only hobby level test that is sensitive enough to be useful.

Calcium is not that hard. Add 5 ml of tank water to vial. Add 5 drops from bottle “a”. Mix for 10 seconds. Fill a 1 ml syringe from bottle “b”. Add reagent drop wise. It will go from red, to purple to blue. The end point is blue without any hint of purple and you need to mix it up as you approach the end point. 400 calcium comes out about .8 ml so you can pretty much add .65 ml right off the bat.

 

[Ro Bow]

Temperature is fine.

Alkalinity is maybe a tad bit low, but OK.

I assume that you are cycling the tank. So you are not getting nitrite or nitrates showing up yet. You want to add ammonia and see it converted to nitrite and then nitrate. Eventually, you want 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and whatever for nitrates.

Alkalinity is easy. You take 10 ml in your vial. You add the reagent. The sample will go from blue to green to yellowish green (which is the end point). If it gets to yellow, you have added too much. Not great but not that bad.

Phosphate - I only use Hanna ULR phosphorous. It is the only hobby level test that is sensitive enough to be useful.

Calcium is not that hard. Add 5 ml of tank water to vial. Add 5 drops from bottle “a”. Mix for 10 seconds. Fill a 1 ml syringe from bottle “b”. Add reagent drop wise. It will go from red, to purple to blue. The end point is blue without any hint of purple and you need to mix it up as you approach the end point. 400 calcium comes out about .8 ml so you can pretty much add .65 ml right off the bat.

the tank is almost a year old I am using new test kits thats why I'm confused

 

[PatW]

the tank is almost a year old I am using new test kits thats why I'm confused

It happens.

With most of the well known test kits, you can just go to you tube and someone will almost certainly have a video showing how to use the test. You can check out the Bulk Reef Supply videos On Tests, their videos are usually pretty decent.

Nowadays, I tend to look at a video before getting a test. A test can be great but if it has a color change that I find baffling or an elaborate procedure that I will not do, then I don’t buy it.