Potassium Test Kit

[rcmike]

I got my test kits yesterday. I did a potassium test this morning and it checked out at 400ppm. I will admit though that I did add a little potassium after I bought the supplement. I have noticed in the last couple of days that some of the corals are getting back to the colors that they are supposed to be. I have even noticed some growth on the sickly orange cap that turned greyish blue.

 

[angrycubano]

I got my test kits yesterday. I did a potassium test this morning and it checked out at 400ppm. I will admit though that I did add a little potassium after I bought the supplement. I have noticed in the last couple of days that some of the corals are getting back to the colors that they are supposed to be. I have even noticed some growth on the sickly orange cap that turned greyish blue.

What supplement/product did you use to add the potassium? Do you just have frags or are they colonies?

 

[rcmike]

I used Red Sea coral colors B. Right now I only have frags. I lost all my colonies a couple of years ago. :squigglemouth:

I will say that the colors of several corals have really improved since adding it. The orange cap that was turning pink is turning back orange again. I also have a red gonipora that had been pinkish for a long time that is getting more reddish. I don't know if this is coincidence but I have noticed I am getting more growth in the last week.

 

[mixer911]

I looked at the Red Sea Max Reef Care program video and was wondering if anyone else agrees with their claim. Basically they divide their dosing program into growth and then coloration. It makes sense since I notice my SPS frags first encrust, branch, then color up. If that is the case, should I just worry about maintaining proper levels of Ca, Mg, and Alk instead of worrying about other trace elements? They even have different salt mixes for growth and coloring up. Is there validity to this or are they just trying to double down on selling their products?

Mitch, I think what they are claiming has some validity to it. They are the first to actually break it all down into the elements that our tanks use and created "care" packages. Now most experienced reefrers already knew most of this and kept most of these elements in check. Where they have steped it up is with the the Coral Coloration Program and the tests. For people with established tanks that already keep their Ca, Mg and Alk in line, this new set of tests can help out a lot. The most important I think will be the potassium. People running bio pellets especailly.
So to answer your question, I think you should mainly just stick to the The foundation elements for now. Once your tank has been established and your water changes are not able to keep up with the demand of the trace elements, then you might need to look at the others. Not saying it would hurt to test for these as you stuff starts growing.

Mike, I started dosing potassium about 3 weeks ago and have noticed a huge difference in my corals. It didnt take much, maybe 150ml to get it back to 400ppm for me. They always had a dull look to them, almost like the Zooxanthellae was not coloring up. Now the Zooxanthellae look a lot better and I can see the veins in the corals. My reds have colored up niely again also. So for me I think it is making a difference.

 

[Dowtish]

Rick, what is the correlation of needing potassium if you are running bio-pellets? Is it being consumed by the pellets?

 

[mixer911]

I read some where a while back that the bacteria consume some potassium in their process's. Potassium Nitrate was specifically mentioned. I will have to see if I can dig it up. I also think Bill had mentioned something that John from Warner Marine also said something similar and he recommended his potaassium suppliment. Bill??

 

[angrycubano]

I read some where a while back that the bacteria consume some potassium in their process's. Potassium Nitrate was specifically mentioned. I will have to see if I can dig it up. I also think Bill had mentioned something that John from Warner Marine also said something similar and he recommended his potaassium suppliment. Bill??

So other than your kalk reactor, what else are you dosing and what products are you using to dose the other elements? Do you recommend that I use the Red Sea products for dosing? BTW I am two parting right now my Kalk and Ca via BRS, and my Mg stays high with water changes.

 

[mixer911]

Here is a good read, its older info, but is saying almost exactly what Red Sea is claiming. He also mentions using Caps for indicators of potassium levels.... Guide of SPS coral coloration (make them more vivid, bright)

 

[mixer911]

So other than your kalk reactor, what else are you dosing and what products are you using to dose the other elements? Do you recommend that I use the Red Sea products for dosing? BTW I am two parting right now my Kalk and Ca via BRS, and my Mg stays high with water changes.

Mitch, I am using a Calcium Reactor , not to be confused with a Kalk reactor. The are doing similar things though. So for this question, I am using only a Calcium reactor to Maintain my Alk and Ca. I have to add Calcium from BRS to keeep up with my demand as the reactor is just barely keeping it up. I don't have to add much though. I also dose Mg via a dosing pump. Other than that, I dont dose anything. I just dosed the potassium to get my levels back to par and will see what I need to keep that at the 400 level.

For you, what u are doing is perfect. The 2 part is perfect for your system. No need to change, as the Red Sea Foundation stuff is expensive. The test kits they have are mainly what we are talking about and they seem to be good at this point. I have found that the Mg test is off and it seems to show the Mg is higher than it actually is. It is off by about 5oo-600 ppm. All the other tests have been dead on with others.

 

[Dowtish]

And I was just saying the other day how much I love the new Red Sea test kits. The hard plastic shell, the laminated card, and the titration dripper thingie. But I only own the Mag test, so I probably need a different Mag. test kit. what's the most accurate???

 

[poolkeeper1]

Jon Warner had sent me some samples of his products and it included Potassium supplement along with Magnesium, So this could be taken that he thought is was needed.
As far as a Mag test kit I have used Salifert for years and they seem to be accurate as far as i know.

 

[mixer911]

I have been using the Seachem Mg test for a few yrs and it seems to be pretty accurate. I think if we can narrow down how much the Red Sea test is off, it would still be usefull. I have been trying to see what the gap is.

 

[Dowtish]

I hear ya Rick, if I can get a seachem or salifert, and then compare the 2, I would still use the red sea setup. I even use the red sea setup with my Salifert calcium test kit. I use the couvette, and the titrater, it's just easier to find the end point with one hand.

 

[mixer911]

Yea, red sea's design for the kits is awesome. I love the titrater they come with. Their Calcium and Alk tests are dead on with the hanna Alk colorimeter and with the API Calcium test kits.

 

[rcmike]

Thanks for that link Rick. In reading what potassium deficiency does I would almost bet that was a big part of my problem years ago. He described what happened to my tank exactly. Everything died a very slow death.

I have really noticed some growth in the monti cap I got from you. It hardly grew at all until I put in the potassium. Now I can see new growth almost daily.

 

[mixer911]

No Prob Mike! I have a feeling that most salt mixes are low on potassium. My corals are looking a lot better since adding the potassium also. It's crazy that one thing can make such a difference. I have been chasing all the other things in the tank and it just clicked after reading up about potassium.

 

[angrycubano]

I have been using the Seachem Mg test for a few yrs and it seems to be pretty accurate. I think if we can narrow down how much the Red Sea test is off, it would still be usefull. I have been trying to see what the gap is.

No wonder my Mg showed off the chart. So now I need to get a Potassium test kit, a Potassium supplement and a Seachem Mg kit......anyone?