Red Sea test kits

I<3Reefer · Jul 4, 2018

so I got a Red Sea test kit and my numbers are sky high...

1490ppm calcium
12.2 dkh
1900ppm mag

Is this normal? It’s been 4 days since my last water change and I use reef crystals pre made water from my lfs

AdamNC · Jul 4, 2018

I’d say testing errors.
Watch these, they may help out.

Calcium test
Magnesium test
Alkalinity test

mckinney0171 · Jul 4, 2018

Be careful with their magnesium test kit. It is the only one of the bunch that I don’t trust. Salifert magnesium is much more repeatable.

I<3Reefer · Jul 5, 2018

I read the instructions, watched all the videos multiple times, and even did the magnesium twice.... I dunno I could possibly be a few points ppm off or on the DKH I guess I could be off by up to a point.... but I don't think I did it COMPLETELY wrong.... I just don't understand how this is possible and I'm kind of bummed I spent $50 on the test kit.

AdamNC · Jul 5, 2018

Take a water sample to your LFS and have them test it even if it costs. Then you can see if you got bad reagents.

I<3Reefer · Jul 5, 2018

Good idea

PatW · Jul 5, 2018

One way to test the test kit is your salt mix. Most popular salt mixes have published parameters for ALK, Ca and Mg. Take freshly mixed salt mix and test it. If you get the published result, you should be good.

By all means, get your water tested by the LFS.

Another possibility, is your testing of salinity accurate? If you are running a real high salinity, that will elevate everything.

I use Red Sea for ALK and Ca. Their Mg test drives me crazy.

I<3Reefer · Jul 5, 2018

I actually use my LFS' pre-mixed water w/reef crystals

Also, I called my LFS (too busy right now to drive a half hour over there). And talked to them about my issue. They told me to stop doing a water change every 4 days and go back to once a week. I had been fighting Dinoflagellate for a couple months and after the 2nd peroxide treatment I began doing 2 a week water changes. She said it's most likely the reason for high Mg/Dkh/Ca etc. So I'll cut back to once a week again (it's been a week since I've seen any sign of Dino). I also remembered that I usually top off my tank with RO every other day, and it had probably been 3 days since my last top off, which probably raised the salinity from my normal 1.025 to 1.027/8.