Test kit lied to me, elevated levels.

Earl Karl · Jan 20, 2019

So I use Salifert test kits for all parameters. However, recently some of my test kits were lying to me (what are the chances of that?!). I got new test kits and I have >500 Ca, >1500 Mg, and 14 dkh in my 240 gallon. Everything is still doing fine, with the exception of 2 of my acros and chalices a bit ticked off, but I couldn't find a reason why my snails were dying and having trouble sticking on to things. Well, now I know since I got new test kits.

What should I do at this point? I dose 2 part, should I dose lower amounts? Or should I stop dosing until recommended levels? Anything else I should do? I prefer not to do water changes, It's gonna take forever with Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. I have a dam sponge encrusted in the upper level, so I kinda fd myself when it comes to water changes, which is why I run a ULNS.

KrisReef · Jan 20, 2019

Slow down dosing, and wait for the animals to use up the excess. And throw out those lying test kits, or give them to someone you don't like maybe?

saltyhog · Jan 20, 2019

It would be really weird for all three test kits to be bad. This makes me wonder if your salinity is off. How do you measure salinity and what is it now?

I would just stop any dosing and monitor closely until your parameters reach the levels you want. With your salt choice you are going to have higher levels of alkalinity than I would want with ULNS.

Earl Karl · Jan 20, 2019

My salinity is at 1.026-27, not bad. I measure with a Milwaukee digital refractometer and I always recalibrate it just in case. All of my test kits are a bit old, like reaching almost 2 years, my fault for delaying on testing and such. Overdosed on 2 part. I might just slow down dosing, I don't want to let anything dropping too fast and crash the tank. Mg is gonna be a pain to lower tho.

saltyhog · Jan 20, 2019

Yeah the Mg will be really slow. Unless you have a lot of growing large stoney corals you won't be in danger of it dropping too fast by stopping dosing altogether. Just monitor closely for a while.

Earl Karl · Jan 20, 2019

Yeah, my tank is about 80% acro colonies, 10% chalices, and 10% others. Probably gonna have to slow down dosing if anything. I was just wondering if there would be something else to do, but I guess not. Only few are them are ticked off, but nothing concerning.