Testing Alk/Cal/Mag

[Scrambler87]

So I have been taking my water to my LFS for sometime for testing. But I feel what he is saying to me is not exactly what is going on in my tank.

He uses Salifert Lamonte and one other I cant think of. He says he averages them together. Yet today I take a water sample to him and from 2 weeks ago mind you my dosing pump has been dosing the exact same amount every day for over a year. He claims my caclium is down by 30 and my mag is down by 100. This does not make sense so I checked my dosing pumps checked the calibration. No issues there. As well I have not added any rock or corals for sometime. Nor have I changed my brand of supplements.

What could be causing this to drop off and what test kit can be truely trusted.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Might be time to get your own test kits. It is always possible that the existing corals and coraline you have is growing, which is consuming major elements. If that is the case then you would have also noticed a big drop in alk. Best way to tell is getting your own kits and testing every week roughly at the same time.

 

[Stonekeg]

I agree with Halal. If all of the livestock, dosing, and gear are unchanged and confirmed to be working as intended then the next suspect is the testing method.

 

[Scrambler87]

Yeah I am looking at doing it myself. With as many tanks as I have I should of been doing it long ago but my local store is a couple blocks from my house so it was easier.
Debating on which test kit, salifert or Red Sea is where I’m leaning.