Testing for Silicates?

[Kasey Grohowski]

Just wondering how many people test for silicates.

 

[Coralreefer1]

I really don’t have a need to as it is normally just an issue when you first start out with a new tank.

 

[taricha]

I do. To make sure that I have Si in the system. But that's not typical.

 

[Dan_P]

I do. To make sure that I have Si in the system. But that's not typical.

Maybe it is a good idea to mention again your observation about test kits that do not seem to detect silica but are still being sold.

 

[taricha]

Maybe it is a good idea to mention again your observation about test kits that do not seem to detect silica but are still being sold.

Right. It's probably good to know that reports I've seen, hobbyists dosing Si are like 0 for a dozen or so in detecting Silica with Salifert's kit.
The Hanna Low Range Si meter however has worked for everyone and reads roughly as expected based on the doses of Si.
I think @Rick Mathew actually took some data on it? and found the hanna meter reads roughly ~10% lower in saltwater than expected based on dosed concentration - which is vastly preferable to the 100% error from the other most common Si test kit.

 

[Rick Mathew]

Here is the results that TA refereed to