Todays testing.. ok?

[laverda]

I think my temp is a bit low, but I’ll credit that to having an open window in that room overnight. It is still pretty cold here in Vermont but my tank wasn’t doing so well with the level of CO2 we had here. I think I have finally got my numbers to balance out a bit. Any advice?

Temp 73.4°
Salt 1.023
dKH 10.9
Calcium 487
Alkalinity 181
Phosphate 0.00?
Ph 7.63

I am surprised you PH is so low with you ALK that high. Have you checked your Magnesium? If your magnesium is low, raising it should help with your PH. Why do you think you Co2 is high there? Can you run the skimmer air intake from outside? I would raise your salinity unless it is a fish only system. Doing so will raise your ALK and Ca which are both pretty high already.

 

[madweazl]

I am surprised you PH is so low with you ALK that high. Have you checked your Magnesium? If your magnesium is low, raising it should help with your PH. Why do you think you Co2 is high there? Can you run the skimmer air intake from outside? I would raise your salinity unless it is a fish only system. Doing so will raise your ALK and Ca which are both pretty high already.

The elevated CO2 levels are likely the cause of the lower pH. Not sure what Mg would add in that regard?

 

[Maggie321]

I wonder why you got 10.9 and 181 that is equal to 10.1. Accuracy is +-.3dkh on the one and 5% on the other. You'd think there would be some overlap

 

[Maggie321]

Ok. I flubbed my math. There is some overlap at 10.6 with conversion... now you have to decide if you want one that reads low or one that reads high... I would do multiple tests to decide...

 

[madweazl]

Ok. I flubbed my math. There is some overlap at 10.6 with conversion... now you have to decide if you want one that reads low or one that reads high... I would do multiple tests to decide...

Unless you're using a syringe, eyeballing the meniscus at the line in the cuvette is always going to introduce a little error.

 

[Maggie321]

Unless you're using a syringe, eyeballing the meniscus at the line in the cuvette is always going to introduce a little error.

That's why the factor in the error... I thought.

 

[madweazl]

That's why the factor in the error... I thought.

That margin of error is related to the test kit itself, we introduce potential for even more.