Latest Water test results, anything wrong?

[kingman8610]

Ok well after the test on 12/03/10 Calium:700ppm,KH:179ppm,Phosphates:5.0, and Nitrates:20 using an API Master Test Kit I did about a 60% PWC and took out half of my sandbed<<will get new pics posted this week... I re-tested on 12/06/10 and here are those results Calcium:800ppm, KH:214.8ppm, Phosphates:2.0ppm, and Nitrates:10ppm

Is there something I'm missing? I also re-scaped my tank and it looks WAY better visually. Please lemme know any thoughts!

thanks!

 

[neilanh]

Make sure you're doing your tests right. If so, I've never seen calcium levels that high. ALso, that phosphate level, if it really is 2ppm, is extremely high.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Have you fixed your salinity yet? In that one thread, you were saying your swing arm hydrometer was off the charts and it was way too salty. If so, that would explain the high calcium numbers. Calcium is like 2x what it should be. Phosphates are also crazy high. But with no coral, it really doesn't matter except for fueling algae.

 

[abdhalim2]

as kurt mention,that might be the reason why you have such readings....and what type of salt and water did u used..??

 

[mr_X]

i'm betting he's using API test kits. they have the worst calcium test in the hobby. i compared 2 API calcium kits against salifert and elos kits and the API was about 400ppm higher than the other two, BOTH times.

 

[abdhalim2]

yup Mr X...he is using API test kits...u can see his post in other thread....

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

i'm betting he's using API test kits. they have the worst calcium test in the hobby. i compared 2 API calcium kits against salifert and elos kits and the API was about 400ppm higher than the other two, BOTH times.

You must've gotten two very bad API kits. They're not great, but I've never seen them *that* far off. Maybe off from Salifert by 20% or so, but nothing like what you saw.

The original poster mentioned in another thread that the arm on their swing arm was "straight up" - which would imply a really really salty tank... and really really high calcium.

 

[mr_X]

but only 10dkh with 700ppm ca? i don't think that's possible. i believe that alk would be around 4. yeah, i don't agree with the API. i wouldn't use anything but the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in those kits. they are worth about what they cost, compared to the others.

 

[kingman8610]

Yes I have Fixed my Salinity, not to perfect as now it is UNDER what it should be lol but now I am topping it off with SW til it gets there, its not too far off anymore.

BUT BAD NEWS!!! My friggin heater BLEW UP last night OMG my water temp now is about 66-68 degrees!!! All I have in there are my 3 hermits my LR and a very small acan echinata frag (which I got free so not worried about). It will be a few days before I can get another one... Is this gonna cause any/many/too many problems? Can I get a time frame/graph kind of thing? so I can know how long I have

-Thanks for all the chatter! helping me learn a lot.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Mr X... I didn't do the conversion on the alk number and just figured it was messed up too. I agree... 700ppm cal and 10 dkh ain't right.

Kingman... not sure how long things can survive at those temps. I'm guessing the hermits would be OK, but only a guess. If you've fixed the salinity, then those calcium numbers are off. Either a bad test kit or operator-error.

 

[kingman8610]

Yeah well its only been a few days since I did the re-over on my tank so Im gonna test again on Sat. and see how things look. I hope all is well. And I AM fearful for my hermits b/c now with the temp so low they are barely mobile, (Im guessing to save energy) and they dont really eat now when I feed them, And I'm guessing b/c its too cold! they are all 3 huddled up in one corner of the tank... grr IDK what to do to get them some heat til I can get a heater. I had to top off a bit last night so b4 I did I heated up the water a bit but (sarcastic laugh) it didnt do squat.

Any Ideas? Thought about boiling a rock.. but idk

-Thanks all

 

[mr_X]

why can't you get to the store to get a heater?
do you have a local reef club? someone could loan you one.
i have a couple here, but by the time i ship it out....

 

[abdhalim2]

bro king...dont boiling your rock coz this will make the bateria die...im sure your house have heater right..???try to increase it a bit coz water temp can be effect by the its surrounding temp....or as Mr X suggested, go and borrow heater from other aquarists.....

sory my language is bad....

 

[kingman8610]

lol its ok abdhalim. and no, Doug I dont have a local reef club that I know of, I should probably find out eh? And I cant buy one b/c I haven't the money right now. And is yours small enough for a 10g? If so, i would love it, and could pay you for it when I get paid and yeah Im going to see about upping the temp in my house til I get one and see how that works.

 

[mr_X]

i have a 100 watter sitting here. that should work. 10 bucks you owe me, plus shipping. fair? if so, pm me your address.

 

[kingman8610]

Ok Doug, Done deal.

Ok all thanks for everyone who has posted!

Here are the latest test results.
12/12/10
Calcium:500ppm, KH:143.2ppm, Phosphates:2.0ppm and Nitrates:80ppm! well just after that test I did a 25% PWC so in a couple of days I will re-test again to see if that helped, plus this weekend I'm gonna go get some ccc's to help keep the neg. lvls down, and I'm kinda thinking that maybe my tank hit a mini-cycle? idk let me know what ya'll Think! and I'm also getting probably another lb. of LR.

Ok everyone keep 'em coming thanks!!!!

 

[mr_X]

hold up on the inverts until you get the temp issue corrected.

 

[kingman8610]

Ok Doug, thanks. Will it kill 'em to be in 62-69 Degree water? I think thats F, whichever is the american standard lol.??

 

[abdhalim2]

hey kingman, what is your ammonia readings...???

 

[mr_X]

no. i highly doubt they will, since they come from much warmer waters. i would wait a few days until you get some heaters in the mail.