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Indu 
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 Topic: Is there something..
Posted: March 12 2015 at 3:15pm |
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Is there a device I can use to test Ca, Mg and Kh instead of doing titration? Something similar to a refractometer where I can just put a few droplets of my tank water and it will display the levels of Ca/Mg/Kh? Just wondering. It would make my life so much easier.
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Mike Savage
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Posted: March 12 2015 at 3:29pm |
Not quite as easy as a refractometer but the Hanna testers may fit your needs.
http://hannainst.com/usa/prods2.cfm?id=030011
Mike
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1stupidpunk
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Posted: March 12 2015 at 3:33pm |
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Indu
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Posted: March 12 2015 at 3:41pm |
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Nice. I know Hanna tester for Alkalinity is used often. What about the Ca/Mg tester? Has anyone used it? How reliable are the results?
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Jimbo
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Posted: March 12 2015 at 3:55pm |
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The Alk checker and the ULR Phosphorous checkers are great. The Calcium checker was a little too much work and inconsistent In my experience ( I sent it back) Always preferred and trust Salifert for Calcium.
Don't think they have a magnesium checker but I could be wrong. Always used Salifert for that too
Edited by Jimbo - March 12 2015 at 3:56pm
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: March 13 2015 at 10:07am |
How often are you testing Alk, Ca, and Mg? Maybe some of us could help with this. I test Alk about every 2 weeks or so, Ca less often and Mg maybe 2-3 months apart. I test PO4 only every once in a while but NEVER test pH nor N compounds(NO4, NO2, NO3). if you would like to know why I can get away with so little testing, I'd be happy to explain.
Edited by Mark Peterson - March 13 2015 at 10:08am
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Jeremyw
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Posted: March 13 2015 at 10:29am |
I use hannah CA and ALK tester.Love them! I have compared them to Salifert and to API each time I tested and they are very close. I did that for a month and stopped because they were close.
The trick to Hannah is you have to do it PERFECT! And you have to get ALL of the powder in the vial not accidentally spill any or leave a little in the pouch. Otherwise you will get wrong readings.
I have read people saying they dont like them and they were accurate. But I found mine to be accurate IMO.
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Reefer4Ever
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Posted: March 13 2015 at 11:22am |
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I love my Hanna checkers. Jeremy is correct about doing it right. Most of our reef tanks have 100's & 1000's of dollars into them why skimp and rush a test that ensures the parameters of the water. I won't tell anyone what test to use, just follow the directions and do it right.
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90 gal reef w/refugium
24 gal softie tank
11 gal nano anemone tank
5 gal fresh water
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Indu
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Posted: March 13 2015 at 3:57pm |
Mark, I am testing Calcium almost every day these days, trying to figure out the daily dosage. I guess once I found the sweet spot, I can reduce the frequency.
Thanks Jeremy and Dennis for the confirmation about Hanna checkers. I don't mind manual alkalinity test (I've figured out my daily dosage for that, so I don't need to test it every day), but I think I will get one for Calcium.
Thanks Indu
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Indu
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Posted: March 13 2015 at 3:59pm |
 Jimbo wrote:
The Alk checker and the ULR Phosphorous checkers are great. The Calcium checker was a little too much work and inconsistent In my experience ( I sent it back) Always preferred and trust Salifert for Calcium.
Don't think they have a magnesium checker but I could be wrong. Always used Salifert for that too |
Jimbo, which one is more work, Sailfert or Hanna?
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: March 13 2015 at 4:37pm |
I've been waiting for something to easily check them for years now. Still haven't found anything.
Adam
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Jimbo
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Posted: March 13 2015 at 5:58pm |
Indu wrote:
Jimbo wrote:
The Alk checker and the ULR Phosphorous checkers are great. The Calcium checker was a little too much work and inconsistent In my experience ( I sent it back) Always preferred and trust Salifert for Calcium.
Don't think they have a magnesium checker but I could be wrong. Always used Salifert for that too |
Jimbo, which one is more work, Sailfert or Hanna? |
I'm not sure that one was any more work than the other but like was stated above, you have to be real precise with the Hanna checkers. IME even more so with the Calcium checker. I much prefer the Salifert for Calcium but for Alk and PO4 Hanna is great. Probably the best way to measure Phosphate for sure.
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LaRue
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Posted: March 13 2015 at 8:47pm |
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Has anyone seen the mind stream it sounds really promising.
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: March 13 2015 at 10:22pm |
It appears that there is still no good, affordable substitute for tritration testing of Alk, Ca, and Mg. What can we do to reduce the pressure of having to do freqent testing? I would look at these things:
1. What are the levels that the aquarium landed at before dosing began  and what are they when dosing is ignored for a week In some cases, depending on several factors, the Alkalinity of a reef aquarium may naturally hover around 8, with Ca around 400 and natural levels of Mg at 1250.
2. What are the type and number of animals in the tank that require significant amounts of Alk, Ca and Mg The number of snails, stony coral, amount of Coralline Algae and a few other organisms determine the need.
3. What are the depth and type of substrate in the Display and if present, in the Refugium Some substrates are extremely good at "buffering", i.e., keeping Alk, Ca and Mg stable and relatively within ranges. On the other hand we have seen some substrates that were actually detrimental to the reef and its occupants.
The acceptable ranges in which I have seen coral live are pretty wide: Alk 7 - 14 dKH (best health occurs at ~7-12) Ca 350 - 600 ppm (best health at ~400-500) Mg 1050 - 1800 ppm (best health at ~1200-1400)
It should also be noted that Alk and Ca are quite forgiving, or in other words, coral can often live pretty well anywhere within the ranges shown above and usually take a fairly long time to be affected by out of range levels. In a sense, that's why we test Alk and Ca, because unlike Ammonia, Nitrate and Nitrite, we cannot see clear, immediate evidence in the coral when Alk, Ca and Mg levels have gone out of range.
You didn't say what lead up to this concern about testing and dosing. That history may be important to consider. Did an animal die? Was the coral looking bad? Did you read or hear that certain numbers were imperative?
One other point: Chasing numbers can sometimes result in catastrophe. I've seen it more times than I can count. In these cases, the natural chemical equilibrium of the water was messed with until chemistry was out of whack and animals started to die. Sometimes letting the tank reach its own equilibrium is healthy.
It's always helpful to fully discuss the situation with knowledgeable reef keepers that can lead and guide you to safely reach a reasonable goal. It may seem strange, but that's what we are here for. The purpose of this club's founding was to help each other have a better reef aquarium.
Aloha, Mark 
Edited by Mark Peterson - March 13 2015 at 10:33pm
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