Salifert calcium & Iodine tests

[Matt_b]

I bought another 2 salifert test kits today and would like some advice on my calcium result and how to perform the "combined iodate and iodine procedure"

Firstly my Calcium, I had a few goes at this test first as i was amazed how the colour changed so quickly!! i love this test, why isn't all tests as easy as that!!! instead of trying to decide what exact colour it is why not make it go from one colour to a completly different one I done three tests and its deffo 395ppm, any good?? my leaflet says NSW is 400 - 425 ppm so i guess its a bit low??

Now for the combined iodate and iodine test

Quote from instructions

"Now look from the side of the test vial
If the color is a dark yellow, green or blue or even has
several blue colored particles in it then this suggests
that the iodate concentration is far higher than 0.2 ppm"

It seems that it should go to one of the above colours then i can go to the next procedure but the water in the test vial is crystal clear, is this a good thing??? i got a pair of blood shrimps to look after

Thanks for any comment



MAtt

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

I dont know about the Iodine test.

The CA test is good. 395 is not that bad of a number.

[Matt_b]

Anyone use the salifert Iodine test kit??

[gwen_o_lyn]

nope, I dose iodine very rarely, and never test. I think 395 is good for your CA- you don't have much in there yet to consume the CA so you are good

[Geoff]

OK. i know what you are thinking and it is wrong. i am sure the LFS told you that your Xenia need iodine to flourish. Buggers. do not dose iodine. your water changes will keep this in check. you can poison your tank fairly easily if dosing iodine.

remember back when i said some people can keep Xenia and others can not. this has no bearing on how good of an aquarist you are. if it does not make it do not fret about it. look at the other corals, these should be a better indicator of things in your tank. i find Xenia are more like weeds than a true coral.

G~

[Matt_b]

To be honest Geoff i was testing Iodine in my tank for my shrimps, i read somewhere that it needs to be in check for them to moult properly

I bought the kit yesterday and funnily enough my shrimp moulted today!!!

So it was a waste of £20 should have bought a strontium kit instead

Thanks everyone

Matt

[Loverotties]

Originally Posted by Geoff

OK. i find Xenia are more like weeds than a true coral.

G~

That can be true !But it helps pay for my addiction!by fragging it a lot @$100 a month!

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by Matt_b

To be honest Geoff i was testing Iodine in my tank for my shrimps, i read somewhere that it needs to be in check for them to moult properly

I bought the kit yesterday and funnily enough my shrimp moulted today!!!

So it was a waste of £20 should have bought a strontium kit instead

Thanks everyone

Matt

nope, would not get one of those either. this is another element that is easily replaced with water changes. i think someone found that SW has strontium in it then found you can make a test kit for it, so lets make money. it is called a trace element for a reason.

G~

[tdwyatt]

What Geoff said, exactly.


Your water changes are much better at keeping both appropriate amounts and proportions of trace element in the tank than you could EVER do with testing and supplementation. An added benefit of water changes is the removal of accumulating wastes (and nitrates and phosphates) in the system, not to mention issues with total proportionality of the conservative elements when using two part calcium and alk supplementation.


Spend your money on the buckets of IO rather than a bottle of Strontium and the test kits. Make it a point to stock up on salt when you find a deal.


HTH

[Matt_b]

The last 2 posts have been a real eye opener, thanks, Also makes me realise the importance of water changes even more

must admit i'm a sucker for buying things i don't need i do it in all my hobbys, its never pressure from a salesman, i just think i need it!

Shame i messed up how much salt i needed when starting my tank as i bought 2 - 56lb buckets of kent salt!! not even half way through the first yet!!

Maybe i should go out and buy a coral instead??? lol

Thanks again

MAtt

[Matt_b]

Heres a pic i took tonight, main reason i bought the iodine test, think i toooo much



Edit : sorry modem users, just seen the size of the file!!

[tdwyatt]

Nice Photo!!!

[Casey]

Great shrimp but mine hides all the time and i never see him,they are hiders.

[Matt_b]

Originally Posted by tdwyatt

Nice Photo!!!

Thanks Tom, i'm amazed myself Not sure what went wrong there

[dobejazz]

Excellent Pic! Mine is really shy also