Test results are in!

[partobe]

I went to the lfs and gave the saleslady my water to test. Here are the results.
Salinity 1.8 she said that is low add salt
Ph 8.0
nitrate 30 better than I thought
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
alk 2.5 I think. I did the test myself here and thats what it looks like to me I have no idea if thats good or bad?
They did have any calcium test left so I couldn't buy one. She said my calcium levels were fine. I asked for the number and she said her test didn't give numbers it gives colors and mine was purple. She said that was fine but I'm not sure.
She said just add salt and Kent supper buffer and things should turn around with in 24 hrs.
Please let me know what you think.
I'm not adding any slat or buffer until I hear from you.
Thanks
Patrick

[seaham358]

NEVER add salt directly to the tank.. How much do you want to raise the SG?

[partobe]

I was going to mix it with ro water and add it to the sump. I have no idea how much I should add. The sales lady said a cpl of cups? She said my sg should be 2.2 and it's now 1.8

[coralcat]

ok going to say this.. YOU MUST GET YOUR OWN TEST KITS!!!!!...

[coralcat]

dON'T ADD SALT WITHOUT HAVING A TEST KIT (sorry caps) how ya going to know!!!!! a plastic salinity meter is 100% better than nothing. please please please, don't depent on LSF test, change run back to shop then home then back!!!! You will loose, or your tank will

[partobe]

I have nitrate ph and alk test kits. I was going to buy a ca kit but they didn't have them. I only have softies in my tank so dont thin ca is a problem right now. I have a glass hydrometer to test the salt and it's reading 1.020. I know this prob sounds stupid but if I dont add salt how will I get the salinity up?

[Wiskey]

To rase the salt content top-off with salt water. You are talking about 1.018 SG right? If so then you are right 1.022 woud be good, but I would shoot for 1.025. Personally I run my salt from 1.025 to 1.026 because that is the salt level of the ocean I am worried about.

Alk,.. 2.5 is low I assume this is meausreing in MEQ/L? not DKH? Please confirm.

If my above assumption is correct, then 3.2 Meq/L is a good level for Alk, 5 TSP of Arm and Hammer baking soda will bring your tank close to that, but add them one TSP per 12 Hours and test a couple hours after each addition, add to the sump so it get's mixed in with that water before returning to the tank.

On the CA, I don't know what Purple means, sorry.

Whiskey

[Wiskey]

Just to confirm what people said above, adding salt is a bad move because when it first desolves it can be caustic, plus if undesolved salt falls on your fish or coral it can burn. Topping off with salt water is the way to raise your salt level.

Whiskey

[partobe]

Thanks Whiskey
I bought supper buffer by Kent she said that was what I needed. Should I ad it as directed instead of the baking soda. How much salt do you think I should add a cpl of cups to one gallon mix it the put it in the sump? Oh yeah I bought that food you were telling me about! Also How do I raise my alk?

[coralcat]

did I miss it???? How many Gal tank and sump. before you start adding A&H,

[partobe]

Thanks coral cat
I have a 150 gallon tank with 20 gallon sump. I'm not adding anything yet

[Fly Guy]

Out of curiousity HOW did she test your water??? What brand of test kits and ho wlong did it take her???

[Wiskey]

No prob. I don't know how much Kent superbuffer is required, so you are on your own if you want to use that, it's not included in my handy caculator, add slow, test often. Baking soda is cheaper so I use that especially when I go through 2 1/4 cups a month due to a very high demand in my tank. (stony corals) That food is cool, you'll like it.

Just mix up some salt water like you were doing a water change (but mix it to 1.025 this time), then add that when you top off your tank, this should slowly raise your salt level.

BTW the amount of baking soda I gave you should be slightly less than what you need, I told it you had 120G total water volume, when after your sump you should have more. I did this so you wouldn't over-shoot your mark, it's easer to bring your level up a bit than down a bit.

Whiskey

Originally Posted by partobe

Thanks Whiskey
I bought supper buffer by Kent she said that was what I needed. Should I ad it as directed instead of the baking soda. How much salt do you think I should add a cpl of cups to one gallon mix it the put it in the sump? Oh yeah I bought that food you were telling me about!

[coralcat]

Originally Posted by Fly Guy

Out of curiousity HOW did she test your water??? What brand of test kits and ho wlong did it take her???

Good Question!

[partobe]

not sure of the brand it was in a plastic black box. Each test had a plastic vile of sorts with the colors next to them you would match the colors to each other by sliding the little plastic window. The whole thing took about 20 min