lfs saltwater

Hello i just recently purchased the red sea reef foundation test kit. i've been trying to get use to using this test kit. this test kit is kinda funky maybe im just second guessing myself. but what im getting at is when i first got this kit i tested my cal alk and mg, and i was getting 490 cal 12alk and 1200 mg which is really good. this was me dosing kalk which these number are right.

now i got a fresh batch of sw from the lfs and i wanted to test this water to see what the numbers were going to be. i got 390 cal 10 alk and 1300 mg.

is it me or should fresh sw have atleat cal in the 400 ppm range? im not sure what type of salt there using.

 

Most do mix above 400 ppm but there are a few that are below.

 

Sounds as though you bought already made up SW, right?

 

Yeah its pre made sw. I just figured that all would atleast be in the 400 ppm range. I kinda was shocked that why i need to trust the #'s on the test kit.. im thinking that this water is pre made for fowlr tanks..?

 

I belive alot of that depends on where the specific gravity is when they make their water. If its within the parameters of the salt mix, then it should be what is set on the label. If its higher or lower then the parameters change.