Corals don't look right.

I get that you only use 5ml of the 10ml of solution but if you use the reagent and 5ml then add 5ml of plain rodi your only using enough reagent for 5 of the 10ml. If he did it that way he should use 5ml of tank water plus 5ml rodi and double the normal reagent because its 10ml of water then only use 5ml of that said 10ml to carry out the rest of the test.

 

When I done my weekly 4 gallon water change Sunday I mixed my salt lower than I usually do. I run it around 1.026 with a hydrometer. I mixed it at about 1.022 to get it a little lower. Yesterday with my hydrometer my tank was at 1.024. After checking with a friends refractometer my tank water was actually about 1.028. Looks like my hydrometer is reading about .004 to low. That would explain why my params are so high. Getting a refractometer today. Lol

 

You might want to test your clean saltwater after you mix it up. Using instant ocean reef crystals and specific gravity at 1.025 my dkh was at 16 and calcium was at 450. I switched back to regular sea salt after I found that out and just dose as needed instead.

 

I'm actually going back to instant ocean next water change.

 

Wouldn't the high alkalinity dilute into your tank and thus raise it to average it much lower than the fresh mix?

 

I'm not really sure what your trying to ask or say. With the reef crystals when I first started testing my calcium was well over 600 and duh was in the mid 20s. It took a few water changes with plain salt to bring the dkh and cal down to where they should be. I been using plain salt for am few weeks now and I'm happier with it. For me I'd rather use regular salt and dose as needed to keep my params in check rather than use reef crystals and have my params through the roof. Just my personal preference.

 

I'm hoping my params get back to normal with the instant ocean.

 

Was just curious why you are unhappy with the fresh salt test results, but that answered it.

 

Let me know what your results are when you switch. I bought the reef crystals thinking that it would be so much better for my system because of the added mag and calcium but in reality it ended up being way too much for my system. And usually too much of something can be just as bad as not enough.

 

I think for a system with tons of SPS and LPS the Red Sea Coral Pro with the added mag and calcium would be great. But I only have zoas and a few other things so far.