What exactly do they do?

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by steve wright, Jan 27, 2011.

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  1. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    Thanks Peredhil
    I agree with all you say, but I am hoping to test purple up also, as I do not believe its balanced, and want to test it to prove it


    m2434
    you typed , how I felt, LOL

    Thank you Crimson Ghost

    yes water was thrown away after aragamilk test and tank was rinsed out
    so its always DT water being used, with no effect from previous product influencing the next product

    1 x 10% water change would have been a good idea, I never considered it
    I will have plenty of solution/ powders left, and have a spare 5 gallons of mature salt water 50 weeks per year so, I may repeat tests once all products are tested and include a 10% water change at the half way stage

    my tests this time, will just show the cumulatve effects of daily dosing of this product for 2 weeks

    I chose against using live rock, because I wanted to have a situation where nothing was using these products
    in order to find out , exactly how balanced they are
    if I had used live rock, I would have had to change it each time
    otherwise the coraline etc, would have benefited from each additive
    so I would not know if its one additive or a combo that created the best growth
     
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2011
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  3. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    update on Reef Fusion

    after 2 weeks dosing at 0.9mils every day

    PH - Red Sea - 8.2 - 8.4 - color was no darker than last weeks test
    Magnesium - 1470 ? Product does have Mag on ingredients list, but this level maybe inaccurate see below
    Calcium - Wow 1st ever emptied syringe , = over 500ppm
    test repeated using lower resolution mode 1mil of water used
    result was 270ppm - doubled up = 540 ppm Calcium
    DKH - Wow 2 again very close to an empty syringe = 15.7

    comments
    an increase of over 120ppm Calcium and 7 DKH over 2 weeks
    Mag reading could very well be suspect due to elevated levels of other 2 ions ( test kits do struggle when parameters are outside of general ranges)

    versus Aragamilk
    Aragamilk gave me an increase of 50ppm calcium and 3.6 DKH in 2 weeks
    Reef Fusion has given me an increase of over 120ppm Calcium and 7 DKH in 2 weeks

    hence Reef Fusion delivers a higher concentration of both ions when using product according to instructions given

    Reef Fusion does seem to be a better balanced additive
    in that an increase of 120ppm calcium combined with an increase of 7 dkh
    Is more balanced than an increase of 50ppm Ca and 3.6 dkh that was achieved with Aragamilk


    next product, starting later today and tank is emptied and re filled, will be Kent Nano part A and B

    Steve
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2011
  4. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    product number 3 Kent Nano part A and B

    [​IMG]

    this product, instructions suggests 8 drops per 4 gallons of both part A and B on a daily basis - thus 2 drops per gallon or 10 drops in my 5 gallons of water each day


    parameters of the water added this week (nb - Lost water doing water change this week so had to add some new saltwater to compensate)

    SG 1.025
    PH - 8.2 ish - Red Sea
    Magnesium - 1440
    Calcium - 430
    DKH - 8.3

    will be very interesting to compare results of this against the Fusion product just tested
    and also the Brightwell product being tested next

    Steve
     
  5. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Cool my products are up!!!!!

    I add 4 drops of each product every other day to maintain my current calcium at 450 and alk at 9. So now that you provided a review of the dosing instructions ( which I have not looked at in years ) I am thinking I better compare my results against another testing method. Since my acropora are growing as is my coralline algae something must be a miss. :confused:
     
  6. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    verifying the test kits is a sound idea IMO, Cheryl
    but dont forget that demand is the deciding factor in how much is used
    and in your tank, even with growing SPS, you may not need to dose daily

    ( my tank with 20 plus SPS frags and colonies only uses 5ppm calcium and 1/4 DKH per day at present)

    Im testing daily, on the assumption I am a newbie, without a test kit
    so want to know, just what 2 weeks dosing into a set up with zero demand will do to the levels

    Steve
     
  7. Peredhil

    Peredhil Giant Squid

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    Excellent info. Just posting, letting you know I'm still following along with this amazing thread.

    When it's all done; will you write up a separate thread w/the results? That one might make for a good sticky in the water chemistry section.
     
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  9. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    thats a good idea thanks Peredhil
    a single post with all the results on would be easier for people to extract the information they need from.

    as I have plenty of each product left after 2 weeks testing
    my aim is to repeat the test again at least once more
    before commiting to what they actually achieved
    that should eliminate any fluke results or test kit use error
    in fact if I can repeat all these products tested 3 times
    and then take the average of the 3, the results should be reasonably accurate



    Steve
     
  10. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    another 2 weeks has passed and its time for the test result on Kent Nano part A and B

    1stly - I wanted to see how much 10 drops equated to, so I can compare with other products where you measure additions in mils
    [​IMG]
    I dripped 10 drops into a syringe and its about 0.8 mils

    test result

    PH 8.2- 8.4
    Magensium - had to add some to the syringe = 1520
    Calcium - exactly and empty syringe = 500 ppm
    DKH - about 0.4ml left in syringe = 15.4

    [​IMG]
    Ph
    [​IMG]
    Calc test - yep 100% empty but no need to add any IMHO
    [​IMG]
    dkh - So close to empty its worthy of a picture

    conclusion
    PH - unaffected
    Mag increased by 80 ppm in 14 days
    Calcium increased by 70ppm in 14 days
    DKH increased by 7.1 14 days


    so basically similar results to the Reef Fusion in terms of DKH
    although did not seem to deliver as much calcium as Fusion
    but as this product is designed as a complete additive for smaller tanks
    it delivers far more magnesium than the Fusion product did

    comments
    like the Reef Fusion product tested before, I will have no hesitation in using this product in my SPS set up, now I know what exactly its capable of delivering and can thus calculate a additions requirment based on demand

    new water in tomorrow
    Brightwell part A and B will be tested
     
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  11. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    next product up for 2 weeks additions based on beginners instructions
    is Brighwell Reef Code A and B

    [​IMG]

    instructions indicate - adding 5 mils for each 25 gallons
    thus I will be adding 1 mil of each part each day for 14 days and seeing where the levels get to

    this weeks water was 50% from reef tank and 50% new water
    (yep 1st bucket from water change ended up down the lavatory before I remembered I wanted it in the nano)


    parameters tested as follows
    SG - 1.024
    PH - 8.3
    Mag -1430
    Calcium - 420
    DKH - 9.0
     
  12. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    quick update - Brightwell A and B test will conclude tomorrow

    and today I picked up this product, which will be the subject of the next 2 weeks testing

    [​IMG]

    Reef Accelerator from Instant Ocean - an all in one additive, so it says Mag, Calcium, etc plus trace elements

    I will limit my testing as usual to the big 3 and see where this product takes them

    Steve