Snorkeler's Cube

A few thoughts about your entry that come to mind:

1) Corroborating tests
2) Dosing regime
3) Balling regime

1) If you question your test results, I'd earnestly recommend you find someone else with kits to compare against, be that a hobbyist or a local fish store. When I doubt my numbers, I run over to the LFS and have them run some tests to verify my numbers. If they aren't available, another local hobbyist with fresh kits is an excellent alternative.

Your test kits are only good so long. My rule is to check for an expiration date on the new purchase, and then to mark with a sharpie the date I open the kit for use for the first time. While a kit may last me years -- the bottles aren't empty yet - that doesn't mean the test results are valid. Once a kit reaches one year old, I replace it. And when I do my first test, I'll test with the old kit as well as the new one to compare those results, to see if they are close to the same or not.

Magnesium has a large margin for error. One author stated how he always does that test three times, and then divides the results by three for the most likely accurate answer. It's a sliding scale type of error, where if you are off a little bit, it can be several hundred PPM off on the scale charted. That's why he did redundant testing.

For how much fluid I try to determine what the kit maker prescribes, be that even with the line on the vial, or curled up on the edges due to water tension. The scoops are rarely explained properly, but rather than chance it with a 'heaping' spoonful, I use a level scoop every test.

If the test seems questionable, such as when I invert the bottle and it appears to drop in an extra amount before I was ready to count, or a drop seems to be more like half-a-drip, I'll abort and start over. With some kits, I had to let the first drip land in the sink, them moved it over the vial for the testing procedure to verify each drop was the same size.

2 & 3 really go together) You are going to have to get #1 figured out though, because all your subsequent efforts are going to be based upon your test kit results. How much do you dose of any part if your kit isn't trustworthy, or your testing procedure is questionable? Dosing Magnesium will require a lot to bring the number up. When I ran the 280g, I was adding a 2-liter bottle worth at a time, and I dosed it that way several times a year. I was making my own (RHF's 3rd Part, Recipe 2) to keep costs down, and it would get the Mg back up to 1350ppm - 1400 ppm. Over a period of months, this number would gradually come down and I'd have to dose a large amount of Mg solution. Powdered, watered down, or pre-fabbed from a name brand, it will still take a lot to get it to the target number you want. Right now you posted that your Ca is 500ppm. Technically, your Mg should be 1500ppm then (3x the calcium level), but your Ca is too high. A BIG water change, like 120 liters, will do wonders.

When you are ready to do the balling method, you'll need to test daily to measure out the results. You need to make sure it is close to where it should be all the time, not going up and down and all over the place. If you only test once a week initially, you'll very likely get your tank all out of whack just because you don't know what's happening. Once you know (for example...) you need to add 15ml of Part 1 and Part 2 and 3ml of Part 3, that'll be a great day. Then you simply have to make sure your dosers provide that exact amount, consistently. If one of those dosers decides to run non-stop, a water parameter will swing hard. A few tanks have gotten too much alkalinity causing a crash, unfortunately. The tubes may clog up, preventing further dosages due to blockage.

Basically, keep a close eye on how it works daily, and test often. Once you get it fine tuned, it'll be much easier to maintain, but you still have to verify by testing and visual inspection that it is operating perfectly.

I agree that the measurements are necessary, and that I need to check them, corroborate the results. What bugs me the most to be honest is the time it takes to do them and / or check results...

I can't imagine myself doing the Ca/Mg test more than once. With an intensive job and 3 young kids time is at a premium...

Your tip of throwing away the first drop seems a good idea to eliminate some unprecision.

Going to a LFS to check my measurements checked gives me mixed feelings. First because I can't say I trust LFS measurements too much. My first LFS wasn't testing my NO3 right years ago, and I'm not sure the junior guys who do the tests follow instructions properly. I'd only trust them if they were done in front of me. Then there is the time spent element... I have to go to the LFS, which on a weekend eats up family time and normally means store full, wait my turn, get them to do the measurements, then drive back.

My idea with the balling method was start at the lowest dosage levels in order not to push the tank of of normality. Then, gradually increase them. I did think of measuring daily at the start, but have to say I'm dreading the time spent doing those measurements... They'll probably be done after 11PM, when the house is finally calm and no more chores are left... When I'd rather be winding down and getting ready to sleep.

It would be great if an easy / quick Ca and Mg test were created, something as easy as dip a strip in the water, wait 1 or 2 minutes for it to develop then read what the strip says... ;-)

There are those digital devices for certain tests, but they aren't cheap and I still don't know how accurate they are.

My routine in the past was to do the tests on Saturday morning. It worked out well for me, and it provided a consistent number matching the time of day. pH and temperature is a perfect example, as those numbers can vary quite a bit if measured in the morning versus in the evening.

I hear you on the un-fun tests. It's why I almost always just do each one once, but if one test seems questionable I'll sigh and repeat. I mean, the other option is wondering if it was right or not, which doesn't give me the warm fuzzies. I need to know what's what, since the results are what help me determine what needs to be adjusted.

Hey Snorkeler, it's been a while since I checked how your aquarium is doing....nice job with the LED lighting! What's the latest news? Dwight

Hello Dwight, tks! The latest news is that I'm running the balling since May and haven't had time to check the water params, but everything looks great in the tank... so it must be fine ;-) . I've been running it on auto-pilot, with auto-feeder, for more than a month now, only changing the fresh water for the ATO and emptying the skimmer cup once a week . Have loads of algae in the refugium, probably because there is more food than needed, but I'm not worried.