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Thread: calcium testkit error?

  1. #1

    calcium testkit error?

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    I bought the tetratest NO3 testkit and found out that my nitrate is >100mg/L, out of range!!

    but the funny thing is my cleaner shrimps managed to survive so its is possible to have such nitrate levels and the shrimps wont die?

    or is it my testkit went haywire?

    forgot to mention ... I tested 3times and got the same results

  2. #2
    get a sera or jbl wan...i think urs might be screwy
    Acroporids and Tridacnids

  3. #3
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    did u measure correctly and follow the instructions? if so, then get a new one..coz your test kit could be faulty.. check for expiry date..[]
    Let us work together to preserve the world for our children to inherit by being responsible to our surroundings. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, bubbles and memories.

  4. #4
    okay ... I got a new testkit and it shows 50mg/L
    still quite high []

    I feel like adding 20cm of fine sand into my canister filter!

  5. #5
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    okay ... I got a new testkit and it shows 50mg/L
    still quite high []
    the reason for that high reading.. what are your dosage of calcium additives into the tank??? i hope u are testing for calcium and not NO3

    I feel like adding 20cm of fine sand into my canister filter!
    for??? mind telling me what u have inside the canister?
    Let us work together to preserve the world for our children to inherit by being responsible to our surroundings. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, bubbles and memories.

  6. #6
    sorry for the error, I was testing for both calcium and nitrate at that time so kinda blur and I couldnt figure out how to change the topic so I left it as it is []

    my calcium is around 500mg/L
    but my nitrate is at 50mg/L

    I got 2layers of wool and 2layers of ehiem substrate in my canister
    I feel like removing the last 2 trays and filling it with coral sand to host anerobic bacteria

  7. #7
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    high nitrate levels.. how old is your filtration? what is your bio-load?? to reduce it, change water... but it is not much use if your filter is not able to cope with the bio-load or not able to cope with it yet...[]
    Let us work together to preserve the world for our children to inherit by being responsible to our surroundings. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, bubbles and memories.

  8. #8
    my tank is around 5months old
    only 4 fishes in 4ft tank

  9. #9
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    in that case, when was the last time u changed your water?? what is the feeding habits?? with 4 fishes in 4ft.. it is very high.. i have abt 6-8 fishes of various sizes and my NO3 levels are like 10ppm.. btw, i feed them once a day..
    Let us work together to preserve the world for our children to inherit by being responsible to our surroundings. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, bubbles and memories.

  10. #10
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    Yo Kel,


    Once a day feeding enfuff?


    Saw C328selling some Marine Veg Flake. U think my chromis, yellow wrasse & common clown like them?

  11. #11
    my last water change can be dated back to BC. hahaha
    btw I think my sand is not thick enough for denitratfication, will be adding for sand in the next few days

  12. #12
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    well.. barra.. u know what to do then.. hahaha

    Tigger, i feed my fishes once a day.. but each time till they can't eat anymore.. all my fishes are obese.. need to go for 5 mths training..

    green chromis and the wrasses dun eat veggies.. they can be classified as carnivours... but they do eat pellets such as tetra bits... at least mine does.
    Let us work together to preserve the world for our children to inherit by being responsible to our surroundings. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, bubbles and memories.

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    Hi Barra,


    Saw yr posting abt thick sand can aid in denitification. Does it mean breaking down of the NO3 into harmless N2. If thats the case I may need to get somemore sand.


    Now my sand is only abt an inch thick.

  14. #14
    ur sand bed must b at least 3.5in for denitrification to take place. this is olso known as DSB system.
    Acroporids and Tridacnids

  15. #15
    Hey Spiff, got something to ask u. My sandbed is now only 1"+, but I do see bubbles forming in the middle layer - is this denitrification taking place? Also, if I want to add more sand to make the sand bed thicker, how to go about doing it? I mean, the LR will be sitting on about 15% of my tank surface area. Dun want to move the LR leh, so troublesome!

    Regards,
    Hong Yee

  16. #16
    try to get it as thick as possible
    I used to think that my 2inch is enough although you can see bubbles its not working fast enough to cope with the bioload

    I just got 13kg of sand today, I'm gonna take out the last 2 layers of my canister filter and replace with sand

  17. #17
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    Hi Barra,


    With 3.5 Inch is enuff? Is there anything else? If not I will be getting more coral sand tomolo!

    Gd Nite!

  18. #18
    ok...the bubbles u all c is jus oxygen.i hv them too between the 1st 2 in!to check if theres really denitrification taking place, the area where the bubbles r formed r very dark.tts y its called denitrification zone.

    for all of u going to add more sand....MAKE SURE ITS C1 GRADE! cos the finer the sand the less oxygen flowing tru it.u can get the c1 grade sand from petmart for abt $6 per 10kg.

    hong yee....wat many of my friends did was jus throw the sand in, which covered the bottom parts of the lr.....

    olso for all those setting up DSB, make 100% sure tt u do not play wif it.do not use a gravel siphon to clean it.N DO NOT EXPOSE THE BOTTOM DENITRAIFICATION ZONES!the hydgrogen sulpahte which is the product of denitrification can kill all ur livestock if large amts of it is released.

    to prevent the snad from clumping. add a cucumber. it will clean the top surface of the sand.get the black ones only as they r not as toxic as other cukes.reefworld selling them at $3.
    Acroporids and Tridacnids

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