New IO levels?

[Ryan]

I finally got around to testing a fresh batch of water from the new buckets of IO. I used a Sailfert Ca test and an Elos Kh test.

Calcium 440ppm
Alk 14 dkh

Anyone else have similar readings?

[Delphinus]

I think so. Your calcium seems higher than I remember what I tested mine out at, but I think I remember it being not too bad. I'll have to doublecheck my notes downstairs and post back. I found Mg to be around 1000-1100.

The one lesson I've learned though is, it doesn't matter what salt it is, doesn't matter what price category it is (cheap like IO or designer like .. I dunno D-D or whatever) ... test every bucket. EVERY bucket. You will be amazed at how inconsistent the values are over time. We're better off knowing beforehand so we can adjust (does our makeup water) as required.

[littlesilvermax]

That doesn't make sense to me, unless magnesium levels are 1500 or so.

You cannot have that high of a cal reading and still have that high of an alk reading.

What was the salinity at for the test?

FWIW many of us don't trust salifert like we use to.

[Delphinus]

Yeah there's no way you'll get Mg of 1500 out of IO. I was pleasantly surprised I get 1100ish mind you, since I've spent double on the price of IO on the premium salts only to find Mg is inadequate anyhow.

The last IO I tested I got 340, 10, and 1050 for the big 3. I didn't mentally tweak on the alk number you posted but now that LSM mentions it, I agree those numbers are suspect after all.

I've kind of come to the conclusion that all test kits have some degree of suckage. I don't really know if there's an answer to that. I still buy Salifert when I can. I didn't mind Elos so much, but found the same degree of variances as with other test kits anyhow, but the real kicker was just that if you just so much as look wrong at those glass vials, they break, and unless you're lucky enough to have a spare, you're out a test kit.

LSM, what test kits are you using these days?

[littlesilvermax]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Yeah there's no way you'll get Mg of 1500 out of IO. I was pleasantly surprised I get 1100ish mind you, since I've spent double on the price of IO on the premium salts only to find Mg is inadequate anyhow.

The last IO I tested I got 340, 10, and 1050 for the big 3. I didn't mentally tweak on the alk number you posted but now that LSM mentions it, I agree those numbers are suspect after all.

I've kind of come to the conclusion that all test kits have some degree of suckage. I don't really know if there's an answer to that. I still buy Salifert when I can. I didn't mind Elos so much, but found the same degree of variances as with other test kits anyhow, but the real kicker was just that if you just so much as look wrong at those glass vials, they break, and unless you're lucky enough to have a spare, you're out a test kit.

LSM, what test kits are you using these days?

"some degree of suckage"

I use Elos, I have also used Salifert. I have never broken anything, and always gotten good readings that made sense from all of my test kits, baring Hagen.

[Ryan]

Salinity was at 1.026 at 77 degrees.