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AWT test results

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by xroads, Feb 23, 2010.

  1. Feb 23, 2010 #1
    xroads La Porte City, IA

    xroads Veteran Reefkeeper Vendor

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    I cant see colors for squat, & I have been battleing hair algae so I sent a sample of water to AWT (Aquarium Water Testing).
    Here is the results.  What surprised me was my phosphates were low, but potassium was high.  Anyone have any thoughts about pot?

    Ammonia (NH3-4) ........................Good ......................................... 0.010
    Nitrite (NO2)................................Good ......................................... 0.015
    Nitrate (NO3)...............................Good .............................................0.3
    Phosphate (PO4) ..........................Good ........................................... 0.02
    Silica (SiO2-3) .............................Good .............................................0.5
    Potassium (K) .............................. High............................................. 483
    Calcium (Ca).................................Low............................................. 336
    Boron (B) ....................................Good .............................................4.1
    Molybdenum (Mo)......................... High..............................................0.2
    Strontium (Sr) .............................Good .............................................9.3
    Magnesium (Mg) ..........................Good .......................................... 1300
    Iodine (I¯)...................................Good ........................................... 0.03
    Copper (Cu++) ............................Good ........................................... 0.02
    Alkalinity (meq/L)..........................Low............................................ 2.12
     
  2. Feb 23, 2010 #2
    snowman82

    snowman82 Experienced Reefkeeper

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    pot is illegal, when used can make you very happy and giggly and hungry as well... some people use it for medical reasons /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif haha j/k

    i never heard of potassium in talks of reef tanks
     
  3. Feb 23, 2010 #3
    mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    HAHAHA snowman, i had to refrain myself with a similar answer.
     
  4. Feb 23, 2010 #4
    slovan

    slovan Experienced Reefkeeper

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    Aside from low alkalinity, you don't have anything that is throwing up a red flag. Some people using Zeo would be happy with your K value since it is an expensive supplement. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif

    What kind of lights are you using? Color temp? Age of bulbs? Maybe you can try frequent water changes, reducing photoperiod, feed less, snails and/or yellow tangs.
     
  5. Feb 23, 2010 #5
    Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

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    Your phosphates maybe that low because the HA has been using them as a food source. It's not gonna grow without a food source, eliminate it's source or absorb it before the HA can use it as fuel.

    Is your TDS of your top off water and WC water ZERO? Are you over feeding? Are you running GFO? Those are the 3 things I did and within a few weeks time I had NO HA to be seen.
     
  6. Feb 23, 2010 #6
    xroads La Porte City, IA

    xroads Veteran Reefkeeper Vendor

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    Posted By Waverz on 02/23/2010 02:44 PM
    Your phosphates maybe that low because the HA has been using them as a food source. It's not gonna grow without a food source, eliminate it's source or absorb it before the HA can use it as fuel.
    Is your TDS of your top off water and WC water ZERO? Are you over feeding? Are you running GFO? Those are the 3 things I did and within a few weeks time I had NO HA to be seen.
    Yes, Yes (but put the tank on a big diet), and just started.
    Do you remember that funky rock you gave me that was covered in HA?
    It didnt seem like it was made of calcium, I wonder if that is fueling it.
     
  7. Feb 23, 2010 #7
    jwess

    jwess

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    Whats the fee to get that test done?
     
  8. Feb 23, 2010 #8
    xroads La Porte City, IA

    xroads Veteran Reefkeeper Vendor

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    $25
     
  9. Feb 23, 2010 #9
    Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

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    When you got the rock it was covered in Caulerpa not Hair Algae.  Another thing I did and forgot to mention was Tech-M.  Do those things I mentioned and use Tech-M until your Mg is at like 1600. I'll bet you a frag of GSP your algae problems will go away.
     
  10. Feb 24, 2010 #10
    xroads La Porte City, IA

    xroads Veteran Reefkeeper Vendor

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    lol,

    Tech M only works on Bryopsis, not regular HA.
     
  11. Feb 24, 2010 #11
    Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

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    How do you know?   I had briopsis as well as regular HA, both went away very quickly after my Mg levels were in the 1600's.
    As cheap as the stuff is it couldn't hurt to try.
     
  12. Feb 24, 2010 #12
    xroads La Porte City, IA

    xroads Veteran Reefkeeper Vendor

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    Randy Holmes Farley did a bunch of testing on it. It actually isnt the Magnesium, but there is a by product that is in the Tech M only that affects the Brypsis
     
  13. Feb 24, 2010 #13
    Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

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    According to the thread on RC some have thought it might even be trace amounts of copper that kills it. It seems odd to me that one algae species would be totally unaffected while the other is almost totally eradicated especially when lots of people classify bryopsis as a type of "Hair Algae"
    So if RHF did all this research and testing surely he would explain why it only affects Bryopsis and not other types of Hair Algae.
    All I'm saying is I started running GFO, changed my DI resin, and jacked up my Mg to 1600 using Tech-M and after a couple weeks ALL my Algae was gone, maybe it was the GFO and 0 TDS water that killed off the other Hair Algae but like I said I have a hard believing it would kill one species outright and not affect the other in any way.  I guess all you can do is try, if you run GFO for a few weeks and are using O TDS water and it's still there try some Tech-M. 
    Another thing to think about too is if your Phosphates are high you may need to change out your GFO weekly or bi weekly the first few weeks of using it.
      
     
  14. Feb 24, 2010 #14
    xroads La Porte City, IA

    xroads Veteran Reefkeeper Vendor

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    Ya I put the tank on a big diet & just started the good GFO on Sunday. I have been manually pulling some out. TDS is 0.

    I thought about turning lights off for a few days, but dont want to have to do that just yet. Will see how the GFO does for the next week.

    Thanks
     

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