MORE TEST KITS INFO:

Test kits are used to determine the concentration levels of different elements, compounds, and chemicals in the water. It is important to know what these levels are to ensure that the water parameters meet the requirements of the tank inhabitants. For a fish-only tank, you will want to measure the pH, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. For a reef tank, the calcium, magnesium, strontium and iodine levels are also very important parameters to measure along with the others first stated.. Phosphate, silicate and nitrate levels have a significant impact on annoying algae growth. Test kits can be quite handy if you run into problems. www.oceanreeflections.com carries many test kits and monitors that can be found below  if you have any questions we can be reached at service@oceanreeflections.com

BASIC PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PARAMETERS:

PH:   A PH between 8.0 and 8.4 is the most acceptable range for most marine and reef aquariums. PH should remain fairly constant, and any sudden change is cause for concern. Maintaining of good water quality by use of periodic water changes is usually the best and most sufficient to assure reasonable PH values. Maintaining correct pH is critical. Low pH will lead to pH shock and the death or your fish and corals. To raise your pH to an acceptable level us a buffer such as Super Buffer DKH .  Electronic pH meters, such as the Pinpoint Monitors and  Milwaukee Aquarium pH Meters are far accurate than the chemical test kits.

AMMONIA :   Ammonia is a toxic waste product of aquatic animals. In new, unconditioned aquariums ammonia levels rise until bacteria, which convert to ammonia to less toxic compounds, are established in the filter bed. Ammonia levels in a conditioned aquarium should very seldom exceed 0.1 milligrams/liter or ppm   of ammonia-nitrogen. Chronically high levels are very high cause for concern.

ALKALINITY: Alkalinity is a measure of the acid buffering capacity of your tank water. (In other words, a measure of the ability of a solution to resist a decrease in pH when acids are added.) Since the biological action of the reef tank contents will produce acids, alkalinity in a closed system has a natural tendency to go down. Correct alkalinity levels allow hard corals and coralline algae to properly secrete new skeletal material. When alkalinity levels drop, the carbonate ions needed are not available and the process slows or stops. A buffer such as Superbuffer dKH will help you maintain your alkalinity.

NITRITE:  Nitrite ions are produced from ammonia by bacterial action. In new, unconditioned aquariums, nitrite will accumulate until bacteria, which convert nitrite to nitrate, are established in the filter bed. Nitrite should be virtually undetectable in a conditioned aquarium. Measurement of nitrite-nitrogen provides a convenient means of monitoring the conditioning sequence in new aquariums. Level will rise steadily, then drop to zero, signaling completion of the initial conditioning sequence.

NITRATE : Nitrate ions are produced from nitrite ions by bacterial action. Although not significantly toxic, nitrate does accumulate in the aquarium at a rate which is proportional to the biological loading of the system. Thus measurement of nitrate-nitrogen provides a means of monitoring general water quality. As nitrate accumulates, other changes are also occurring in the aquarium water. Decreasing water quality may have a profound effect on aquatic animals and is a major factor in stress-induced susceptibility to disease. Elevated nitrate levels indicate a need for water changes! Levels shouls be kept under 20 ppm in reef aquariums.

CALCIUM:  Calcium is a major constituent of calcareous algae, skeletal material of hard corals and the skeletal needles of soft/leather corals. Calcium also fulfills many biological functions. Quite often a too low calcium concentration retards coral and calcareous algae growth. Ocean Saltwater  contains 400 - 450 mg/L calcium. Which is also the value we should strive for. For a stable aquarium environment the fluctuation in calcium content should preferably not be more than approx. 15 mg/L.

PHOSPHATE:  Phosphate has several negative effects if present in a too high concentration. First of all undesirable algae growth might result. Making an aquarium an unpleasant sight. Phosphate also blocks or retards the growth of corals and calcareous algae. One of the scientific studies shows that a phosphate concentration higher than 0.05 mg/L decreases the growth of calcareous algae by 90%! Washing fish food, which is a rich source for phosphates in a sieve after thawing reduces the input of phosphate tremendously. Also avoiding use of phosphate-rich low-grade activated carbon helps keep phosphate levels as low as possible. Checking the activated carbon for phosphate prior to use is therefore highly recommended. Conclusion:  Since phosphate can have major consequences when present in a concentration above 0.05 mg/L a test kit should be able in detecting even lower concentrations.

MAGNESIUM: Magnesium is present in NSW in a fairly high concentration (1300 - 1400 mg/L). Magnesium is an essential part of chlorophyll, which is necessary for photosynthesis. Without photosynthesis plants, including algae and the corals, which we usually have in our aquariums, would not be able to live. Magnesium has another important function since in fact makes maintaining the correct combination of calcium concentration and alkalinity or carbonate hardness possible. The explanation is as follows. Calcium forms with carbonates and bicarbonates an insoluble compound called calcium carbonate. Yes this is indeed an important building stone for corals and calcareous algae but then it should be formed by biological processes and be deposited at the right place. Therefore formation of calcium carbonate by chemical processes should be avoided. Even without biological interference calcium carbonate would be formed and would deplete calcium and alkalinity or carbonate hardness without fulfilling any function. In fact it will scavenge many important trace elements as well lowering the trace element concentration. Magnesium slows down this negative process. The lower the magnesium concentration the faster this negative process will take place and also at a much lower calcium and alkalinity/carbonate hardness value. Maintaining a correct magnesium concentration is therefore very important and is indirectly responsible for fast coral and calcareous algae growth by virtue of making the maintenance of correct calcium and alkalinity figures possible. Magnesium is depleted by algae and is also depleted by the use of excessive kalkwasser and by going far beyond natural calcium and alkalinity and pH values. There are also certain brands of salt, which have or had a dramatically low magnesium content. Use of such a salt will result in permanent problems with calcium and carbonate hardness values. Conclusion: The measurement of magnesium and taking corrective measures are justified. Magnesium additives should be such that no ionic imbalance is created. Furthermore many magnesium salts contain sufficient amounts of ammonia to upset biological balances. Very high-grade magnesium salts are therefore required. Magnesium is an element which was neglected for a long time. The magnesium content of some aquariums appears to be rather low when tested. Corrective measures have to taken for a balanced reef system.

STRONTIUM:  Strontium plays an important role by accelerating coral and calcareous algae growth. NSW contains approx. 7 - 9 mg/L strontium. Since the growth of corals and calcareous algae goes hand in hand with strontium and calcium depletion, depletion of calcium usually means depletion of strontium as well. It is advisable to maintain a strontium concentration between 5 and 20 mg/L. 

IODINE:  Iodine is present in NSW (Natural seawater) in a very low concentration (0.06 mg/L or 0.06 ppm). Iodine occurs as different species. Some of them are iodide, iodate and hypoiodite. Generally when we say iodine then we mean one or more iodine species without a clear distinction being made. NSW contains predominantly iodate and to a slight extent iodide.  It is currently considered important for both soft coral growth and hard coral health. It is removed via skimming, activated carbon usage, and assimilation into biomass.

We at www.oceanreeflections carry a nice selection of the most accurate test kits available like Tropic Marin, Salifert, Red Sea and Instant Ocean below you will find almost any test kit you can think of, if you have any questions we can be reached at www.oceanreeflections.com

Tropic Marin test kits
Salifert test kits
Red Sea test kits
Instant Ocean test kits