Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build

[SPR1968]

I did my normal weekly water testing yesterday, on both tanks.

I try and keep alkalinity around 8-8.5 or thereabouts. It has been dropping low for about 2 weeks to 7 or less so I had been increasing the daily alkalinity dosage to compensate.

It was still low, and I’m wondering did I mix the sodium bicarbonate up to weak. I’m normally very careful on this sort of thing.

Anyway, I tested the ‘big house’ and alkalinity was 6.8. That was the last bit of Hanna testing reagent so I opened the new bottle and did a retest. It was 14.4!! The S650 was 14!

So I’m thinking what the heck, which is correct. So I opened another spare bottle of reagent and re tested. 14……

Ive emailed Hanna to see what they say, all reagents are from the same batch and well within date.

So I wonder if it can go off…..??

I’ve ordered a NYOS test kit because their others are very good, I’ve turned off alkalinity addition completely until I can confirm the correct reading, but I’m suspecting it’s on the high side due to a bad reagent. I’ve been using it for a while and until the last few weeks, it’s seemed to be producing ‘expected’ results.

 

[Petcrazyson]

I did my normal weekly water testing yesterday, on both tanks.

I try and keep alkalinity around 8-8.5 or thereabouts. It has been dropping low for about 2 weeks to 7 or less so I had been increasing the daily alkalinity dosage to compensate.

It was still low, and I’m wondering did I mix the sodium bicarbonate up to weak. I’m normally very careful on this sort of thing.

Anyway, I tested the ‘big house’ and alkalinity was 6.8. That was the last bit of Hanna testing reagent so I opened the new bottle and did a retest. It was 14.4!! The S650 was 14!

So I’m thinking what the heck, which is correct. So I opened another spare bottle of reagent and re tested. 14……

Ive emailed Hanna to see what they say, all reagents are from the same batch and well within date.

So I wonder if it can go off…..??

I’ve ordered a NYOS test kit because their others are very good, I’ve turned off alkalinity addition completely until I can confirm the correct reading, but I’m suspecting it’s on the high side due to a bad reagent. I’ve been using it for a while and until the last few weeks, it’s seemed to be producing ‘expected’ results.

Really!?! Wow 14?!

Do you like the NYOS for all the test kits or just for the Alk?

 

[SPR1968]

Really!?! Wow 14?!

Do you like the NYOS for all the test kits or just for the Alk?

I already use NYOS for calcium magnesium and nitrate. Their very simple to use and accurate when I compared to a Triton test some time ago

 

[SPR1968]

Ive just done a Hanna test with the new reagent and also the new NYOS test kit

It’s dropping, Hanna 9.8 and NYOS Alk 11 but the NYOS seems to only go in 1’s. 1 drop is 1 dKH

Hanna did reply, but it looks like the original reagent had gone off for some reason. The 2 new ones are the same.

 

[SPR1968]

We've had some crazy weather here in the UK, and it was a difficult decision when I saw the forecast wether to get on a jet plane or not……

So on the day I left this happened an hour after I took off!

And then 2 1/2 hours later… My home in sunny Spain..

it was a difficult decision, especially leaving the wife at home with the dog, aquarium, horse, hoover…….!

Hey, I did ask her if she wanted to come!

 

[fishguy242]

...you better bring her a really nice gift home...

 

[SPR1968]

...you better bring her a really nice gift home...

I will

Me and my relaxed happy smiling ‘tanned’ face!

Shes a lucky tart!

 

[crusso1993]

We've had some crazy weather here in the UK, and it was a difficult decision when I saw the forecast wether to get on a jet plane or not……

So on the day I left this happened an hour after I took off!

And then 2 1/2 hours later… My home in sunny Spain..

it was a difficult decision, especially leaving the wife at home with the dog, aquarium, horse, hoover…….!

Hey, I did ask her if she wanted to come!

Nice view!

I’m figuring with that oddly placed guardrail right across from your flat they must have seen your driving skills!

 

[SPR1968]

Nice view!

I’m figuring with that oddly placed guardrail right across from your flat they must have seen your driving skills!

Firstly I prefer to use the term Spanish ‘Villa’ rather than ‘flat’…!

The roads a service road, so only used by farmers etc. Its not very busy, and goes for miles so you see cyclists and walkers more than anything

We do get occasional cars using it as a short cut, despite the Police fining them if they get caught, so they put in speed ramps to slow them down. The rails are were the ramps are but I have no idea why. Maybe its incase it makes the driver jump!

 

[crusso1993]

Firstly I prefer to use the term Spanish ‘Villa’ rather than ‘flat’…!

The roads a service road, so only used by farmers etc. Its not very busy, and goes for miles so you see cyclists and walkers more than anything

We do get occasional cars using it as a short cut, despite the Police fining them if they get caught, so they put in speed ramps to slow them down. The rails are were the ramps are but I have no idea why. Maybe its incase it makes the driver jump!

Maybe you’ll spot a Spanish caravan, on that service road, from your Spanish Villa and they’ll take you away with them. Your “lucky tart” would then truly be lucky!

 

[SPR1968]

It’s surprising how time flies, I thought it had been some time since I cleaned out the protein skimmers in both tanks, so I did that today. It didn’t take long really.

I knew it has been a while, and when I checked they were last cleaned on 24th December 2022!

Maybe it must have been my festive mood at the time!

And yes, I am a LAR!

 

[fishguy242]

IT's a good thing you are a LAR...

PS :no clue what LAR means ,lazy az ??...
Yummy...
dumped and put back

 

[SPR1968]

IT's a good thing you are a LAR...

PS :no clue what LAR means ,lazy az ??...
Yummy...
dumped and put back

Well that looks far worse than mine did! Lol

You can join the LA reefer club!

 

[Petcrazyson]

IT's a good thing you are a LAR...

PS :no clue what LAR means ,lazy az ??...
Yummy...
dumped and put back

I didn’t need to see this twice

 

[Pacific North Reef]

Wow! Great pics!

 

[GBRsouth]

I didn’t need to see this twice

So you did need to see it once?.........Or more than twice!?!!

 

[Petcrazyson]

So you did need to see it once?.........Or more than twice!?!!

 

[SPR1968]

Wow! Great pics!

Thank you and thanks for stopping by

 

[Mr.Reefforrest]

Absolutely stunning!!!! Great work and an extreme level of thought and care went into planning this I presume!

 

[SPR1968]

Absolutely stunning!!!! Great work and an extreme level of thought and care went into planning this I presume!

Thank you and thanks for saying hello

Yes I did plan it in great detail, when I built it all, I did everything apart from the actual tank/sump and stand so I would now how everything works.

There’s very little maintenance these days, apart from cleaning the skimmer every 3 months like above!! Lol

Remember there are 2 tanks here as well, not just the very big one, there’s the ‘baby’ S650 as well