Salifert Test Kits

Silicate occurs especially in tap water or in purified water when the RO or DI unit is not functioning properly. Silicate not only results in diatom bloom but might also block some essential trace elements such as vanadium and molybdenum.

Salifert offers a very sensitive and accurate silicate test kit. Silicate content can be decreased by using the granular Phosphate-Killer or the liquid Phosphate-Eliminator. Although both are designed for phosphate removal they have also a very high affinity for silicate.

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.

Strontium measurement is a necessity but is unfortunately a relatively difficult test. Perhaps in forthcoming years this will change when newer and easier methods for strontium measurement will become available.

It therefore is a test, which many hobbyists will not conduct frequent enough.