Alk levels/ WC Guide

[SneekaPeek]

Hello everyone,

I took interest in another thread of relatively the same concept, but still haven't figured it out. Im using tropic marin pro reef and I have noticed the alk level is very low in the 5dkh range. When I do substantial water changes my alk drops fairly well. Can someone come up with a solution for me? I would like to do more water changes because of the benefits. Right now I am doing a 25% WC once a week and I had a local tell me to reduce the percentage down to 10% to make things more stable, but I feel WC is what helps replenish a tank. Another person told me to buff the WC water before I add to my DT. Any help would be awesome. I was going to build another WC system so that I can let the water sit for up to 7 Days. do you notice alk levels drop after letting the water sit for longer than 1 day? I would like to set this system up so that I can buff the water and let it sit so that the ions can be balanced and once it comes to WC day I can switch the water out by adding the same parameters to my display. Any thoughts or anything it would be great!

 

[jimmy frag]

how about just switching salt brands to one that has alk levels closer to what you keep you system at. would this not be easyer

 

[noy]

5 is very low.
Can you test the dhk of the water you are doing wc with - what is that?
Also what is the TDS of the water you are putting in?
Tough to say whats wrong with so little info.

What type of rock do you have, substrate, depth of substrate, do you have other "stuff" in your tank (decorative items) that could cause your dkh to drop.

What is you bioload like?
Are you running a CA reactor?
What is your ph?

I don't think its go anything to do with buffer before or after the wc water - something in your system is causing you carbonate levels to drop.

 

[SneekaPeek]

Dkh levels are dropping from WC because my salt has low dkh. 5 dkh is what my salt produces with very clean RO water. My tank is stable due to 3 part dosing. I want it to be at 7-8 dkh, but I can't stabilize the dt if my salt im using is 5dkh fresh batch. Would you think that I should buffer the WC water and let sit or I should do less WC and buffer after I change the water out. Is there any side effects to any of these methods?. I haven't found a better salt to use that can produce natural levels.

 

[SneekaPeek]

What are some side effects to letting fresh batch of saltwater sit in a tank with powerhead mixing it around for up to 7 days? Just evaporation or will alk levels fall as well?

 

[examiner]

What are you using to test dkh? That salt should mix to around 8.5dkh at 1.026.

Either a bad batch of salt or bad tests. They would not sell any if they intentionally manufactured it to mix to a 5dkh level since that will kill everything in a reef tank......

 

[SneekaPeek]

What are you using to test dkh? That salt should mix to around 8.5dkh at 1.026.

Either a bad batch of salt or bad tests. They would not sell any if they intentionally manufactured it to mix to a 5dkh level since that will kill everything in a reef tank......

Yea thats what I thought! Im using salifert test kits. I want to use a hanna and im going to be getting one very shortly because Im just ****ed off now. Ill check my alk once I get another reference tool to see how the levels compare. I would like to set up a seperate WC system so that I can mix 4 weeks worth of salt up and only use a quarter of it at a time, topping off with RO water once a week for proper salinity levels. I mix my salt at 1.025 or 35ppt. Any thoughts or recommendations?

 

[examiner]

Premixed saltwater will keep fine for a month and all of the levels should hold steady, assuming you are using a safe container and keep it covered up somewhat.

There is a "sticky" at the top of the reef chemistry forum that shows what levels each brand of salt should mix to out of the bucket. I haven't tried them all, but my experience with several of them is that those numbers are fairly accurate.

It wouldn't surprise me if you discover you are actually running your tank at a higher dkh level than you think.

 

[SneekaPeek]

Premixed saltwater will keep fine for a month and all of the levels should hold steady, assuming you are using a safe container and keep it covered up somewhat.

There is a "sticky" at the top of the reef chemistry forum that shows what levels each brand of salt should mix to out of the bucket. I haven't tried them all, but my experience with several of them is that those numbers are fairly accurate.

It wouldn't surprise me if you discover you are actually running your tank at a higher dkh level than you think.

Thanks for the help. Ill check and bump this thread with some results soon enough. What other test kits are accurate for carbonate hardness?

 

[examiner]

Also a 25% weekly change schedule is pretty aggressive unless you are running a small skimmer less tank. 10-15% will probably serve you just as well and save a little money on salt mix, etc.

 

[richierich2000]

are you adding salt to your water? or putting the salt in then filling it up?

 

[examiner]

Salifert is generally one of the better ones, which is a point of confusion here. I use a Hannah checker (the only checker I'd really recommend, the rest of them frustrate me).

Do you have a LFS that can confirm your tests?

 

[SneekaPeek]

Yes I do have a local fish store that can confirm tests, ill head over later tomorrow to confirm. I add salt to water a little at a time until desired salinity level.

 

[SneekaPeek]

I was thinking 10% would be fine, but I feel water changes replenish elements that we don't test for. I do not have a high bio load so doing 25% is very aggressive and with your thinking I definitley can get away with 10%. thank you! I just did 10% tonight so we'll see how things go from here on out.

 

[ssscuz]

I wonder if you are mixing the salt mix to the correct sg level.
How long since you have checked the calibration of your refractometer lately?

You may be mixing the salt at a lower sg, which you will then be putting less salt in and having the alk at a lower level.

 

[Pederreefnerd]

i wonder if you are mixing the salt mix to the correct sg level.
How long since you have checked the calibration of your refractometer lately?

You may be mixing the salt at a lower sg, which you will then be putting less salt in and having the alk at a lower level.

+1

 

[kdog420000]

I had the same experience with Tropic. Went through much headache on chasing parameters and come to find out it was there salt mix. I would recommend moving on to another brand.

 

[SneekaPeek]

I thought about that also not calibrated. I went ahead and calibrated officialy and same numbers. I am using about 7 cups in roughly 13 gallons of water. I like to estimate 2 and half cups of salt per 5 gallons of water will bring me a salinity of 1.025 . Using this formula helps me keep track of calibration.
As for others that used the same salt, Which salt did you switch over to?

 

[Moser]

Hello everyone,

I took interest in another thread of relatively the same concept, but still haven't figured it out. Im using tropic marin pro reef and I have noticed the alk level is very low in the 5dkh range. When I do substantial water changes my alk drops fairly well. Can someone come up with a solution for me? I would like to do more water changes because of the benefits. Right now I am doing a 25% WC once a week and I had a local tell me to reduce the percentage down to 10% to make things more stable, but I feel WC is what helps replenish a tank. Another person told me to buff the WC water before I add to my DT. Any help would be awesome. I was going to build another WC system so that I can let the water sit for up to 7 Days. do you notice alk levels drop after letting the water sit for longer than 1 day? I would like to set this system up so that I can buff the water and let it sit so that the ions can be balanced and once it comes to WC day I can switch the water out by adding the same parameters to my display. Any thoughts or anything it would be great!

I use the same salt, 1 bucket per week!.
It nearly always tests alk 7-8. I dissolve and change within a few hours.

I have only ever had two faulty buckets test 4 DkH. IMO. It's an excellent salt....
Maybe the wait is effecting the alk stability?. Or you have a dodgey bucket. If your reading is consistent between buckets, it must've in the technique?....

Mo

 

[SneekaPeek]

I use the same salt, 1 bucket per week!.
It nearly always tests alk 7-8. I dissolve and change within a few hours.

I have only ever had two faulty buckets test 4 DkH. IMO. It's an excellent salt....
Maybe the wait is effecting the alk stability?. Or you have a dodgey bucket. If your reading is consistent between buckets, it must've in the technique?....

Mo

Im going to be buying another alk kit such as the hanna checker and bring a sample of fresh batch in to lfs for references. I will let you know how this goes. I usually only wait 2 or 3 hours before putting fresh batch into dt, but since my levels are soo low I want to set up a seperate system so that I can let it sit and mix so I can buff to desired levels. I really do not know what to do at this point except start with the test kits and buy another batch of salt to see.