first test in over a year

[Paaty]

I tested my aquarium today and my levels are as follows:

ph 7.93
alk 10.2 dkh
ca 470 ppm
mg 1170 ppm

My question is should I worry that my calcium and alk are not balanced? I am using a calcium reactor and I just started dosing kalk today to help get my ph up.

Should I dose to raise my alk? do you think I should dose to raise my mg?

Thanks,

Pat

 

[Bigcefa]

I would raise the mag up some but what
Makes you think calc and alk are out of balance seem fine to me

 

[bertoni]

I agree. I'd probably dose the magnesium up to 1280 ppm, the canonical ocean average, but the levels are acceptable where they are.

 

[fjpod]

I basically agree with the others, but your ph is a tad low IMHO. What is the cause of that? Have you kept up with your water changes? What is your specific gravity? Is it less than 1.024? If it is, simply raising your salinity may help you a great deal.

 

[Paaty]

The reason I say may ca and alk are out of balance is from what i have read to be perfectly balanced at a calcium of 470 my alk should be around 12 dkh.

I will try to raise my mag a little, what supplement do you use or recommend?

my Ph has aways been low, it currently varies between 7.78 and 7.98 in a day. my specific gravity is 1.025. I started dripping kalk yesterday to try and bring it above 8.

My Kalk dosing plan is 20ml every 3 hours with a dosing pump (2 teaspoons/per gal). do you think that is enough to raise my ph? my total water volume is about 185 gal

Thanks,

Pat

 

[jdpiii3]

Read this for info on your low ph
Low pH: Causes and Cures

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The reason I say may ca and alk are out of balance is from what i have read to be perfectly balanced at a calcium of 470 my alk should be around 12 dkh.

That's true they are not in "balance" but balance should not be a goal. Calcium and alkalinity can be independently optimized without concern. For example, just because calcium is high doesn't mean one should push alkalinity high.

All that "balance" means is that if you start with natural seawater levels and add or subtract calcium and alkalinity in the ratio present in calcium carbonate, you will be in balance. But that doesn't mean the values are good.

The way one might use it, however, is that if both are very high but in balance, if you just wait for organisms to use them both, they will decline to natural levels together. If they are high but out of balance, and you let them decline naturally, you can never get to natural levels for both.

Same in reverse for dosing both with a balanced calcium and alkalinity method of some sort. In balance and you can get to NSW. Out of balance and you never can.

 

[Paaty]

thanks for the help.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.

 

[karsseboom]

I basically agree with the others, but your ph is a tad low IMHO. What is the cause of that? Have you kept up with your water changes? What is your specific gravity? Is it less than 1.024? If it is, simply raising your salinity may help you a great deal.

His ph is low because he's running a calcium reactor. The c02 will always cause the ph to drop.

 

[bertoni]

Another other likely cause of the slightly low pH is the indoor carbon dioxide level, which tends to be a bit high in houses with windows closed.

 

[Reefmedic79]

Another other likely cause of the slightly low pH is the indoor carbon dioxide level, which tends to be a bit high in houses with windows closed.

Or maybe a small house with alot of people.

Anyone ever test thier Ph after having a party/reef club meeting in thier home, it's quite facinating.