klondike4001
New member
I fought mine for a long time trying to keep it at 9 and finally got fed up. I let it be for a week and it leveled off at 8.0, it's much easier to keep it running at 8. Might be something to think about.
Having terrible time hand-dosing
- Thread starter iwishtofish
- Start date
I fought mine for a long time trying to keep it at 9 and finally got fed up. I let it be for a week and it leveled off at 8.0, it's much easier to keep it running at 8. Might be something to think about.
fishguy597
Member
Do yourself a favor and check your test kit with another. Sounds like your using API and they are never very accurate. that is more of a softie tank kit. other then that you are getting good advise. I have been hand dosing and its not easy, good luck to you.
I agree with these comments (as well as others). Don't get so set on "perfect" numbers. Good growth although not perfect growth, is way better thanno growth.
I think your tips are burning from alk swings. I think kalk is probably sufficient to maintain your sps unless the Lps you were talking about are really big. Kalk in the top off can sustain a moderately stocked tank especially in areas that are dry and have high rates of evaporation
Good luck!
iwishtofish
Active member
I think I may give that a try, although it scares me. Sounds like a giant swing if it drops to 7 and I have to get it back up to 9! I'm generally keeping my alk within 9, but it probably ranges from 9.1 to 9.9, and then every so often out of those bounds. Impossible for me to tell with an API kit. I wish they made an electronic alk meter, and a controller to dose as needed!
I'm just worried that mine won't level off until it gets to 7 (or lower)!
I know I need to buy a test kit with decimal readings, just haven't done it yet due to $$, and the hope that the API is good enough. I now know I don't read it well, and that it doesn't have enough precision for me to narrow down a dose.
I will seriously look into kalk!
Wow, wide range of preferred alk levels!
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Thanks, everyone. My alk tested at 9 (as usual) this afternoon, although the vial had hint of blue in it. So probably a lower 9.
I'm going to try to get to testing magnesium within the hour. (I hate that test - need to be steadier and have better visual concentration than I typically muster at night!)
iwishtofish
Active member
A picture as promised - insistent tang and all...
Now
Earlier, trouble starting
Now
Earlier, trouble starting
pusanpa
Active member
I'd get a BRS dosing pump with digital timer for ALK to prevent PH swing.
You don't really need dosing pump for CA and MG. Ca powder can be dosed into your sump.
If you dose bacteria or bacteria food try lowering ALK to 6-7. High alk in bacteria system will cause tip burns.
You don't really need dosing pump for CA and MG. Ca powder can be dosed into your sump.
If you dose bacteria or bacteria food try lowering ALK to 6-7. High alk in bacteria system will cause tip burns.
thereefranch
New member
I think the API kits are fine as well. I went out and bought the Hanna/Milwaukee digital testers and found that they are just as innaccurate as anything else. It may not be the actual digital piece, more than it is counting the drops, or better yet, getting all the powder into your vial. Stick with the API, they are close enough.
Tip burns and base RTN can happen easier in a LNS with high buffer #'s.
PH swings need to be quite large to really affect your tank. I keep a PH meter on my tank all the time. It varies from 7.9 at night to 8.2 in the day. Thats been typical for me for about 8 years now. I often tried to get the PH up, but really was way more trouble than results showed. I run my buffer at 7-8 (no higher), but have had it as far down as 6 with comparible results.
'dzhuo'- "If you let alone your tank for 5 or 7 days, you should have a better idea of where alk naturally falls." ----- Darn good advice!
Good Luck:thumbsup:
Tip burns and base RTN can happen easier in a LNS with high buffer #'s.
PH swings need to be quite large to really affect your tank. I keep a PH meter on my tank all the time. It varies from 7.9 at night to 8.2 in the day. Thats been typical for me for about 8 years now. I often tried to get the PH up, but really was way more trouble than results showed. I run my buffer at 7-8 (no higher), but have had it as far down as 6 with comparible results.
'dzhuo'- "If you let alone your tank for 5 or 7 days, you should have a better idea of where alk naturally falls." ----- Darn good advice!
Good Luck:thumbsup:
iwishtofish
Active member
I don't think I have an LNS. I feed my tang and inverts a pretty good bit of food, and dump some reef chili in for my corals daily (not tons, though). I just received a Hanna PO4 Checker. How does one deduce if they have a LNS by testing?
Yes, a BRS dosing pump, if not kalk, is inevitable.
Good to know, but isn't it nice to know a decimal reading, so one can narrow down the swings, if possible (ie. preventing swing from 9.2 dKH to 9.8 dKH)?
My pH swings aren't huge. Less than 1 point (maybe 8.09 to 8.15), now that I am watching more carefully. Most people seem to think it is wiser to keep alk around 8 vs. 9. Maybe that should be my aim.
iwishtofish
Active member
Hmmm...magnesium this morning at 1440 (Salifert, tested twice). Calcium is still 440. Is the magnesium too high, and maybe causing problems?
fishguy597
Member
Not trying to start a fight but that's a bold statement. have you ever had 2 different api. tests tell you that you were at 9 to find out you are really at 15? I have.How do you distinguish between 8,8.5,&9? Bottom line not accurate at all. rock solid alk are the only way to go IMO .
MammothReefer
Active member
rogerwilco357
Active member
2nd that motion
2nd that motion
I would just do bi-weekly water changes from now on and see what that does or you might over do it and the corals might bleach out due to the alk. I have the same problem and started with the water changes now stablized since my corals are 3 frags lol not much consumed there. good luck hope it works out.
2nd that motion
I would just do bi-weekly water changes from now on and see what that does or you might over do it and the corals might bleach out due to the alk. I have the same problem and started with the water changes now stablized since my corals are 3 frags lol not much consumed there. good luck hope it works out.
iwishtofish
Active member
Thanks, I hope it works out, too.
I wish I knew where my alk was going. My magnesium is high enough to prevent it from precipitating, right? Something is consuming it - otherwise my alk would be 20 dKH by now!
I'm sure the corals are using at least some. Maybe the coralline growing in the sump is a factor.
iwishtofish
Active member
Ok, good. Don't know how I overshot so much. Must have miscalculated my TWV.
RynosReef
New member
Yep 1440 is fine. Mag like anything is better if kept stable but has a wider tolerance of acceptable levels.
Alk on the other hand does not. If you're a serious SPS keeper, I recommend only using test kits that can measure in the tenths, not just whole numbers. So.. a kit that can measure 7.5, 7.8, 8.1, 8.4 ect. good. A kit that measure only 7, 8, 9, ect. not so good. This limits the API kit unfortunately. I'll use them in a pinch but would never consider using them for fine tuning my kH.
Alk on the other hand does not. If you're a serious SPS keeper, I recommend only using test kits that can measure in the tenths, not just whole numbers. So.. a kit that can measure 7.5, 7.8, 8.1, 8.4 ect. good. A kit that measure only 7, 8, 9, ect. not so good. This limits the API kit unfortunately. I'll use them in a pinch but would never consider using them for fine tuning my kH.
iwishtofish
Active member
Yeah, I raised my magnesium very slowly, but I sure raised it a lot (from 1175).
I really thought I had a lot of things in order to keep SPS. I knew stability was important - particularly alk - but I had no idea it had to be THAT stable. I didn't even know it was possible to keep alk that stable, considering all the variables in tank of growing animals! I'll hold off on any further SPS until I get things straight. The staghorn is going south fast, now. The others are holding on.
To increase your API alk kit's resolution, magnify the testing volume. Instead of using the 5mL tube the kit comes with I use a shot glass and measure sample volumes with a 50mL syringe. A 10mL sample volume makes your API test .5 degrees per drop, 20mL gives you .25 per drop and so on.
Regardless of the accuracy of the API kit vs other brands, measuring the same way each time will diagnose stability issues if that's actually what's going on.
Regardless of the accuracy of the API kit vs other brands, measuring the same way each time will diagnose stability issues if that's actually what's going on.
