Tanthaitrung
New member
I think, your flow is enough. Red Sea test kits is good. Have you checked the expiry?
Mag alk and calcium very low
- Thread starter wtjoe
- Start date
Dkuhlmann
New member
It needs to be 35, this is why your other parameters are too low.
What you can do to raise it is instead of using RODI water to top off use saltwater mixed to 35 ppt until your tank is reading correctly. This way it won't be a big jump in salinity as well as your other parameters. Once the tank water reads 35 then you can start using RODI water for top off again.
One other thing I'd like to add is, until you have stable parameters do not add anymore livestock. Once your water has been stable readings for a couple of months then you are ready to add more livestock.
Capsle
New member
+1
Bring up your salinity. The Coral Pro salt contains everything you need. Once you get your salinity to 1.026 you will see everything else will be where it's needed.
Stop dosing and bring up your salinity.
As previously mentioned do it through your ATO (automatic top off) if you have one. Mix fresh saltwater to 1.026 and use it to top off your system. If you don't have an ATO then just too it off manually with Fresh saltwater.
AT 1.026 your parameters should default around the following as this is what the fresh saltwater tests at (for Red Sea Coral Pro).
Alk 12
Mag 1385
Cal 450
PH 8.3
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Dkuhlmann
New member
We said to mix the top off to 35 not 33.7. Once you've done this it will top off using that mix instead of RODI which will start to raise your salinity of your DT water. You will need to check the tank water every day until it reaches 35 ppt which is 1.026 sg. Then once it reaches 35 ppt or 1.026 sg you will switch your top off water back to RODI, then you can recheck your other parameters.
After this is set you will need to mix your water change water to 35 ppt or 1.026 as well as get it to the same temp as your tank. IF you don't your fish and corals will go into shock and some will even die because of this. It has to be the same water change water as what your tank is as far as salinity and temp go. The rest of the parameters will follow what they should be because your salt mix has everything in it your tank needs.
I don't understand why you keep thinking something is close enough and not what we have stated in your thread. This isn't a close enough is good enough hobby. For instance there are many corals as well as anemones that will die if you don't have stable water parameters of what they're supposed to be.
Like I said before you shouldn't add any more livestock until you have your parameters straight and continue to keep them stable for a period of several months, this means 4-6 months.
We only wish that you have success in the hobby and until you get the water parameters completely understood you will not have success and will always be chasing problems. We're trying to help you avoid that.
Good luck!
After this is set you will need to mix your water change water to 35 ppt or 1.026 as well as get it to the same temp as your tank. IF you don't your fish and corals will go into shock and some will even die because of this. It has to be the same water change water as what your tank is as far as salinity and temp go. The rest of the parameters will follow what they should be because your salt mix has everything in it your tank needs.
I don't understand why you keep thinking something is close enough and not what we have stated in your thread. This isn't a close enough is good enough hobby. For instance there are many corals as well as anemones that will die if you don't have stable water parameters of what they're supposed to be.
Like I said before you shouldn't add any more livestock until you have your parameters straight and continue to keep them stable for a period of several months, this means 4-6 months.
We only wish that you have success in the hobby and until you get the water parameters completely understood you will not have success and will always be chasing problems. We're trying to help you avoid that.
Good luck!
The Apex conductivity (salinity) probe is so difficult to calibrate correctly and also very prone to error due to air bubbles in the probe or any stray voltage in the tank or wiring too close to the probe wire. I would not use it to measure your salinity, use a traditional refractometer.
I would not be at all surprised that if you measure with refractometer its much higher than the Apex says, even above where you really want it!
I have the same probe but only use it to give me an idea if the level goes up or down in the tank. As to the value I ignore it and test weekly with my Milwaukee
I would not be at all surprised that if you measure with refractometer its much higher than the Apex says, even above where you really want it!
I have the same probe but only use it to give me an idea if the level goes up or down in the tank. As to the value I ignore it and test weekly with my Milwaukee
This is rubbish information IGNORE IT, ATO is fresh water only. ATO is used to replace the water evaporation in the tank with fresh water. If you do it with salt water the salinity will climb and climb since the evaporation in your tank leaves the salt behind.
To increase the salinity do a water change and use this calculator to get you in the ballpark.
https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/TargetSalinity.php
Don't mess with anything else until the salinity is correct. 1.026/35ppt
Jumping into this hobby without doing a lot of reading and research is a sure way to spend a heap load of money with no result, except probably selling everything in 6 months out of frustration. I suggest from your post that you need to read read read.
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Dkuhlmann
New member
The safest way to raise salinity in a tank is to add the target salinity to the top off until the desired sg is reached. It is slow and steady and IMO and IME the best way to raise sg in a tank. Once the desired sg is reached then you go back to RODI for top off. This is a widely accepted way of raising sg and many people do this. There are always more than one way to skin a cat and you obviously prefer the guessing game. Which can be detrimental to the inhabitants of your tank if raised too quickly. The top off method is slow and steady over a few day's time. You need to understand it before you bash it.
You're correct as using saltwater for top off will raise the salinity of the tank because it's replacing evap with saltwater which is raising it to the target level then changing back to RODI after the desired sg is reached.
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Dkuhlmann
New member
:lmao: unfortunately you might be right :hammer:
I see one problem is that he's using his apex system to adjust salinity not a refractometer. As was pointed out the Apex isn't accurate anyway. BUT I also pointed out several times that the 35 ppt or 1.026 sg is to be topped off ONLY until the DT water reaches the desired sg then to switch back to RODI only.
I then fully described doing WC's by using only a mix that matches the DT water in SG and temp. It's not really that hard of a concept to understand. Or is it?
I see one problem is that he's using his apex system to adjust salinity not a refractometer. As was pointed out the Apex isn't accurate anyway. BUT I also pointed out several times that the 35 ppt or 1.026 sg is to be topped off ONLY until the DT water reaches the desired sg then to switch back to RODI only.
I then fully described doing WC's by using only a mix that matches the DT water in SG and temp. It's not really that hard of a concept to understand. Or is it?
mcgyvr
New member
yes.. tread lightly... They (he/she) don't seem to have even the most basics down..
They already have critters (fish/corals) in a tank with levels so out of whack its amazing anything is actually living.. :uhoh3:
mcgyvr
New member
Its pretty clear he doesn't have the right amount of salt in the water.. (but anything is possible with some)
