robgreaves
New member
Hi, I'm a new member in Devon, UK.
I have a 100 litre marine tank, with approx 11kg of matured live rock in it.
I set the tank up to an SG of 1.025, using Kent Reef Crystals, with RO water.
From the initial mix, I arrived at my target 1.025, but alkalinity was low at dKH 6.8.
Adding a little Red Sea Nitrobac to help the bacterial cycling on its way, and a little Red Sea Reef Foundation B buffer to raise the alkalinity, the alkalinity did slowly come up, but the pH didn't.
I have good flow from 2x wavemakers, and I'm running a Tunze in-tank 9001 skimmer.
However, over the course of the past week or so, my salinity has been dropping. It's now at 1.018. Alkalinity is up around 9.5 or so.
Other parameters measured this evening include:
Calcium: between 490 and 520ppm
Magnesium: 1100ppm
Nitrate: 50ppm
I am also seeing the odd white 'snowflakes' appearing in my tank, which I assume is precipitated Calcium given the high(ish) alkalinity.
SO!... Any ideas why my salinity is plummetting? What's the best course of action? Add salt solution slowly? I can't see it would just 'come good' on its own.
I'm measuring using a Red Sea refractometer, calibrated at 25C using RO water to zero it.
Any help or advice welcome.
Thanks - Rob
I have a 100 litre marine tank, with approx 11kg of matured live rock in it.
I set the tank up to an SG of 1.025, using Kent Reef Crystals, with RO water.
From the initial mix, I arrived at my target 1.025, but alkalinity was low at dKH 6.8.
Adding a little Red Sea Nitrobac to help the bacterial cycling on its way, and a little Red Sea Reef Foundation B buffer to raise the alkalinity, the alkalinity did slowly come up, but the pH didn't.
I have good flow from 2x wavemakers, and I'm running a Tunze in-tank 9001 skimmer.
However, over the course of the past week or so, my salinity has been dropping. It's now at 1.018. Alkalinity is up around 9.5 or so.
Other parameters measured this evening include:
Calcium: between 490 and 520ppm
Magnesium: 1100ppm
Nitrate: 50ppm
I am also seeing the odd white 'snowflakes' appearing in my tank, which I assume is precipitated Calcium given the high(ish) alkalinity.
SO!... Any ideas why my salinity is plummetting? What's the best course of action? Add salt solution slowly? I can't see it would just 'come good' on its own.
I'm measuring using a Red Sea refractometer, calibrated at 25C using RO water to zero it.
Any help or advice welcome.
Thanks - Rob