Tank parameters help

[Antman]

Hello all I have a few issues on my 60g reef
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 1.6
Phos 0.01
Alk 2.6.
Cal 490 High I do not dose and use io why is it this high
Silica 0.8. High why ?
Silinity 1.029 Will add a ato since I am having a problem keeping it at 1.026

So my questions are again why would ca be high using io salt and not dosing anything.
My alk is safe but if higher will ca be lower ?
Is my silinity getting to high just from evraption .. I add my top off ro every few days
I have a mixed reef mostly soft corals with few lps and sps
I will add a 5g ato and want to do low dose of kalk to get alk up and stable .
Is pho and nitrate to low?
I now do 15g water change every 2 weeks
Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions

 

[Antman]

Also where is the silica coming from ? I use gfo and carbon in a reactor

 

[Antman]

Will elevated silinity level make the ca higher ?

 

[Antman]

No thoughts ?

 

[CrayolaViolence]

Your calcium isn't really that high. Check and see what your salt contains. It should be on the box.

 

[outssider]

Will elevated silinity level make the ca higher ?

yes

 

[cnmcalpi]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

http://www.redseafish.com/wp-conten...nual_GB_DE_FR_SE_NL_SP_IT_PT_JP_CH_HB_15A.pdf

See "enhanced coloration" and "accelerated growth" parameters. The document has a bunch of other stuff in it but that seems to be of interest to you. With your parameters it seems you are prime for the "accelerated growth" setup.

Study the heck out of these, everything you need to know. For now.

 

[cnmcalpi]

And yes, your silicates being high probably comes from your salt mix. Unless you are dosing epsom salts for magnesium and not doing water changes.

 

[bertoni]

I agree that the silicate probably comes from the salt mix, although RO can mix some. What is the TDS of the RO water?

Raising the salinity will raise all the other parameters set by the salt mix, like alkalinity and magnesium, as well as calcium.

I don't know that epsom salt provide silicate. There might be some in it as a contaminant.

 

[Antman]

I use instant ocean salt no epsom salt ...my mag is also high and do not dose any 1540.. again guess it would test lower at 1.026 My alk is on the lower side with having higher mag and ca I feel

 

[bertoni]

I'm guessing that 2.6 means 2.6 meq/L? If so, it's fine, but I wouldn't let it drop any lower.

 

[Livinlocal619]

think of it like this; only the freshwater from your fish tank is of evaporating, so as more fresh water evaporates, you will be left with a higher salinity. Since only the freshwater evaporates, none of the other elements like calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, or any thing else evaporate except for freshwater. So as your freshwater evaporates and your salinity goes up, everything else goes up.

 

[Antman]

think of it like this; only the freshwater from your fish tank is of evaporating, so as more fresh water evaporates, you will be left with a higher salinity. Since only the freshwater evaporates, none of the other elements like calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, or any thing else evaporate except for freshwater. So as your freshwater evaporates and your salinity goes up, everything else goes up.

Thanks the ato should help keep all pramators stable ..

 

[Antman]

think of it like this; only the freshwater from your fish tank is of evaporating, so as more fresh water evaporates, you will be left with a higher salinity. Since only the freshwater evaporates, none of the other elements like calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, or any thing else evaporate except for freshwater. So as your freshwater evaporates and your salinity goes up, everything else goes up.

I do get that for sure BUT I do manually top off tank now every few days with RODI ..and tests were done after topped off so I would think it should dilute back down NO ?

 

[mlb75]

Yes it should but that also means that before you add the top off water your salinity is even higher yet. When you add top off do you add it to the sump (if you have one) or to the display? If you add it to the sump then you'll have to wait for that water to then dilute with the display water as it turns over through the system. When you manually add top off how much are you adding?