Unsure why elements are out of wack. :/
- Thread starter lolgranny
- Start date
LifeAquatic
New member
First I would suggest using a second DKH test but you mentioned using API and Salifert. You should test your new water for DKH before adding to display. You might have picked up a batch of salt with Higher DKH then normal. You say nothing is being doesd into the tank. The only way for the DKH to rise is from water changes. It must be the bag of salt you are using. Like the others posted low MAG will make CAL and ALK unstable.
iamwrasseman
New member
get the mag up some more and keep it 3x your calcium and leave the rest alone for a week or two and see what happens .
how do your corals look ? if they are okay ,let her ride but that alk is high and i suspect your test kit . have it checked against another kit as its much cheaper to buy a test kit rather than keep dosing mag if the alk is testing wrong .
also dont do a water change for a couple of weeks and see what you params do .
how do your corals look ? if they are okay ,let her ride but that alk is high and i suspect your test kit . have it checked against another kit as its much cheaper to buy a test kit rather than keep dosing mag if the alk is testing wrong .
also dont do a water change for a couple of weeks and see what you params do .
lolgranny
The DQ King
Update#1(Saturday)
Mag=1250
Calcium=300
Alk=15
Update#2(Today / Tues)
Mag=1350
Calcium=320
Alk=15-16(api)
Ill be doing a water change tomorrow and will test the new water again.
Only adding Mag / B-Ionic part 2(Calcuim side)
lolgranny
The DQ King
Ya, i think i got a bad bucket of salt to be honest. Good ol Reef crystals. Ill let you know tomorrow how it turns out.
lolgranny
The DQ King
The corals dont look bad, shitty coloring but i know thats because im taking so much nutrients out of the water and feeding very little. Want to get rid of the last bit of algae i have.
Im going to let it ride for a month after this next change i think(as long as once i check the water its fine) Otherwise i wont do it and leave it till after Xmas.
lolgranny
The DQ King
NEW water test
Calcium= ~540... tested 2x's as well
Alk= 31.... What in the world!!! I did it 2x's and it came out the same
Mag= 2100
So what im thinking here is i got one extremely ****ed up batch of Reef Crystals.
What do you guys think? How is this possible?
Thanks again fellas, hope everyone had a good Christmas!
-David
Calcium= ~540... tested 2x's as well
Alk= 31.... What in the world!!! I did it 2x's and it came out the same
Mag= 2100
So what im thinking here is i got one extremely ****ed up batch of Reef Crystals.
What do you guys think? How is this possible?
Thanks again fellas, hope everyone had a good Christmas!
-David
Logzor
New member
NEW water test
Calcium= ~540... tested 2x's as well
Alk= 31.... What in the world!!! I did it 2x's and it came out the same
Mag= 2100
So what im thinking here is i got one extremely ****ed up batch of Reef Crystals.
What do you guys think? How is this possible?
Thanks again fellas, hope everyone had a good Christmas!
-David
What I'm thinkin here is that you have a seriously messed up batch of test kits! My first reaction is that you used your test kits improperly but you are using several kits so I figure that is highly unlikely. I figured this because it was very likely, with your original magnesium level, that your dkh was 7 or 8 (rather than double that, which is what you measured). The same goes with your measurement of the RC salt of a dkh of 31. I could definitely see a fresh batch hitting 15 dkh. This leads me to believe that you are somehow doubling your test results. This mistake was commonly made with a set of ELOS Dkh kits which had incorrect directions included with the kit.
Take a water sample to your LFS and see what their results are. They can definitely confirm if its your salt or your test kits.
It may also help to mix up your salt, it is possible that it is not mixed well. This could definitely play a part in your extreme measurements.
lolgranny
The DQ King
The new water is being sat in a 5g bucket with a powerhead mixing it for over a hour so im sure that its being mixed enough. I have a couple tanks and test them all with this and this is the only one that is wacky. Ill take it to the store tomorrow and see what they come up with, but im assuming the kit is fine :/
I stopped in the store today and grabbed a new bag of salt. Im going to test again tomorrow, just did a 20g water change so we shall see if anything is going to change.
oooooo the joys of saltwater... ha
Thanks again
jdieck
New member
Those levels are not possible. Ath those levels the calcium and alkalinity will precipitate and drop down so most probably the testing is skewed somehow.
Two posibilies: Either the test kits anre really off or the water sample you are taking has calcium carbonate particles in them. When you add the tritration acid solution, those particles dissolve back into alkalinity and calcium thus giving you a high reading on both.
You can stop the mixing pump and let the particles in the water settle then sample the water again.
Once you insure your testing is OK (Store testing) if you confirm your alkalinity is in deed high there is only three potential sources:
a) The salt mix, which you can verify by taking a sample to your local fish store for testing.
b) High salinity in your freshly mixed water: If your salinity measurement is off and is higher than it shouold be, the other parameters will also be high.
c) upplementation: As you mention, if you are not supplementing any alkalinity or PH supplements then this ca;t be the reason.
d) Source of fresh water. If you are using RO/DI and your membrane is damaged or bypassed by a leak, you may see high alkalinity in the mixed water fed by the normal alkalinity carried by the water. Test the purity of your RO/DI to confirm you are OK here.
Two posibilies: Either the test kits anre really off or the water sample you are taking has calcium carbonate particles in them. When you add the tritration acid solution, those particles dissolve back into alkalinity and calcium thus giving you a high reading on both.
You can stop the mixing pump and let the particles in the water settle then sample the water again.
Once you insure your testing is OK (Store testing) if you confirm your alkalinity is in deed high there is only three potential sources:
a) The salt mix, which you can verify by taking a sample to your local fish store for testing.
b) High salinity in your freshly mixed water: If your salinity measurement is off and is higher than it shouold be, the other parameters will also be high.
c) upplementation: As you mention, if you are not supplementing any alkalinity or PH supplements then this ca;t be the reason.
d) Source of fresh water. If you are using RO/DI and your membrane is damaged or bypassed by a leak, you may see high alkalinity in the mixed water fed by the normal alkalinity carried by the water. Test the purity of your RO/DI to confirm you are OK here.
NEW water test
Calcium= ~540... tested 2x's as well
Alk= 31.... What in the world!!! I did it 2x's and it came out the same
Mag= 2100
So what im thinking here is i got one extremely ****ed up batch of Reef Crystals.
What do you guys think? How is this possible?
Thanks again fellas, hope everyone had a good Christmas!
-David
Logzor
New member
Sorry I should have been more specific. I meant mixing the actual salt in the bucket, not the mixed salt water. There have been stories of salt buckets with high concentrations of certain chemicals because it was not mixed well during the packaging process.
ReefSafari
New member
Sorry I can't help you with this, but I am experiencing the same thing, I had been using Instant Ocean (Regular) for the past year, I recently transitioned to Reef Crystals and have experienced the same thing you are going through, I am now going RIGHT back to Instant Ocean.
After reading many forums, it seems they did have a problem, but I don't think they "Recalled" the salt, so I have a good feeling the $60+ bucket of salt I bought is no good, and it seems like a pain to try and take it back and "prove" that the salt is no good.
I have NEVER had a problem with using plain ol Instant Ocean and dosing, I had great results, but with Reef Crystals, I have not been happy with it, I was excited to use it too, but I have come to the conclusion I like my salt to be just salt, no added extras, I'll take care of adding the extras, it gets too risky to play with the unknown, If I use Instant Ocean, and then dose to what levels I like, its much better than having a salt that already has "extras" that you really can't measure, untill its mixed up and your ready to put it in the tank....
I will be sticking with Instant Ocean and dosing from now on.....Sorry to hear your having the same problem, and I too agree its the Instant Ocean Salt, there is NOTHING else I changed in my tank but the type of salt, and after reading other threads of Reef Crystals having issues a while back, I am also sure my bucket of salt is no good....
After reading many forums, it seems they did have a problem, but I don't think they "Recalled" the salt, so I have a good feeling the $60+ bucket of salt I bought is no good, and it seems like a pain to try and take it back and "prove" that the salt is no good.
I have NEVER had a problem with using plain ol Instant Ocean and dosing, I had great results, but with Reef Crystals, I have not been happy with it, I was excited to use it too, but I have come to the conclusion I like my salt to be just salt, no added extras, I'll take care of adding the extras, it gets too risky to play with the unknown, If I use Instant Ocean, and then dose to what levels I like, its much better than having a salt that already has "extras" that you really can't measure, untill its mixed up and your ready to put it in the tank....
I will be sticking with Instant Ocean and dosing from now on.....Sorry to hear your having the same problem, and I too agree its the Instant Ocean Salt, there is NOTHING else I changed in my tank but the type of salt, and after reading other threads of Reef Crystals having issues a while back, I am also sure my bucket of salt is no good....
lolgranny
The DQ King
Ok, update time
Took the water to the 2 local shops and they both came up with the same results as i did EXCEPT the fact my salinity is at 1.028 rather then 1.026. I got a new refractometer and lowered the level in the tank by a bit. I didnt want to do it quick because of the corals / fish.
As for the bucket of salt i have im bringing it back to the store and they are going to send it back to IO.
Hopefully in these next weeks we can have everything where it needs to be.
-David
Took the water to the 2 local shops and they both came up with the same results as i did EXCEPT the fact my salinity is at 1.028 rather then 1.026. I got a new refractometer and lowered the level in the tank by a bit. I didnt want to do it quick because of the corals / fish.
As for the bucket of salt i have im bringing it back to the store and they are going to send it back to IO.
Hopefully in these next weeks we can have everything where it needs to be.
-David
alonglongtime
New member
I will chime in as well. Mg needs to be higher. GEE! I bet you have figured that out by now. LOL. Don't sweat it. Mg takes its sweet a@@ time getting up there and it is better to bring it up slowly than all at once. I have had the same problems a couple of times over the years. PATIENCE is not something I am great at but if you take the time the problems will correct. As stated in other posts, Ca and Kh are dependent on Mg levels. Hang in and don't give up. Check your top off water and your mix for proper levels before adding them to your tank. That is always a good idea. A lesson learned the hard way many, many years ago by this old fart. Best to you.
lolgranny
The DQ King
For sure buddy, im still trying to get Mg levels up to about 1350.
Im out of it right now so Thurs ill be picking another on up. Does everyone still think Kent Tech M is the best bet?
CleveYank
20 Years and Over
The Mg posters have it. Without it stable you are going to have bouncing Alk values and SPS corals do not like this at all.
And if you are out of Mg, you can use regular Epsom salt from Walgreen's or CVS in a pinch.
Order some BRS Mg Chloride and when that comes in use their recipe for mixing Mg SO4 and Mg Cl to make things right.
And if you are out of Mg, you can use regular Epsom salt from Walgreen's or CVS in a pinch.
Order some BRS Mg Chloride and when that comes in use their recipe for mixing Mg SO4 and Mg Cl to make things right.
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lolgranny
The DQ King
Update!
Mg - 1300 (test 2x's with ELOS)
Alk- 15-16 (test once with Api / once with Salifert) The Salifert is off the chart (16dKH+) Why is it in the instructions it says nothing about a "Alkalinity Check Solution" I have 3 bottles and it only uses 2?!?!
Ca- 340 (test 2x's with Api)
Specific Gravity- 1.025 (refractometer)
I spoke with IO and they said its possible i got a bad batch of salt, i bought a new bag for my last water change. Im sending them out a few cups of the salt to see what they come up with when they test it themselves. I will let you know the verdict. For now im going to raise the Mg a little more and still does my B-Ionic Ca supplement.
Should i do a 5g water change each week and try to lower the Alk that way or should i leave it for a month. I just did a 15g water change on it because i left it for a month and wanted to see if the new salt i got would help lower the Alk.
Thanks again guys
-David
Mg - 1300 (test 2x's with ELOS)
Alk- 15-16 (test once with Api / once with Salifert) The Salifert is off the chart (16dKH+) Why is it in the instructions it says nothing about a "Alkalinity Check Solution" I have 3 bottles and it only uses 2?!?!
Ca- 340 (test 2x's with Api)
Specific Gravity- 1.025 (refractometer)
I spoke with IO and they said its possible i got a bad batch of salt, i bought a new bag for my last water change. Im sending them out a few cups of the salt to see what they come up with when they test it themselves. I will let you know the verdict. For now im going to raise the Mg a little more and still does my B-Ionic Ca supplement.
Should i do a 5g water change each week and try to lower the Alk that way or should i leave it for a month. I just did a 15g water change on it because i left it for a month and wanted to see if the new salt i got would help lower the Alk.
Thanks again guys
-David
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