Water chemistry problems

[Hurley12]

Ok my tank has been up and running for a little over 2 weeks now and I am having a hard time getting water params right.

KH - 15.0 dkh

ALK - 5.37 meq/L

Calcium - 330 ppm

Magnesium - 1080 ppm

PH - 8.1

SG - 1.025

Temp - 78-80

How do I get the KH and ALK down and Magnesium and PH up, I think the rest are ok. I just wanna get these under control before I start moving my corals, also all these were tested with salifert kits, except PH which is a pinpoint monitor which was just calibrated.

 

[ct_vol]

Depends on when you're testing... My pH will swing from 8.1 at night to 8.3 at full daylight... Right now my pH is sitting at 8.16 and on the rise since my MH's have only been on for an hour... I use SeaChem Reef Buffer to keep my my Alk and pH stabilized... I had to use a lot whenever I first discovered pH to be a problem (after first setting up my tank), but now I might dose it once a month... HTH

Oh, and your Mg would have to be supplemented in order to raise too... Well, depending on what salt your using... If you're using a reef salt that contains an adequate amount of Mg, it should be stabalized in a few water changes...

 

[cee]

Let your alkalinity fall on its own, although it might take awhile in a new tank with no reef-building corals. Go ahead and dose up your Mg, probably no more than 100 ppm per day, until you get to about 1300 ppm. It will be hard to get your Ca up until you get the alkalinity down.

 

[Hurley12]

Thanks a lot for the help. My PH is 8.1 during the day, it drops to about 7.9 at night. So do I need to get a buffer to fix my PH? Will a buffer effect my alk as well? I have been dosing with two part one is ALK/PH and the other calcium, I believe the brand is ESV, but I am not sure on that off the top of my head. Now correct me if I am wrong if I just keep using the ALK/PH it will increase both my ALK and my PH, will a buffer increase only my PH?

 

[cee]

Don't know, never used a buffer. Kinda depends on what is in it. Are you dosing a kalkwasser-type product to get your Ca up? That would def. help raise your pH without majorily affecting your alkalinity.

 

[ct_vol]

I use three different products to dose my tank... They're all made by Seachem... Reef Buffer will adjust raise your pH and your Carbonate Alkalinity... It will not raise your Alk to dangerous levels, so if its already up high enough, it shouldn't have any affect... Reef Builder is for raising Carbonate Alkalinity without affecting pH... And Reef Advantage Calcium will raise your Calcium levels, as well as Magnesium (Mg) and Strontium (Sr)... I dose depending on my test results... But I'll admit that I don't test as often as I should...

 

[Hurley12]

I will look on the back of my bottles when I get home maybe that will help with your answers to me. I do have a kalkwasser-type supplement that I have yet to use should I give it a shot?

 

[Runner]

You only have water chemistry problems because you actually test your water. You should stop doing that.

 

[ReefRacer]

I agree with runner. What salt did you use? If you mix good salt at the correct SG you should be set. A new set up right?

kent salt was low in calcium and mag. I wouldn't fool with it. I did more damage by adding buffers (RTN). Use kalk for topoff but mix it weak or it will mess up your pumps.

Good luck
Remember only bad things happen rapidly in a reef. Dose slowly or not at all.
Mike

 

[Hurley12]

I used crystal sea marine mixe, they sell it at the aquarium. Maybe I will just wait it out and see how it goes, my water cant be that bad all my fish a just fine.

 

[ct_vol]

Good luck... Keep us posted...

 

[EvilMel]

I hate hate hate dosing anything.

I got a calcium reactor and pretty much leave everything alone.

I also never test anything hardly...which yeah...is not a good policy...but it's workin' for me. Maybe at some point when life is not so busy I will actually test stuff. HAH HAH. Like that's ever going to happen.

I don't want anyone to follow my example, but yeah...I rarely ever test or dose (I do water change a lot though).

 

[Hurley12]

Well that seems to be the general consensus, maybe I am trying to hard, haha. Thats what i did the first time around and I never had problems, of course I wasn't keeping anything to difficult. I think I will just wait it out and not mess with it for awhile except for water changes and see how that works.

 

[tangboy]

Which test kit?

Which test kit?

Hey,

If you got your salt mix from the Aquarium did you happen to get your marine test kit from there too? I got mine there and my readings seem to be a bit off from what they test. I took in a sample and they said that my Nitrites and Ammonia were 0, when I tested at home it showed I had a little of both. Don't remember the test kit but just remember I got it from there.

Oh and "Hi"! New to the forums! New to the hobby also!

40g kit from the Aquarium Shoulda done my research before going in there and letting them talk me into a 40g. I would have done quite a few things differently after doing as much research as I'm doing now.

-tang

 

[ct_vol]

Re: Which test kit?

Re: Which test kit?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9705898#post9705898 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tangboy
Hey,

If you got your salt mix from the Aquarium did you happen to get your marine test kit from there too? I got mine there and my readings seem to be a bit off from what they test. I took in a sample and they said that my Nitrites and Ammonia were 0, when I tested at home it showed I had a little of both. Don't remember the test kit but just remember I got it from there.

Oh and "Hi"! New to the forums! New to the hobby also!

40g kit from the Aquarium Shoulda done my research before going in there and letting them talk me into a 40g. I would have done quite a few things differently after doing as much research as I'm doing now.

-tang

[welcome]

I think we all made mistakes before finding RC and the club... Thats why its so great to have these resources and share our successes and failures!!!!!!!!!!! Let us know if we can do anything to help... You should come to our meeting this Saturday if you're available...

 

[Hurley12]

Nope I use salifert test kits and they are brand new I bought a couple weeks back from offline, by the my parametes are finally settling down and staying pretty consistent. I agree with Randy my SW experiences before Reef central were pathetic this place definately makes it easier.