Water Parameters are low, how to raise?

Quartapound

New member
Hi guys,

I have a 35 gallon, been setup for 5 weeks, 30 lbs of liverock, reef sand, Instant Ocean salt
just picked up the API CA and ALK tests... I knew my PH was low earlier this week but didn't want to change anything as I didnt have all the proper tests. (or the kalk/buffer)

My parameters are nitrate/nitrite/ammonia 0

ALK 8dKH
CA 380
PH 7.8
SA 1.026


What should I do to safely/slowly raise my parameters? (not SA obviously)

thanks!
 
You parameters look fine for a new tank. Cal. is a bit low only if you want to keep LPS or SPS corals and you can use Calcium Carbonate to raise that but I wouldn't worry.
 
I was under the assumption anything under 8.0 PH would be something to avoid (I thought 8.2 is what I want... which is almost .5 from where I'm at now..) ?
 
I was under the assumption anything under 8.0 PH would be something to avoid (I thought 8.2 is what I want... which is almost .5 from where I'm at now..) ?

You don't need to worry about ph as long as it is between 7.8 & 8.3 you are fine, in fact it fluctuates from day to night anyway. Alk is far more important.
 
Bulk reef supply has good two part dosing for alk and calcium... It will also slowly raise your ph and make ph less important as you raise your alk.... Look for the two part dosing starter kit recipe one
 
Ocean tends to 7.9 ph, variable locally. If you track alk religiously and support it, you should do fine with a few corals such as your lights can support. In my sig you'll see good parameters for an lps reef, and there's no reason you can't do that in your tank. Helps to have a sump, but if you keep the load light and watch your chemistry, you should be ok.
 
thanks for the input guys.

speaking of sump... I'm basically at that stage now.

I have a 25G that I turned into a sump last week, it's been curing (and waiting for me to finish the rest of the parts)

I'm going to get some tubing today to finish it. (connect the overflow, and return lines)

I have a large DIY overflow that works great, and a MAG 5.


when attaching my sump to the main tank, besides all the normal things I've been reading, should I prepare the water in the sump like a regular water change?

Mix salt water to match the DT, wait 24 hours to stabilize, check again, then start overflow/return pump?
 
Do yourself a favor and get a more accurate test kit for cal/mag/alk before doing any dosing. I use TM and it keeps my cal at 400 and I have some SPS's, and never dosed anything. +1 on PH, it does change constantly. I never worry about it as long my alk stays steady (between 8-10).
 
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