I have been wondering. Ever since I had a bit of tank crash, I have attributed it to a bad batch of Oceanic salt, my tank has started to look better, but not what I would call top notch. I finally got sick of it and decided to TCB and give the tank some real TLC. I started out checking the water parameters and here is what I found.
Ammonia - 0 - Fasttest/Seatest
Nitrite - 0 - Fasttest/Seatest
Nitrate - 0 - Fasttest/Seatest
pH - 7.0 to 8.0 - Fasttest/Seatest - Hanna pH meter
Alkalinity 1.5 to 2.0 meq/l - Fasttest/Seatest (4.2 to 5.6 DKH)
Calcium 260 ppm - Salifert
Specific Gravity of 1.025 - Refractometer
Temp 80’ F - Digital Thermometer
Oceanic RR 105 with a 40 Gallon sump/fuge total water volume about 100 Gallons
Since most things were OK I decide to focus on the pH/Alk/Calc. So, twice a day, once in the morning, lights still out, and once at evening, just before lights out, I tested them. I found that I had a problem with low pH/Alkalinity. The pH was always hovering around 7.8 - 8.0, Alkalinity was running at 1.5 to 2.0 meq/l, and the Calcium was obviously low. This was a bit confusing, especially since I had been doing a large water change, 30 Gallons, once a month for the last 3 months with Kent Salt. I re-read all of my Randy Homles-Farley articles and decided on a plan.
First I made sure the low pH was not a low oxygen/high carbon dioxide problem (aerated a water sample over night out side and the pH stayed the same). pH is basically relative to Alkalinity, I needed to bring up the Alkalinity, that would help the pH. Since the pH was low I used Washing Soda/Baked Baking Soda/Sodium Carbonate (this will have a pH increasing affect as well as bring up the Alkalinity). I did not want to shock the system so I have a dripper/doser I made out of an old vinegar bottle, air valve and soft air line. I dosed in batches of 4 table spoons mixed in a gallon of water of RO water until the Alkalinity was up to 2.5 meq/l. That brought the pH up to 8.1. So far so good.
I continued to re-checked the Calcium through the pH/Alk correction process and found it to still be low at 260ppm. No real surprise. Since Calcium and Alkalinity need to be in the proper balance in order for the corals to use it, and balanced Calcium for an Alkalinity reading of 2.5 meq/l is 410 ppm, I dosed Calcium Chloride in the doser until I received a reading of 410 ppm.
Once there I decided that I would like to get the pH up in the range of 8.2 to 8.3. Since pH is directly affected by the level of Alkalinity I decided I would maintain the balance of Alkalinity and Calcium at 4.0 meq/l and 440 ppm. I continued to dose some of each, Alk and Calc, and test and dose until the 4.0 meq/l - 440 ppm balanced was reached. This resulted in the pH right where I wanted it. Yea!
Now I had reached the balance but I knew I needed to maintain it. I continued my twice a day testing and found that I need to dose the tank daily with 2 tablespoons of the Washing Soda and every other day with 2 table spoons of the Calcium Chloride. Again I was a bit confused. My tank is mostly softies just a few LPS and only 1or 2 SPS. From reading I knew that it is difficult if not impossible to maintain a proper Alk/Calc balance if your Magnesium is low. AHA, that must be it. I purchased a Mg test kit and in fact it was low, at about 1190 ppm. OK so I dosed and tested and dosed and tested until I reached a level of 1380 ppm.
During all of this I can honestly say that things were perking up and up. The whole tank looks much better these days then it has in a long while. I have still been keeping up the twice a day testing and I still have to dose the 2 tablespoons of Alk Buffer a day (I have been switching between Washing Soda and Baking Soda depending on the pH level) and the Calcium every other day. I also drip a gallon of saturated lime water every night. Still a bit confused as to why, I started to think about what could be using Alk/Calc up to require all this dosing. I do have very good coralline algae growth and I know that uses some. I had an idea. I utilize an auto top off system. I make RO water 30 gallons at a time and use it with a float switch to keep my water level up. Depending on the temperature and the humidity it adds about 1.5 to 2.5 gallons a day. I knew what the results would be but I went ahead and tested the RO water anyway and sure enough, very low pH, like 6.0 and no Alk. I did not test Calc but I will bet it was zero too.
I am wondering if these low readings of the top off water are part of the reason I have to add so much to the system?
I am also wondering if I should be buffering my top off water to bring it in line with the pH/Alk of the tank?
If I am adding Alk as part of the top off how do I keep the Calc in balance, still dose that every other day?
Lastly, what and how much dosing does everyone else do, daily, weekly?
I would just like to hear what other reefers are doing to maintain their Alk/Calc.
One other note, and this should, and now that I think about it, will be another post. I have also found that when I mix my water change water, if I test it a couple of hours later for pH/Alk/Calc everything is pretty much in line, not quite as high as the tank but close, pH8.2, Alk 3.0 meq/l Calc 380 ppm using Kent Salt. But if I let the water sit for even two days all the readings drop. This is in a 40 Gallon trash can with a Mag 5 running. No obvious Calcium precipitation. If I use this water like this it definitely is going to lower my levels. Man water changes are suppose to be good. Oh well, like a said this should be another post.
Thanks in advance for any and all input.
Stanley T’’’ - SALT
Ammonia - 0 - Fasttest/Seatest
Nitrite - 0 - Fasttest/Seatest
Nitrate - 0 - Fasttest/Seatest
pH - 7.0 to 8.0 - Fasttest/Seatest - Hanna pH meter
Alkalinity 1.5 to 2.0 meq/l - Fasttest/Seatest (4.2 to 5.6 DKH)
Calcium 260 ppm - Salifert
Specific Gravity of 1.025 - Refractometer
Temp 80’ F - Digital Thermometer
Oceanic RR 105 with a 40 Gallon sump/fuge total water volume about 100 Gallons
Since most things were OK I decide to focus on the pH/Alk/Calc. So, twice a day, once in the morning, lights still out, and once at evening, just before lights out, I tested them. I found that I had a problem with low pH/Alkalinity. The pH was always hovering around 7.8 - 8.0, Alkalinity was running at 1.5 to 2.0 meq/l, and the Calcium was obviously low. This was a bit confusing, especially since I had been doing a large water change, 30 Gallons, once a month for the last 3 months with Kent Salt. I re-read all of my Randy Homles-Farley articles and decided on a plan.
First I made sure the low pH was not a low oxygen/high carbon dioxide problem (aerated a water sample over night out side and the pH stayed the same). pH is basically relative to Alkalinity, I needed to bring up the Alkalinity, that would help the pH. Since the pH was low I used Washing Soda/Baked Baking Soda/Sodium Carbonate (this will have a pH increasing affect as well as bring up the Alkalinity). I did not want to shock the system so I have a dripper/doser I made out of an old vinegar bottle, air valve and soft air line. I dosed in batches of 4 table spoons mixed in a gallon of water of RO water until the Alkalinity was up to 2.5 meq/l. That brought the pH up to 8.1. So far so good.
I continued to re-checked the Calcium through the pH/Alk correction process and found it to still be low at 260ppm. No real surprise. Since Calcium and Alkalinity need to be in the proper balance in order for the corals to use it, and balanced Calcium for an Alkalinity reading of 2.5 meq/l is 410 ppm, I dosed Calcium Chloride in the doser until I received a reading of 410 ppm.
Once there I decided that I would like to get the pH up in the range of 8.2 to 8.3. Since pH is directly affected by the level of Alkalinity I decided I would maintain the balance of Alkalinity and Calcium at 4.0 meq/l and 440 ppm. I continued to dose some of each, Alk and Calc, and test and dose until the 4.0 meq/l - 440 ppm balanced was reached. This resulted in the pH right where I wanted it. Yea!
Now I had reached the balance but I knew I needed to maintain it. I continued my twice a day testing and found that I need to dose the tank daily with 2 tablespoons of the Washing Soda and every other day with 2 table spoons of the Calcium Chloride. Again I was a bit confused. My tank is mostly softies just a few LPS and only 1or 2 SPS. From reading I knew that it is difficult if not impossible to maintain a proper Alk/Calc balance if your Magnesium is low. AHA, that must be it. I purchased a Mg test kit and in fact it was low, at about 1190 ppm. OK so I dosed and tested and dosed and tested until I reached a level of 1380 ppm.
During all of this I can honestly say that things were perking up and up. The whole tank looks much better these days then it has in a long while. I have still been keeping up the twice a day testing and I still have to dose the 2 tablespoons of Alk Buffer a day (I have been switching between Washing Soda and Baking Soda depending on the pH level) and the Calcium every other day. I also drip a gallon of saturated lime water every night. Still a bit confused as to why, I started to think about what could be using Alk/Calc up to require all this dosing. I do have very good coralline algae growth and I know that uses some. I had an idea. I utilize an auto top off system. I make RO water 30 gallons at a time and use it with a float switch to keep my water level up. Depending on the temperature and the humidity it adds about 1.5 to 2.5 gallons a day. I knew what the results would be but I went ahead and tested the RO water anyway and sure enough, very low pH, like 6.0 and no Alk. I did not test Calc but I will bet it was zero too.
I am wondering if these low readings of the top off water are part of the reason I have to add so much to the system?
I am also wondering if I should be buffering my top off water to bring it in line with the pH/Alk of the tank?
If I am adding Alk as part of the top off how do I keep the Calc in balance, still dose that every other day?
Lastly, what and how much dosing does everyone else do, daily, weekly?
I would just like to hear what other reefers are doing to maintain their Alk/Calc.
One other note, and this should, and now that I think about it, will be another post. I have also found that when I mix my water change water, if I test it a couple of hours later for pH/Alk/Calc everything is pretty much in line, not quite as high as the tank but close, pH8.2, Alk 3.0 meq/l Calc 380 ppm using Kent Salt. But if I let the water sit for even two days all the readings drop. This is in a 40 Gallon trash can with a Mag 5 running. No obvious Calcium precipitation. If I use this water like this it definitely is going to lower my levels. Man water changes are suppose to be good. Oh well, like a said this should be another post.
Thanks in advance for any and all input.
Stanley T’’’ - SALT