Water Parameters?

[zaboAA]

Posted this in Reef Central, though I would get some advice here too.
I ordered a bunch of new test kits (Salifert) and a new refractometer. I didn't trust what I was getting with my old ones. Below are my readings:

Calcium: 560 (High)
Alk: 70PPM(low)
Salinity 1.024 (where I want it)
PH: 8.5
Magnesium: 1230
Temp: 78 (night) 80 (day)
Nitrate: 0
Ammonia:0

Everything looks ok, but my alk is pretty low. I have a 135 reef (SPS, softies, and claims). I dose everyday with 2 part B-ionic: 90ml Alk (part 1), 90ml Calc (part 2). the last week I have been adding another 60ml of alk (part 1) at night trying to bring my alk up, doesn't seem to be working. Everything is doing great (I have been battling red cyno/slime for a couple weeks now), should I worry about the low Alk? High Cal? Maybe the magnesium is a little low?

Help appreciated

Mark
Rockwall


__________________

 

[melev]

I agree with Matt. Stop dosing, do a 25% water change, then a few hours later test the water for Ca and Alk.

It is obvious you are adding Part 1 (alk) to the water with pH of 8.5 The water change will help level out the numbers, so you can dose in equal portions again.

If you have oceanic salt, this will be a problem.

 

[zaboAA]

I'm using instant ocean. I'll prep some water tonight. Do you think i should just add the alk and stop using the calcium all together? Or do you think with the PH at 8.5 just stop both?

thanx a bunch,
Mark

 

[chevytrks]

@Matt wrote:

 

[zaboAA]

@chevytrks wrote:

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Thanks for the recap, bad question on my part. Just wondering (for my education) why I can't just add the Alk and not the calc to bring it in line (not increasing the dose). The mag is pretty good, PH is high (but not that high ). I have the water ready just wondering if stuff like B-ionic is effective by itself. Seems even a 25% won't change the alk that much.

 

[melev]

Your CA is much too high. 350 to 400ppm is fine. Doing a water change will drop that number. The new water should add some lacking alk. It levels things out. Your pH is actually dangerously high, in my own personal experience. I've seen my sps slime when pH hits 8.5 in the past.

Get the numbers to settle down, by not dosing anything. The two part dosing systems are designed to be dosed regularly in equal portions, and whenever you deviate from this procedure, an ionic imbalance will occur.

 

[zaboAA]

Yes I have noticed some slime. I will head your advice. Check out the advice from RC, kind of what I was asking:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=6737395#post6737395

 

[zaboAA]

OK, did a 35% water change, let it settle for a couple hours and here is what I tested (old on the left):

Calcium: 560 (High) / 470 (better)
Alk: 70PPM(low) / 60PPM (worst, argggg)
Salinity 1.024 (where I want it) / 1.024
PH: 8.5 / 8.3 (better)
Magnesium: 1230 / 1155 (little worst)
Temp: 78 (night) 80 (day) / same
Nitrate: 0 / 0
Ammonia:0 / 0

So where do I go from here. I would really like to get the alk up, but am worried about the PH. Like Mark said I've noticed an increase in the slime alg for the last couple weeks. I think it must be because of the the high PH. Maybe adding some mag and part 1 of the B-ionic? Help very much appreciated.

Mark

 

[Rick]

Heck I would use baking soda to raise the alkalinity till you get it where you want it. And also get some magnesium and start raising that level. Here is a good article about calcium and alkalinity problems.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

 

[zaboAA]

@Rick wrote:

Will baking soda increase PH? I have magesium

 

[zaboAA]

Regular baking soda will lower your pH and raise your Alk. Baked baking soda (homemade superbuffer) will raise your pH and Alk even more than non-baked baking soda. Read the link Rick provided and this stuff will make more sense.[/quote]

Sounds like I'm a zone 4, and baking soda is the way to go, article doesn't say to bring it upo all at once or little at a time. Any suggestions.

Mark

 

[melev]

Better to bring it up gradually each day, instead of trying to get the perfect number within an hour or two.

 

[Rick]

In your tank take about three tablespoons of baking soda, mix it thoroughly in a couple of cups of ro/di water, (not tank water). I have even used a glass measuring cup holds two cups and put the stuff in the microwave and heated the water. That speeds up how fast it dissolves. Then I slowly pour it into the sump where the pump pulls the water into the tank, over about a minute or two. Then wait 12 hours or so and measure the alkalinity, you will get an idea about how you can add to get it where you want. The baking soda does affect the pH but only in the short term, after a few hours it usually goes back.

 

[zaboAA]

Followed the baking soda advice, here are my latest numbers:

Calcium: 560 (High) / 470 (better)/ 440 (yea)
Alk: 70PPM(low) / 60PPM (worst, argggg)/ 120PPM (doing a backflip)
Salinity 1.024 (where I want it) / 1.024 / 1.024
PH: 8.5 / 8.3 (better) / 8.4 (still a little high, but think it's from the baking soda
Magnesium: 1230 / 1155 (little worst) / 1170 (good)
Temp: 78 (night) 80 (day) / same / same
Nitrate: 0 / 0 /same
Ammonia:0 / 0 /same

Just about where I want them. I think I will start back up on the B-ionic this weekend. I'll try to use about half the dose (of what I was using) for a week and see where my numbers are. Then adjust from there. Question about magnesium; Are you guy's adding/dosing it weekly or only when it shows low? If so how much and what product?

Thanks again for all the help..

 

[zaboAA]

Anyone?

 

[Rick]

At this point how much is your tank stocked? And how often do you do water changes and with what salt? Your tank maybe loaded light enough right now that you don't have to dose anything. There might be enough additional elements being added by your water changes.

 

[zaboAA]

@Rick wrote:

It's fairly loaded (SPS, some softies, fish about right). I change the water once a month (20-30%). Do you dose any magnesium? I think that is how I got out of whack in the first place.