Water Test Parameters

L

Laser

Membership Expired
sg 1.034
pH 8.2
Nitite 0
Nitrate 10 ppm
Calcium 500+ --off chart with Salifert test kit
Alk 11.4
Silicate .75
Magnesium 1500+ -- off chart with Salifert
Strontium 40+
Ammonia 0
Phosphate .03

I was overdosing with Seachem for a long time but have moved tank and changed most of water initially in move about 3 months ago. I have done several water changes and cannot get the calcium and alk values in line. I am currently dosing with Baking Soda to a max alk of 12 dkh and going to wait for alk to fall in the 11 range before I add more baking soda. I am using Insant Ocean for water changes. What do I need to do to get the values in line. I have no success with Xenia or Kenya as these values do not agree with them.
Please advise.
TIA
 
Is your salinity correct? If so, that is a huge problem in itself. Get it down to 1.026 or lower. 1.034 is too high, and rarely does stuff live in that. You can remove saltwater and replace it with freshwater to diluted it down as needed.

Calcium at 500 or more isn't horrible, but it would be better to get it down to 450 or so. Stop dosing anything that raises Calcium or Alkalinity, period. Test the tank in 5 days and see what the numbers are then.
 
thanks for the advice Marc. I will make the change in salt concentration and retest in 5 days. I am hoping the treatment of alk will finally bring down the calcium number. I have a calcium reactor that I have not even been able to turn on yet...
 
I have now retested the water after 5 days. The salinity was indeed way too high as my swingarm has been off. I now have a meter and the salt is back to 1.026 :D The rest of the values are looking much better I think. The baking soda addition to raise dKH up to max of 12 for a few days really cured all the high values as you can see.
SG 1.026
pH 8.2
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Calcium 460 :D
alk 9.6 dKH
Silicate 1.0-2.0 *** is this of any concern?
Magnesium 1350 :D
Strontium 4 *** should this be higher?
ammonia 0
phosphate 0.3

Any more suggestions would be great. The corals are now doing better than ever. I really am ready for some pink corraline algae to start :!:
 
looks good to me, but I'm not sure what the correct values of strontium should be as well as with silicate (for some reason I want to say it should be 0, but I'm not sure).
 
I believe Strontium should be 8, but I've not read my Salifert kit instructions in some time.

Silicate should be 0 if possible. What is your source water?
 
running RODI filter with Fort Worth water. I have ordered a TDS inline meter to check the water but have not checked lately. I have replaced the filters on the RODI about 3 months ago so it should be in good shape. How can I lower the silicate count?
 
It would be good if you could have that tested by someone else to confirm the reading before trying to fix the problem.
 
Marc,
Would you be willing to test for me with your silicate test kit? I live close to you at Ridglea CC..
Thanks,
Lance
 
I'm actually very close to Frank's Tanks. I think I have a silicate test kit, but let me double check first.

Yes, I do have one.
 
thanks for the help in testing the Silicates Marc. I appreciate your hospitality and enjoyed seeing your awesome tank. Thanks again.
Lance
 
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