Dirt-simple chemistry MUST-knows for tank health

[GeorgeMonnatJr]

Great thread, Sk8r.

You mention the importance of keeping Mg high above more times than I can quote. I found your Magnesium blog, which was also good. The question I have is how do you boost Mg other than water changes?

I've been following Randy's kalkwasser TO system and purchased magnesium chloride (deicing salts/MAG flakes) and Epsom salt per his articles.

I was lazy and didn't test for almost two weeks, because it seemed like my parameters never changed with high Ca and Mg. But I didn't account for adding more crustaceans and corallimorphs. I tested, and my Mg was low around 1200ppm. I mixed the MAG flakes and Epsom salt for 1 gallon and boosted it up (a little too high), but that one addition used almost half of my expensive MAG flakes. For some reason, it's hard to get cheap deicing salt in Central Texas.

So, do you just use Epsom salt, a commercial supplement, or something else?

[regalfrank]

great write up and very helpfull even to old timers lol

[avelino78]

Sk8r I have been looking into Oceanic salt. The numbers look good but people say that it is bad quality salt. I trust and follow everything that you say but just wondering why people would say that about the salt.

[dz6t]

Adjusting Ca, Alk and Mg individualy with a bad test kit can kill your tank. Make sure the test kit you use is good.

[Sk8r]

I use Tech M for magnesium. Liquid.
I've always used Oceanic and never had any problems so far, with an lps reef.

[avelino78]

Could I add alk into my ATO that has kalk in it. I can't get my alk up.

[Sk8r]

No. Raise your magnesium FIRST, with something like Tech M or some magnesium source. THen your alk, via hand dosing. Kent DKH Buffer is a decent one.

[Omri]

Hi Sk8er, Ive just updated my profile on my new IM Nuvo 38 - Please help! My yellow green flower pot has some limbs that are going from neon yellow color to a light beige. some parts are losing the iridescent yellow. Besides those two, everything else seems to be doing well thus far. Tank has been up for exactly three weeks. I added 32 lbs of live rock immediately and used RO/DI water with Tropic Marin salt from the start. For the first two weeks, I monitored nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and pH to make sure everything was in line to add some fish and corals. fish and corals have been in for about 8 days thus far.

Also i definitely see on polyp dead on my orange zoa. it also looks like there are another 10 or 15 polyps near it that are losing their color, but i can't be sure quite yet.

checked my water about 5 times in the past week as it is a new setup. it took me forever to figure out how to use the Red Sea test kit and get accurate results, but i think I've figured it out.

currently:
Salinity: just under 1.024
pH: 8.2-8.3 (API)
Nitrate: undetectable (API)
Nitrite: undetectable (API)
Ammonia: 0 (API)
Ca: 390-400 (Red Sea)
Mg: 1440 (Red Sea)
dKH: 12.0, meq/L 4.3 (what does that meq/L 4.3 really mean?)

what should i do to adjust these levels without harming the too man coral i have already put in? i went to a few lfs and all sold me on the stuff i had in the tank and told me i should definitely be ok with the water parameters i showed them. also in what order should i do it?


Livestock:
-32 Lbs man-made of Reef Rock
-XL Blue Mushroom
-Orange Zoanthias
-Pink Zoanthias
-Frogspawn Branch
-Purple Xenia
-Yellow Green Flowerpot Coral - Looo
-Superblue Maxima Clam

-2 Chromis
-1 Royal Gramma
-3 Electric Blue Hermit Crabs

[Outlets710]

Originally Posted by Tom.B

Brilliant post. Added this to my faves until I learn by memory what levels etc I need!!

[Outlets710]

Sk8tr,
When you refer to locking mag in do you simply mean get it to the level you mentioned and keep it there? Wouldn't that consist of daily tests? NP just curious.
Also on my tanks in the past I have found myself guilty of getting water parameters where they need to be but not understanding the why's or how's.
My custom Ridge comes this week from Pico Aquariums and was wondering if you had any dumbed down info or sites on cycle process/reef chemistry and actually understanding all the different levels we check for, but written for the novice in laymen terms and not so only Chem majors would understand. Can't thank you enough. I just want to do everything right this time.

George

[Aiserock]

Great read, thank you.

[Angel85]

Im sorry but I dont understand what is ment in #8. What is hand dosing? From what I understand, if I have soft corals and fish, regular water changes should replenish lost nutrients but continue to measure them?

[Outlets710]

[QUOTE=Sk8r;20244760]Ph will only confuse you in marine tanks. Track alk instead. You don't mention your magnesium level. Test that. S/b 1300.[/

That's fantastic news.


I will be upgrading from a 16 to a 30 gl, currently I add a cup of water a day for evaporation. I only have one stony now but plan to have at least in the 7 to 10 range in next tank. Calcium is at 480 ramge without dosing and I have only 2 stonies now.

Right now my tank sits on the kitchen counter so don't exactly have room for ATO just yet so I just pour a cup of water n it everyday from my 5gl bucket. I understand Kalk doesn't raise it only maintains it however if I mix the reccomend amount in my 5 gallon bucket and just added that daily would that work the same?

BTW just from reading your thread I have learned more about reef chemistry than all my countless hrs on google and RC w everyone contradicting themselves. Can't tell you what a relief it is for someone to just put it out there in a nut shell and still be able to comprehend as the reader as to why we are doing so. Someone mentioned you should write a book, I would be the first to buy it. Can't thank you again Sk8r!

[mbd521]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

[repeated from the Reef Discussion Forum]
I'm going to start very slow, very basic, and work toward the lesser known things.

1. your salt mix is not just salt. It's dry seawater. And that means not only salt, it's calcium, magnesium, iodine, selenium, boron---read the label on your salt mix.

2. evaporation never evaporates the minerals. It only evaporates the water.

3. animals and plants suck up part of the minerals. So TWO actions unbalance your tank---evaporation increases the mineral concentration---and animals and plants take the minerals they need and leave what they don't. This means certain minerals run lower and lower and certain ones don't---they just pile up. As you add more fresh ro/di (water that's ONLY hydrogen and oxygen, with NO minerals) your tank gets no more minerals. And your shortage of what the animals and plants are using most gets bigger and bigger. Water changes, 20% a month, replenish the missing minerals, but they're alway playing catchup.

4. Salt mixes are NOT all the same. Reef salt contains a high amount of what corals need AND what fish need. Marine salt for fish-onlies is lower in calcium and other minerals. That's why the price difference.

5. Now---the nitty gritty of chemical balance in your tank. First, the balance is set by your salt brand. The more you mess with that, the worse your water. Translation: don't go dumping supplements into your tank unless you've got the corresponding test. They don't sell these things together because they don't run out at the same rate, but your lfs should stress, with every supplement---you need a test. And you need a logbook. If you turn up a shortage, you dose until you put the RIGHT amount into your tank, with a little leeway; and you test again next week to figure out how fast that's running low. And you dose to stay in the 'good zone', NOT as make-up after your water's gone wonky. Dose to the TREND of the numbers, the way when you're balancing something in your hands, you don't let it swing way to one side before you correct it back to center. There is NO one answer to these things. Every tank is different. And staying in the center of a 'good numbers' zone is best: that gives you a little leeway in either direction.

6. THREE readings go in 'lock' to keep your water good. These three are: the alkalinity of your water, the amount of calcium in your water, and the amount of magnesium in your water. Those of you with freshwater experience are used to tracking PH. Alkalinity is the thing most reefers track. Get it between 8.3 and 9.3 on the KH scale, and don't angst over the ph.
The second reading is your Calcium level. It should be between 420 and 500. Below that---your snails' shells start dissolving. And your fish's bone and muscle suffer. The third reading is Magnesium. All you people who want coralline to grow---just keep this one at 1300. But it does a lot more than supply coralline. It LOCKS the other two readings in a 3-way balance. Keeping everything in that relationship will make everything happy.

7. Remember that business about plants and animals using up minerals? Calcium and magnesium are the ones animals use bigtime. Plants---use phosphate and nitrate. Yes, even those chemicals are useful. Plants grow like mad with phosphate. Grow them in your sump, divide the mass in half periodically and get rid of it, and you've just tossed a lot of phosphate and nitrate. That's what a fuge does. And the reason not to use conditioned tapwater? City water grows plants. Algae. A lot of it. The conditioners don't remove phosphate.

8. Dosing: you must dose to keep your calcium supply up if you have stony coral. Hand-dosing is just fine if you don't. You should be able to keep up with the mineral consumption problem if you have fish and softies, including anemones. Just stay in the target range, and do your water changes.

If you have, or want to have, stony coral, you need to get onto that calcium situation the minute you put them in the tank. They come in 'asleep'. Given good lighting (a requirement for stony coral) and correct chemistry---they'll put out a finger to feel the water. And they'll start waking up. Hungry---because they've not eaten in a while. And what they want is calcium. A lot of it. They'll suck it right out of your salt mix, until your snail shells start dissolving. So you have to put it in. 3 little coral frags can take heaping teaspoons worth of calcium supplement---daily---and at nearly twenty dollars a jar, this could get ruinously expensive. But there ARE cheap ways to give them what they need. Kalk drips are the cheapest. They can fully supply a 50-60 gallon packed reef. Above that you get into calcium reactors, which can supply much larger reefs. There is also the Balling method. And 2-Part. Tank size and coral load will determine what you need.

9. aging tank: reading all this should tell you that the older a tank gets, the more little imbalances and shortages it accumulates. Age has benefits, but it also has problems. I recommend, at least every couple of years, an aggressive program of semi-weekly 20% water changes, so you can sort of re-set the balance. It's my own notion, but I think it does a bit to replenish the things far down the list of reef-salt ingredients.

Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

[plankton127]

Great post!

[reefanatik]

Originally Posted by xCry0x

+1 on importance of this.

I procrastinated on testing Alk/Mag/Cal since I have a small tank and do large changes weekly with red sea pro salt mix. Finally got the tests and my alk was down in the 7.8-8.0 range. Bumped it up to 9.0 and I might be seeing things but my corals seem much happier, everything is more open an and sh d I can start to see some new growth after only a week.

I just tested today for the 1st time as I also thought that just doing water changes would b fine. My frogspawn is starting to loose two heads. Well my water tested at mag 1380 dkh 7.4 cal 400 sg 1.026. I will start to raise my alk durst and proceed with cal. I hope my corals will start to show improvement like yours did

[A_CoupleClowns]

Thank you sk8r your threads have been like a classroom
for me! Please keep up the excellent work sir!

[kissman]

great write up!

[sndman67]

I'm new to the salt water aquarium. Though it has been very therapeutic for me when I have it in my presence. I was in a really bad accident and have some loss of memory... but for some reason... these saltwater aquariums and along with the beauty of the fish and corals are amazingly stunning. I have a 90 gallon deep blue. I paid someone to come help me and he never showed up. He took my money and now I have to seek and take further action.

Basically what I have in it right now are some live rock..about 4 pieces and along with that some dead coral ... at one point it was all white.. but now has and is turning shades of brown. I don't know how good this may be or if it is harmful.

I am one month and a week exactly into cycling the tank. I have a total of eight damsels left out of sixteen in total that I started with. I loved it when the tank looked clean and white.. meaning the corals etc etc. I know I'm a little slow with all this but i need help.

I have grown to care for even the starter fish. My salinity is 1.020 at the moment. I have a RED SEA Marine care test kit. It has Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, pH and Alkalinity. I just need a little help here.. I don't know what levels are normal.

Basically I need help. A good friend of mine had recommended this site for me ... he used to have a 450g tank but he's out of the game now due to being full time busy. But I did hear everyone that does know about this site.. well.. they all speak and spoke very highly of it.

I thank you for taking the time to read and I hope to hear back very soon. Thank you so very much.

[kissman]

Originally Posted by sndman67

I'm new to the salt water aquarium. Though it has been very therapeutic for me when I have it in my presence. I was in a really bad accident and have some loss of memory... but for some reason... these saltwater aquariums and along with the beauty of the fish and corals are amazingly stunning. I have a 90 gallon deep blue. I paid someone to come help me and he never showed up. He took my money and now I have to seek and take further action.

Basically what I have in it right now are some live rock..about 4 pieces and along with that some dead coral ... at one point it was all white.. but now has and is turning shades of brown. I don't know how good this may be or if it is harmful.

I am one month and a week exactly into cycling the tank. I have a total of eight damsels left out of sixteen in total that I started with. I loved it when the tank looked clean and white.. meaning the corals etc etc. I know I'm a little slow with all this but i need help.

I have grown to care for even the starter fish. My salinity is 1.020 at the moment. I have a RED SEA Marine care test kit. It has Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, pH and Alkalinity. I just need a little help here.. I don't know what levels are normal.

Basically I need help. A good friend of mine had recommended this site for me ... he used to have a 450g tank but he's out of the game now due to being full time busy. But I did hear everyone that does know about this site.. well.. they all speak and spoke very highly of it.

I thank you for taking the time to read and I hope to hear back very soon. Thank you so very much.

welcome to Reef central. You will probably get more response if you start a thread on this. My advice is slow down. 16 fish is way to many for cycleing a tank. You don't have enough bioload to support that many thats why some have died. You are still cycling takes about 6-8 weeks. I would ditch the Red Sea Marine Kit, and invest in some good test kits that are accurate the new Red Sea Pro Test kits and Saliferts are great. As far as the brown its probably diatoms or cyano which can be n ormal during cycle. Are you using RO/DI water or tap water? Are you testing your make up water for TDS? Also SG 1.020 is really low should be 1.025-1.0264

[prsnlty]

I agree with Kissman.

If you don't have an RO/DI unit, get one. Make up new saltwater in brutt or rubbermaid trash cans and change out your tank water. (If you have a small 10 gallon tank, put your fish in it for now using the tank water they were in.) I made the mistake of slowly changing over to ro/di and killed many items in my tank when I had to start over. So while you are down to only a few fish and no corals, now is the best time to "just do it" in my opinion. By this, I mean to start it over as if it were a brand new tank. Decide if you want it fish only or if you will have live corals in the future. That will help you decide on the salinity you need as well as what kind of salt mix you will need to use in your tank. If you don't have one, get a refractometer as well as the better test kit that Kissman mentioned. After a couple of weeks your tank should be cycling and you will see diatoms during that period. Test the water perimeters, and see where your cycle is at. Ammonia 0, nitrites 0 and nitrates may show a trace. You could add couple of fish and start a clean up crew now. Test your water once a week at this point and change 10% of your water to keep nitrates low to 0.

There are guides on this site for starting up a new tank and answers to all the questions you may have. Good luck

[sndman67]

Thank you so much prsnlty. I really do appreciate it. if there is anything you suggest I read on here.. please inform me. Really.. thank you for helping me.

[sndman67]

I thought I had a good test kit.. but I will take your advice kissman... I am using tap water... but using DI when need to add water ... I add it through the sump below. Like I said the guy that came to start this tank ..well he bounced... so I gotta figure out how to get the salinity level up..any ideas. I'm testing... Everything seems to be just about normal... my nitrites were just tested and they were "0". As for the brown diotoms or the cyano.. do I leave it? Or should I clean it? For the time being I want to keep this a just fish tank... but eventually go with turning it into a a reef. I have a brand new 120 oceanic reef ready and also a oceanic wet dry with a few pumps and some other stuff etc etc... it is all brand new... I don't know if I want to use that one.....well if you're close by.... we can see. Thank you so much kissman.. I need all the help I can get.

PS.... I don't know what TDS means. I'm sorry.

[sndman67]

I thought I had a good test kit.. but I will take your advice kissman... I am using tap water... but using DI when need to add water ... I add it through the sump below. Like I said the guy that came to start this tank ..well he bounced... so I gotta figure out how to get the salinity level up..any ideas. I'm testing... Everything seems to be just about normal... my nitrites were just tested and they were "0". As for the brown diotoms or the cyano.. do I leave it? Or should I clean it? For the time being I want to keep this a just fish tank... but eventually go with turning it into a a reef. I have a brand new 120 oceanic reef ready and also a oceanic wet dry with a few pumps and some other stuff etc etc... it is all brand new... I don't know if I want to use that one.....well if you're close by.... we can see. Thank you so much kissman.. I need all the help I can get.

PS.... I don't know what TDS means. I'm sorry.

[BigBarnacles]

Originally Posted by sndman67

I thought I had a good test kit.. but I will take your advice kissman... I am using tap water... but using DI when need to add water ... I add it through the sump below. Like I said the guy that came to start this tank ..well he bounced... so I gotta figure out how to get the salinity level up..any ideas. I'm testing... Everything seems to be just about normal... my nitrites were just tested and they were "0". As for the brown diotoms or the cyano.. do I leave it? Or should I clean it? For the time being I want to keep this a just fish tank... but eventually go with turning it into a a reef. I have a brand new 120 oceanic reef ready and also a oceanic wet dry with a few pumps and some other stuff etc etc... it is all brand new... I don't know if I want to use that one.....well if you're close by.... we can see. Thank you so much kissman.. I need all the help I can get.

PS.... I don't know what TDS means. I'm sorry.

TDS=Total Dissolved Solids. With an RO/DI system you want 0.0 TDS reading from your product water.