Should I be concerned

cjr579 · 05/28/2013, 05:25 PM

My Calcium and Mg are both high while my alk is low, should i worry about it.

I noticed they where high a few days ago so I did a 20% water change using reef crystals. I checked them today and Ca is about 500, Mg is 1600 and alk is 4ish. My tank is only about 6 weeks old. I have a zoo polyps and a branching hammer in there so the Ca is not really being used. I just figured that the water change would have lowered Ca and Mg. I have an order for a few fish and some coral that will be here Friday.

Salinity 1.024
pH 8.09-8.14
no2 0
n03 0
temp 79
ca 500
mg 1600
alk 4ish

tatuaje08 · 05/28/2013, 05:36 PM

Bring up your alk, the other 2 are fine. They are a little high but won't harm anything.

nickg · 05/28/2013, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tatuaje08

bring up your alk, the other 2 are fine. They are a little high but won't harm anything.

+1

cjr579 · 05/28/2013, 07:09 PM

What the best way to bring it up. I'm not dosing yet since my tank is new. Would sea chem reef builder work or is there a better product?

tatuaje08 · 05/28/2013, 07:14 PM

I'd go get a bottle of brightwells alkalin8.3. That's what I use.

downbeach · 05/29/2013, 02:18 AM

What do you use to check your SG? If it's a swing arm type hydrometer, it may be giving you erroneous readings, causing you to add too much/little salt mix. I would recommend you get a decent refractometer, and some proper calibration fluid for it. What are you using to test your Ca, Mg and Alk?
Assuming your readings are accurate, you could just use some A&H baking soda, to raise your alk. Take 1 1/8 cups of baking soda in a gallon of RO/DI water(mix well), use this calculator, and Randy's recipe 2 to determine the dosage.

cjr579 · 05/29/2013, 08:58 AM

I use a refractometer from BRS. I calibrated it with the solution that comes with it. My test kit is the Red Sea pro foundation kit. I might have to try that baking soda. I'm gonna test it one more time to make sure my numbers are consistent.

NeilFox · 05/29/2013, 09:35 AM

I would double check that alk reading. Is that DKH or meq/L. I am assuming the later, otherwise nothing could survive in your water at such a level. If that is the case your alk may actually be high also.

I would implore you to make sure you are using the correct scale before trying to raise the alk.

cjr579 · 05/29/2013, 08:48 PM

Well I double checked my alk today and it was 8.5dhk. I was performing the test wrong. All is good. I'll leave my ca and mg alone. I'm adding a few more frags Friday from reef2go so I think those numbers will fall down a bit once things start growing.

Thanks for the help

tatuaje08 · 05/29/2013, 08:52 PM

You might want to bump it up to 9 or 10 for a reef.

05/28/2013, 05:25 PM	#1
cjr579 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: New Orleans,LA Posts: 73	Should I be concerned My Calcium and Mg are both high while my alk is low, should i worry about it. I noticed they where high a few days ago so I did a 20% water change using reef crystals. I checked them today and Ca is about 500, Mg is 1600 and alk is 4ish. My tank is only about 6 weeks old. I have a zoo polyps and a branching hammer in there so the Ca is not really being used. I just figured that the water change would have lowered Ca and Mg. I have an order for a few fish and some coral that will be here Friday. Salinity 1.024 pH 8.09-8.14 no2 0 n03 0 temp 79 ca 500 mg 1600 alk 4ish

05/29/2013, 09:35 AM	#8
NeilFox Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: DuPont, WA Posts: 947	I would double check that alk reading. Is that DKH or meq/L. I am assuming the later, otherwise nothing could survive in your water at such a level. If that is the case your alk may actually be high also. I would implore you to make sure you are using the correct scale before trying to raise the alk. Last edited by NeilFox; 05/29/2013 at 09:45 AM.

05/28/2013, 05:36 PM	#2
tatuaje08 Registered Member. Join Date: May 2013 Location: tempe, az Posts: 867	Bring up your alk, the other 2 are fine. They are a little high but won't harm anything.

05/28/2013, 07:09 PM	#4
cjr579 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: New Orleans,LA Posts: 73	What the best way to bring it up. I'm not dosing yet since my tank is new. Would sea chem reef builder work or is there a better product?

05/28/2013, 07:14 PM	#5
tatuaje08 Registered Member. Join Date: May 2013 Location: tempe, az Posts: 867	I'd go get a bottle of brightwells alkalin8.3. That's what I use.

05/29/2013, 02:18 AM	#6
downbeach Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Smyrna, Delaware Posts: 3,767	What do you use to check your SG? If it's a swing arm type hydrometer, it may be giving you erroneous readings, causing you to add too much/little salt mix. I would recommend you get a decent refractometer, and some proper calibration fluid for it. What are you using to test your Ca, Mg and Alk? Assuming your readings are accurate, you could just use some A&H baking soda, to raise your alk. Take 1 1/8 cups of baking soda in a gallon of RO/DI water(mix well), use this calculator, and Randy's recipe 2 to determine the dosage.

05/29/2013, 08:58 AM	#7
cjr579 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: New Orleans,LA Posts: 73	I use a refractometer from BRS. I calibrated it with the solution that comes with it. My test kit is the Red Sea pro foundation kit. I might have to try that baking soda. I'm gonna test it one more time to make sure my numbers are consistent.

05/29/2013, 08:48 PM	#9
cjr579 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: New Orleans,LA Posts: 73	Well I double checked my alk today and it was 8.5dhk. I was performing the test wrong. All is good. I'll leave my ca and mg alone. I'm adding a few more frags Friday from reef2go so I think those numbers will fall down a bit once things start growing. Thanks for the help

05/29/2013, 08:52 PM	#10
tatuaje08 Registered Member. Join Date: May 2013 Location: tempe, az Posts: 867	You might want to bump it up to 9 or 10 for a reef.