My alkalinity and calcium too high?

[ackattackkk]

Alkalinity like 13-14 dkh and calcium 600 mg/l (600ppm)? Using the API Reef Master kit

[NorthGaHillbilly]

what salt are you using and are you dosing anything? API kits notoriously have a pretty wide margin of error, but that seems real high to me.

[ackattackkk]

what salt are you using and are you dosing anything? API kits notoriously have a pretty wide margin of error, but that seems real high to me.

Its instant ocean sea salt. No im not dosing anything. Tanks been up for about 6 weeks have one RadioActive Dragon Eye zoa that closed up after day 1 so I figured I would test that stuff. dont know how accurate it is with the way the directiosn are worded lol.

[Egginis]

Your numbers certainly seem way too high for not dosing. Below is a link to a great article regarding alkalinity and Calcium. If your up to it I would suggest reading. Let us know if you need additional support.

 

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

 

 

[ackattackkk]

Your numbers certainly seem way too high for not dosing. Below is a link to a great article regarding alkalinity and Calcium. If your up to it I would suggest reading. Let us know if you need additional support. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

Lol I mean I could be wrong with the directions like add a drop of this to turn pink and then add 1 drop of this = 20 mg/l and each drop after is 20 until it turns blue lol idk. feel like im doing it right tho

[ghostgr]

im using the same kits and mine tests are close with my buddies red sea tests. but my alk is at 8 and calcium was at 360.

[Mariaface]

Did you repeat the tests? It's unlikely that both alk and calcium will be that high at the same time without magnesium toeing a very fine line(the link posted is a good one!). What are you using to measure salinity once you've mixed your salt in?

[Egginis]

im using the same kits and mine tests are close with my buddies red sea tests. but my alk is at 8 and calcium was at 360.

 

Now these are good numbers, just a tad on the low end. Most research recommends the following ranges.

 

7 to 11 dkh

380 - 450 ppm calcium ion

[ackattackkk]

Did you repeat the tests? It's unlikely that both alk and calcium will be that high at the same time without magnesium toeing a very fine line(the link posted is a good one!). What are you using to measure salinity once you've mixed your salt in?

yes three times. same thing everytime. Ill take a video if I need to lol. I dont understand. Ph is good also, I read usually those 3 go hand and hand if one is high the other is low ps. the blue "endpoint color" looks purple to me

[Mariaface]

So those results are consistent, that's something. Have you tested Magnesium? And again, where are you keeping salinity and what are you measuring it with?

[ackattackkk]

So those results are consistent, that's something. Have you tested Magnesium? And again, where are you keeping salinity and what are you measuring it with?

nope never tested magnesium. A hydrothermometer. Drop it in the tank. floats to the salinity its at. 1.025ish no more than 1.026.

 

Just tested ph its about 8.0

[Mariaface]

Hm. Your pH is just a little on the low side, but mine is also there because of CO2 nonsense.

 

Have your had your hydrothermometer checked? Maybe bring it in to a LFS and get them to double check with a refractometer, because you might be off by .003 on average (which would suck if you were already high/low). When I initially cycled a piece of dry rock a couple of years ago, I started off with a hydrothermometer and mine was off by .004 (I didn't learn that until I'd moved on to a refractometer).

[ackattackkk]

Hm. Your pH is just a little on the low side, but mine is also there because of CO2 nonsense.

 

Have your had your hydrothermometer checked? Maybe bring it in to a LFS and get them to double check with a refractometer, because you might be off by .003 on average (which would suck if you were already high/low). When I initially cycled a piece of dry rock a couple of years ago, I started off with a hydrothermometer and mine was off by .004 (I didn't learn that until I'd moved on to a refractometer).

no I have not had it checked. Do you suggest getting a refractometer? Would be .003 be that big of a difference I know its a tiny number but didnt know if it would do that much damage. Suggest doing a bigger water change or anything? I always thought it alk was high calc would be lower? cant figure out how mine are both high. and my zoa is closed

[Mariaface]

I do suggest it! And don't forget calibration fluid when you get it.

 

The range you want to keep the tank at is 1.021-1.026, which is only .005 of a difference. Some animals do well in 1.021-1.023 and not above, some can't go below 1.023, etc. If you're already at one end of the spectrum, .003 will make a big difference. Was that salinity reading done just now, or when you mixed the water? And also, do you have an ATO going or do you manually add top-off water?

 

I'd suggest taking a sample of your tank water and getting it tested by a LFS near you, if you can. Salinity, pH, alk, calcium, magnesium, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate. The last three you can probably do with an API test kit (if ammonia or nitrite are above 0 or nitrate is above 5 or so, do a water change). If you do a water change, try to aim for smack dab in the middle of the range with your hydrothermometer so that any inaccuracy doesn't skew you too far out of the range. Definitely plan on a better method of checking salinity, though. I'm even considering getting a digital refractometer. :x

 

Keep in mind that whatever's wrong with salinity or pH or alk/calcium/magnesium, you can't try to fix it too quickly if you're worried about how your zoas will react. That being said, zoanthids can decide to close up for days at a time if they sense something is wrong with the water. If they're not outright melting, they'll probably be fine in the end, so don't rush yourself. I just neglected my tank for two months and am bringing it back up to speed and my zoanthids spent half that time closed up before starting to open up again.

 

High alkalinity and calcium at the same time will probably lead to precipitation if nothing in the tank uses either of them up. I wouldn't worry about it causing immediate negative effects, though. Just take it as a symptom that something is up. Again, how are you making up for evaporation. Auto top off, or by hand? Evaporation can skew salinity big time in small tanks.

[doppelganger]

pH is fine.

 

For API, the tests are usually fairly simple. I'll just write it out to make sure your doing it properly:

 

Alkalinity (KH):

Put 5 ml in the tube. Start adding single drops at a time. Shake/swirl after each drop and make sure you count the number of drops. Compare the number drops against the chart. Make sure your using the KH test got GH or wutever.

 

Calcium:

Put 5 ml in the tube. Add 10 drops of bottle 1 and shake/swirl the tube for 10 sec. Shake bottle 2 for 10 sec then add single drops at a time. Shake/swirl after each drop and make sure you count the number of drops. Compare the number of drops against the chart.

 

 

It's highly unlikely to get those results from IO salt. Unless you got a REALLY messed up batch of salt or ur test kits are off. It's unlikely that both test kits would be off as well. If you're doing the tests properly, make a new batch of salt water (try and mix the salt up in the bucket first). Test the new saltwater after everything has dissolved and see what you get.

 

Also, are you using RO/DI water to mix your salt? I ask this cuz if you use tap water, sometimes already contains some alk and calcium depending on your local water source.

[Mariaface]

Also, are you using RO/DI water to mix your salt? I ask this cuz if you use tap water, sometimes already contains some alk and calcium depending on your local water source.

 

This, too! Make sure you're starting off with as close to 0 TDS as you can, and that you don't top off with tap water or anything like that.

[ghostgr]

Now these are good numbers, just a tad on the low end. Most research recommends the following ranges. 7 to 11 dkh 380 - 450 ppm calcium ion

yeh I have been trying to get those numbers back up the past couple of days. I made the mistake of using tap water with seachem prime and so far am having zero issues. But I do need to get me an RO/DI unit so I can start adding it with each water change and top off.

[ackattackkk]

OK did a 6 gallon water change on my 30 gallon tank. Calcium about 460 mg/l Kalinity between 8-9 dkh. Phosphate .25 and ph 8.0. calcium and alkalinty are way better than what they were. but my only zoa looks worse than it ever has before, Salinty is good.Ammonia is good

[Mariaface]

Phosphate is pretty high! You need a bit, but it's best to keep it as close to 0 as possible (probably want to aim for .02, so that if you end up around .08 or lower you'll be alright) without hitting 0.

 

What is 'good' to you when it comes to ammonia? It and nitrite should be nowhere above 0.0, and nitrates below should be low as well.

 

What are you using to filter out phosphates? And are you feeding anything to the tank? If zoas are the only thing in there, you don't really want to be feeding more than a teeny pellet per polyp (if it'll take it), if anything.

 

What lights are you using, and how far away are they? Zoas are usually pretty low light animals (not that they'll want shadow, but you don't want to be scorching them with light).

[markalot]

Ignore phosphates for now, this is the wrong turn most new tank owners make. Once the tank stabalizes then you may want to control it, but if you try and strip the water now you'll most likely end up with pale or dead corals. You also need to ditch the API test kits and go with something like Salifert, or Red Sea Pro. I use the Salifert kits, but with the red sea bottles and bottle holder. Makes for easy testing.

 

IGNORE PH and don't look at it again for 6 months. You really can't do much about it at this point ayway and if you try you wil most likely spike KH and harm the corals. You want to get KH fairly stable and if you have a small number of corals and do weekly water changes you should be fine. If you decide to make KH a little more stable than weekly water changes provide then you can dose two part after testing to find your daily usage, BUT YOU NEED GOOD TEST KITS. Also learn the relationship between calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium.

 

The biggest mistake new reef keepers make is doing something when nothing is a better idea. Seriously. Keep up on the weekly water changes, use RO/DI or distilled water, get a good refractometer and calibrate it with 35ppt calibration liquid, and get some good test kits. Alk, Calcium, and Magnesium first.

 

Good luck!

[Toybuddha]

^^ good advise ^^

[Mariaface]

Mark definitely speaks the truth! I don't know how attached you are to the zoas, but so long as you're testing accurately and keeping things stable (and relatively clean), they'll likely survive. Zoas are hardy like that.

 

I second the suggestion to get better testing equipment!

 

How long have you had the zoas?

[ackattackkk]

Phosphate is pretty high! You need a bit, but it's best to keep it as close to 0 as possible (probably want to aim for .02, so that if you end up around .08 or lower you'll be alright) without hitting 0.

 

What is 'good' to you when it comes to ammonia? It and nitrite should be nowhere above 0.0, and nitrates below should be low as well.

 

What are you using to filter out phosphates? And are you feeding anything to the tank? If zoas are the only thing in there, you don't really want to be feeding more than a teeny pellet per polyp (if it'll take it), if anything.

 

What lights are you using, and how far away are they? Zoas are usually pretty low light animals (not that they'll want shadow, but you don't want to be scorching them with light).

Ammonia and nitrites are 0. Nitrates are no higher than 5ppm. And im using a reefbreeders value fixture about 8 inches above the tank. Same fixture the LFS had over his frag tank

 

Im pretty sure my emerald crab ate my zoa. half of its stalks are missing and its feelers are cut short. and the emerald crab was on the frag when I woke up

[Mariaface]

Hm. Emerald crabs are a danger to corals sometimes. Do you feed it, or let it scavenge? It's completely possible the tank isn't old enough to produce food for it, but I don't know much about your tank and it might be a matter of crab personality (and taste for flesh).

 

Now that the parameters are back in line, keep them steady and supervise that emerald crab. I'm not sure why you got it (maybe it looks cool, maybe you had a run-in with valonia or other algae), but think about whether or not you'd want to keep it if it's actively going hurt corals you add in the future. Another thing to think about is whether the crab was eating healthy zoanthid flesh or sick zoanthid flesh, because the little guy may have actually been doing you a favor. Again, lots of supervision necessary. xD

[ackattackkk]

K look. Radioactive Dragon eye Pretty dead. These I forget what they are. Open all the way. WHYYYYYYY!!!????