RealReefs Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 As of late, I'm having troubles stabilizing my alkalinity in my standard 29 gallon with 10 gallon sump. I started dosing ESV B-Ionic Component No.1 Alkalinity on January 13, 2015. I was dosing the recommended 1 mL per 4 gallons so, I was dosing 7.5 mL per day. My dKH was extremely low at 5.9 before starting to dose, raising it slowing was key. Naturally, the dKH rose .3 every day until January, 28 when the level got to 7.8 dKH. Then, the next day my Alk. dropped to 6.4 dKH! And today it dropped to 6.2 dKH with the same dosage of 7.5 mL per day. To help combat the issue I dosed 10 mL yesterday and tonight I dosed 15 mL. What is going on and what should I do to help? Link to comment
Arce Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Are you testing at the same time everyday? Added alot of corals lately? Link to comment
RealReefs Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 I test and dose every night at around 9-10. As for new corals not necessarily, I have just been trying to raise my Alk from 5.9 dKH to 8-9 dKH. Bumping the dosage up to 10 didn't help. It only slowed the rqte at which the levels dropped. Although raising the dose to 15 mL per night these past two nights has helped to raise the Alk again. I just finished testing and my dKH is back up 7.3. Thanks for the feedback, I really to set up a thread so I can just post this there. By the way your tank looks absolutely amazing Arce. Are you testing at the same time everyday? Added alot of corals lately? Link to comment
CronicReefer Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I don't know how true this is but I read in an article before that mentioned there is some evidence to suggest coral will absorb carbonate faster at higher levels than it will at lower levels which may be the reason you have had to increase dosing as you have increased the alkalinity. Just a theory but I'm sure there are other explanations for why you had to increase the dose so much. Link to comment
Arce Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I test and dose every night at around 9-10. As for new corals not necessarily, I have just been trying to raise my Alk from 5.9 dKH to 8-9 dKH. Bumping the dosage up to 10 didn't help. It only slowed the rqte at which the levels dropped. Although raising the dose to 15 mL per night these past two nights has helped to raise the Alk again. I just finished testing and my dKH is back up 7.3. Thanks for the feedback, I really to set up a thread so I can just post this there. By the way your tank looks absolutely amazing Arce. Thanks. What test kit are you using? Whats your magnesium levels? Link to comment
East1 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I'd check your calcium and magnesium This is probably a better summary than I can put together, but from what you're saying I'd suspect mag is low and it's making it hard to maintain cal/alk (magnesium forms a skinlike layer on carbonate and prevents the calcium and carbonates turning to limestone prematurely in a tank, when there isn't enough mag your cal and carbonate will start to just make limestone dust in the tank and not keep your levels up, similar happened to me recently, my salt has really low mag) Link to comment
RealReefs Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 I don't know how true this is but I read in an article before that mentioned there is some evidence to suggest coral will absorb carbonate faster at higher levels than it will at lower levels which may be the reason you have had to increase dosing as you have increased the alkalinity. Just a theory but I'm sure there are other explanations for why you had to increase the dose so much. Yes, I have heard this as well. I think its just that my corals are getting used to the higher levels and just absorbing it like crazy haha! Thanks. What test kit are you using? Whats your magnesium levels? I am using Red Sea test kits and last time I checked my Mag. (A week or two ago) it was off the charts. (Extremely high!) I'd check your calcium and magnesium This is probably a better summary than I can put together, but from what you're saying I'd suspect mag is low and it's making it hard to maintain cal/alk (magnesium forms a skinlike layer on carbonate and prevents the calcium and carbonates turning to limestone prematurely in a tank, when there isn't enough mag your cal and carbonate will start to just make limestone dust in the tank and not keep your levels up, similar happened to me recently, my salt has really low mag) My calcium was 470 as of Jan. 28 and my Mag has been off the charts! Link to comment
Arce Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Yes, I have heard this as well. I think its just that my corals are getting used to the higher levels and just absorbing it like crazy haha! I am using Red Sea test kits and last time I checked my Mag. (A week or two ago) it was off the charts. (Extremely high!) Whats extremely high? Check it again thats probably the problem. Get you mag stable via water changes and then your alk should stabilize. Link to comment
RealReefs Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Extremely high being that I cant even test how high it was. Whats extremely high? Check it again thats probably the problem. Get you mag stable via water changes and then your alk should stabilize. Link to comment
Arce Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Extremely high being that I cant even test how high it was. Did you dose magnesium? Now way that occured from just ur salt mix. Link to comment
RealReefs Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 I havent dosed Mag yet, dont know how it got so high or it may just be the test kit, I have read that the Red Sea Mag. Tests kits can sometimes read high. Did you dose magnesium? Now way that occured from just ur salt mix. Link to comment
Arce Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I havent dosed Mag yet, dont know how it got so high or it may just be the test kit, I have read that the Red Sea Mag. Tests kits can sometimes read high.Dont take this wrong. But make sure your testing correctly, its important to mix and do the drops as the paper says. I used red sea and have no problems. Link to comment
RealReefs Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 I do exactly as it says with the time and everything, I will test in a minute to see what the levels are at now. Link to comment
Arce Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I do exactly as it says with the time and everything, I will test in a minute to see what the levels are at now. If your testing properly and you havent dosed then not quite sure what it may be. Check your salinity as well. Link to comment
RealReefs Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Yeah,that's why I was so confused as well. And my salinity is 1.023-1.024. If your testing properly and you havent dosed then not quite sure what it may be. Check your salinity as well. Link to comment
Arce Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Yeah,that's why I was so confused as well. And my salinity is 1.023-1.024. Not quite sure then, as long as your testing properly and not dosing any form of magnesium it shouldnt be that high. In any case just keep up with water changes to stabilize it. Link to comment
RealReefs Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 I will let you know what my PH, Alk., Calc., and Mag. is in a minute when I test it. Not quite sure then, as long as your testing properly and not dosing any form of magnesium it shouldnt be that high. In any case just keep up with water changes to stabilize it. Link to comment
RealReefs Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Not quite sure then, as long as your testing properly and not dosing any form of magnesium it shouldnt be that high. In any case just keep up with water changes to stabilize it. Just finished testing...Salinity- 1.023 SG (H2Ocean Refractometer) PH- 8.3 (API) Calcium- 450 ppm (Red Sea) Alkalinity- 7.8 dKH (Red Sea) Magnesium- 3200 ppm (Red Sea) I had to use 2 mL of titration! I have no clue on how my magnesium levels got that high. It's crazy because there has been no adverse affects on my corals health with these insane levels of magnesium. Link to comment
Arce Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Just finished testing... Salinity- 1.023 SG (H2Ocean Refractometer) PH- 8.3 (API) Calcium- 450 ppm (Red Sea) Alkalinity- 7.8 dKH (Red Sea) Magnesium- 3200 ppm (Red Sea) I had to use 2 mL of titration! I have no clue on how my magnesium levels got that high. It's crazy because there has been no adverse affects on my corals health with these insane levels of magnesium. Theres no way your mag is that high. Either your doing the test wrong or your kits bad. Link to comment
CronicReefer Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Agreed, I don't even know if 3200 would be possible. Link to comment
RealReefs Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 I'm doing the test exactly as Red Sea tells you to. I would think its a bad test kit as well, and thats what Ive thought from the beginning because it has read around that 3200 ppm mark every time. Thanks for the feedback! I might try and pick up a new kit soon, either another Red Sea or possibly Salifert. Theres no way your mag is that high. Either your doing the test wrong or your kits bad. Agreed, I don't even know if 3200 would be possible. Link to comment
ktipp Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Take some water to LFS and have them test to compare to your testing results. Link to comment
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