Justin_Freebords Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 My micro seemed to be melting away, i thought parasite which would = interceptor treatment. I talked to a guy who said it might be a water quality thing which i figured yeah thats a good possibility. Got my Alk Mg and Ca tested by him Ca: 550 Alk: 6.8 Mg: 550....yes that low. Do you guys think the low mg would cause my micro to start receding? I made my own supplement using epsom salts and started dosing a little bit each day using the reef calculator. Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 That Alk isn't great either. I assume he measuring the Alk in dKh? Both of those could certainly have contributed to your problem, I would think. Link to comment
beeker Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 the alkalinity affects things more than Magnesium does and a low or high alk will always have a bad affect on coral health if you have corals that are using up you need to be dosing with a 2 part solution (i use B-ionic) and testing for Calc, Alk and Mag daily/weekly to know what your corals/tank is using up and then you can adjust the dosages from there good parameters for calc alk and mag are Alk 9-12 DKH Calc 400-500ppm Magnesium 1200 to 1300 ppm Link to comment
bdare Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 the alkalinity affects things more than Magnesium does and a low or high alk will always have a bad affect on coral health if you have corals that are using up you need to be dosing with a 2 part solution (i use B-ionic) and testing for Calc, Alk and Mag daily/weekly to know what your corals/tank is using up and then you can adjust the dosages from there good parameters for calc alk and mag are Alk 9-12 DKH Calc 400-500ppm Magnesium 1200 to 1300 ppm Can't have high alk and Ca w/o Mg.... I'd also question those test results. You already mentioned the guy was going to sell you something to fix your parameters... Thus he has a vested interest in your parameters NOT being right. What salt are you using? How old is your tank and what do you dose? Link to comment
Justin_Freebords Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 he didnt sell me anything, hes a friend who offered totest for free. From what i understand low Mg causes high Ca due to a lack of Mg binding with calcium carbonate. Therefore the calcium still acts as calcium when normally the Mg would bind to it not letting it be calcium. Also low Mg causes low Alk. Not sure why on that one. I use coralife salt, and the tank is 4-5months old and i dose nothing, besides occational 3-4 drops of coral accel or kent phyto (not so much the phyto anymore) and i recently started adding a measured out amount of Mg to the tank to get it up since the test said 550 edit: i made the Mg solution myself for 4$ using epsom salt and Ro/Di water Link to comment
bdare Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I'd find out what test kits your buddy is using. Personally I don't trust those results. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...hreadid=1287118 Coralife should have much higher Mg and Alk... Link to comment
Justin_Freebords Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 hes using elos test kits Link to comment
The Propagator Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 In that case I would trust the results of an Elos kit, but maybe question the accuracy of the user in this case and double check them ? Use baking soda to bring your alkalinity up. Mix the amount of baking soda you need with RO/DI water dissolving it fully before dripping in. SLOWLY drip in what you need ( use the reef chemistry calculator. Google it its easy to find ) I would not recommend raising your alkalinity more then 2 points per day though. As well do not raise your magnesium any more then 100 ppm per day and REMEMBER Epsom salts are only safe to use with regular water changes of at least 15% ( I think 10% with or with out using Epsom salts is bunk in general. Not enough is removed with 10% IMHO ) Link to comment
Justin_Freebords Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 i used the reef calculator for the mg dosing instructions. I do weekly 1 gallon changes on a 5.5 gallon tank with probably 4 gallons of actual water so that should be ok. Im getting the API calcium and alk test kit and then the salifert Mg test kit. Just gotta order them online at the cheapest place i can find. Imma cook up some baking soda per directions from http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#6 and use that once i get my Mg where it needs to be why do water changes need to be done, and how often? I plan to get things under control first with regular weekly water changes then ive been thinking about once every 2 week changes and will hopefully only have to dose Mg once or twice a month once i get things squared away Link to comment
The Propagator Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Water changes need to be performed to remove things that skimming and filter floss cant, and to replace essential elements that are used up by our inhabitants. Even if you dose to replenish the elements used the nasties are still present that skimming and filter floss can not remove. There are folks who have went years with out water changes but those folks have larger systems with honking big benthic filtration systems under their tanks in near total darkness. Its a serious risk and a royal pain in the keister to set up one and rely on it with no water changes. Not worth the risk at all imo when water changes are so easy to do do eliminate the risk. The reason I would suggest doing water changes in your system specifically is because it is such a small volume that water changes alone will/should replenish all elements lost with no additional dosing needed. ( UNLESS you have an unusually large amount of clams or sps that is in that small of a system ? ) Link to comment
Justin_Freebords Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 thats why im confused. I have been religious, missing only one water change (which i did the next day) since setting the tank up at the beginning of october. Every Sunday, even as late as 11pm i get the water changed 1 gallon to be exact. Yet the Mg was still that low Link to comment
The Propagator Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Then it is your salt. It has low MG. Now you can fully expect your magnesium levels to drop shortly after you have just raised them. This is normal and is basically caused by all things live in your aquarium soaking it up as you put it in until it all levels out. You will not be able to get it on the 1st try. It will usually take another couple doses after your last does of raising MG up to complete the job. Link to comment
Justin_Freebords Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 yeah, im getting a test kit probably today online. Salifert for Mg and API for ca/alk/ph i think. Unless you guys think API is terrible. I dont have much money so i wanted to spring big for the Mg and get quality. Ive never had a problem with Ca but im afraid when i get my Mg fixed Ca will show its true feelings in my tank. I expect it to drop, just not sure how much. Link to comment
subielover Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Spend the money on salt. Oceanic is a good one to use, I really don't know how to explain your Mg being so low other than you have a shyttee batch of salt. Link to comment
bdare Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 There are much better salts to pick that Oceanic... IMO the CA values with Oceanic are WAY too high. Link to comment
nanoty Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 There are much better salts to pick that Oceanic... IMO the CA values with Oceanic are WAY too high. Hey........your alive. Link to comment
subielover Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 There are much better salts to pick that Oceanic... IMO the CA values with Oceanic are WAY too high. Such as? I have tried a few of the top brands, and for the money I wouldn't choose anything else. Link to comment
Justin_Freebords Posted February 8, 2009 Author Share Posted February 8, 2009 yeah well i didnt know jack about salt brands when i bought it. It was a small bag and i took it, i didnt plan on mixing my own salt for atleast like 3-4 months but they were out of saltwater so i got coralife salt. It sucks but w.e imma use it till im out i dont have the money to just throw away half a bag of salt when i can cheaply dose the needed stuff Link to comment
The Propagator Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 Sounds like you are on the right track now Link to comment
Justin_Freebords Posted February 8, 2009 Author Share Posted February 8, 2009 mixed up an Alk mixture today, i may throw it out and remake one. The pan i used was pretty clean, i rinsed it with water and dried it with a paper towel. But when i added the baking soda to my water i noticed a few small black specs. I think it will be ok though. Ordered Salifert Mg test kit, API Ph and Alk. They didnt have Ca but my Ca was so high at the time of the test I'm not worried about it for now. I'll get the kit eventually. They should ship out monday and will be at my dorm hopefully by the end of next week (shipping ground from texas to cali) Ill continue my 100ppm dosing of Mg until it gets to what should be 1300ppm if the original test was correct. Ill then test everything and slowly adjust from there. Thanks for all the help guys Link to comment
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