poidog Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 My dkh seems really low, when all other params are normal. What's going on? I just checked my salt mix and it's testing at 11, but my tank is at 6/7? SPS are doing fine, but acans are stressed and receding. ph 8.4 sg 1.023 am 0 nitrite 0 nitrate equal or less than 10 phos 0 calc 400 using API tests. I water change 4 gallons every week. What do you think/suggest? Do another water change tomorrow? dose? Thanks. Link to comment
Otto Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 I have the same thing going on in my tank. I think alk drops faster than calcium but I am surprised your water changes dont keep up with it. I look forward to hearing what others have to say. Link to comment
disaster999 Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 my alk drops pretty fast too, just dose to keep it up until your next water change. Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 my alk drops pretty fast too, just dose to keep it up until your next water change. Yip. Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 what's your Mg? Link to comment
fayzane Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 What salt are you using? From what I heard, different brands have different buffering capacity. For example, I am currently using Seachem. They push the Ca+ up high enough the dkh just isn't where it should be so I am constantly having to push it up. Checking Mg+ is a good idea. I'm not explaining it right, but Mg+ keeps both the alk and Ca+ from precipitating - if it's too low, you can have problems with maintaining one or both of your parameters. I 'think' it can also have something to do with the Co2 levels in your tank also, especially since you state your pre-mixed salt tests ok but your tank does not. How's the oxygen exchange going on in there? Got a lot of flow in the tank and plenty of surface agitation? Link to comment
poidog Posted September 1, 2009 Author Share Posted September 1, 2009 Howdy. dose with baking soda? if so, how much should I do a day, cause I read to do it slowly. I don't have a mg test kit. who makes a good/cheap one. I don't get any ca precip. ca is always 380-420 depending on the days from h2o change. Flow and serface agitation is good with the MP10. I do have an enclosed top, but have a skimmer to keep the water well oxygenated. Use reef cyrstals. This will be the first time I'd ever have to does cuase my water changes have always kept my params stable. Thanks for your help. 2 new sps came in today.. yay! i think my tank is full for grow out now time for a bigger one... yay .... more money... boo haha Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 salifert makes a good mg test. Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 dose with baking soda? if so, how much should I do a day, cause I read to do it slowly. First this, then this. FWIW, you'll get more bang per liquid volume using sodium carbonate (baked baking soda)... Saves you from having to mix up solutions all the time. I don't have a mg test kit. who makes a good/cheap one. Salifert, IMO. Link to comment
poidog Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 alright. starting to dose with backing soda. I need 2.5 teaspoons to bring it back up to 11. So I'm doising 1/2 a teaspoon everyday which brings it out about 1 dkh with each dose. PH hasn't changed yet, and still at 8.4. Does this sound like the right method? Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Sure. Keep updating on progress, please. Link to comment
SmittyCoco Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Howdy.I don't have a mg test kit. who makes a good/cheap one. I don't get any ca precip. ca is always 380-420 depending on the days from h2o change. Flow and serface agitation is good with the MP10. I don't get how you can spend 200$ on a pump and don't have the simpliest of neccessities . Reliable Test kits are essential in knowing where you are at. You have been on here awhile. You should know by now. Sounds like you put the cart before the horse. Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 you don't need to test mg until you get into sps - i would have never bought one if I had stuck with my original lps/softie tank. Link to comment
SmittyCoco Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 you don't need to test mg until you get into sps - i would have never bought one if I had stuck with my original lps/softie tank. I guess you missread the sig ! Sps dominate ! Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 you don't need to test mg until you get into sps ... Disagree. I have primarily LPS and softies and my Mg kit is essential. Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Disagree. I have primarily LPS and softies and my Mg kit is essential. +1 Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Disagree. I have primarily LPS and softies and my Mg kit is essential. ok. i agree if you want the best tank possible with LPS. but i still think you could have a decent tank without testing for mg, especially with the right salt and if your calc/alk stayed in sync. and smitty, i was countering your point that it's irresponsible to spend $200 on a pump and neglect a mg kit, in general. if the OP bought the pump back when he didn't have SPS, for instance, i don't think your point stands. Link to comment
SmittyCoco Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 ok. i agree if you want the best tank possible with LPS. but i still think you could have a decent tank without testing for mg, especially with the right salt and if your calc/alk stayed in sync. and smitty, i was countering your point that it's irresponsible to spend $200 on a pump and neglect a mg kit, in general. if the OP bought the pump back when he didn't have SPS, for instance, i don't think your point stands. I would go with that if the mp 10 was not only 2 months old? And Ime lps dominate uses alk and calc faster than sps. Especially if yau have freshly fragged lps colonies. Building those skeletons back up takes alot from the water colomn. Just an observation , by no way supported by facts. What do you guys think? Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I would go with that if the mp 10 was not only 2 months old? it was just an example. a "what-if." Link to comment
Kozo Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I have to agree that first, you need to get better test kits, I personally don't trust API, I used API test kit for my Calcium and I had a reading of 420, but my corals were not reacting good, so i decided to test with a Salifert, and an Elos and both of them read 320. I did my search and that happens alot with the API calcium test quit, as well as their Nitrate ones. Second, I would start testing Mg since is vital for a reef, reef crystals is not the best of salts and I know it have really low Mg, and Cal so check those with a proper test kit. As far as getting a better salt, I would recommend Seachem Reef Salt wish is fairly economical and with good readings (DD H2ocean is the best you can get but $$$). From my Seachem salt I get the following readings: Cal=460 (Salifert), Mg=1250 (Elos), and Alk= 8-9. The Mg is a bit low but is more economical to me to add a small amount of mg supplement than buying D-D H2ocean. Third, you definitely need to start dosing for you Alk, Cal, and Mg. For Alk I use seachem reef buffer with good results, for Cal and Mg I used Brightwell aquatics supplements. Fourth, the last thing I would recommend is to not raise you Alk above 9, I keep my own around 8 and I get better results that way. Alot of people try to shoot for really high Alk but you will end up spending more money and not getting the best result you could get. High Alk is a myth of the past in my opinion. Good luck Link to comment
poidog Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 Alight folks, everyone needs to take a deep breath. ready.... breath.... okay. I'm the kind were you don't need to test every day and get all worried. I just test when I notice something funny going on... hence acans not looking too hot. Also, I'm not a fan of dosing. Proper water changes *should* be enough and nature should take it's course - mind you, I now have more calcium demanding corals so some sort of calc/alk/mg dosing may be needed more when they grow larger. I did get my MP10 before I starting mainly switching to SPS. I'm not switching salts, I've been very happy with reef crystals. I will go out and get a Mg test kit to make everyone happy. I haven't had any problems with API so I'm not going to dump them just because some people don't like them. When I run out, I'll look at what else is out there. dkh is now 8/9. ph is still 8.4. and the acans look alot better. Link to comment
poidog Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share Posted September 7, 2009 So I picked up a Mg test kit and it was showing my Mg at 1100, shouldn't it be around 1250? I picked up some tropic marine bio magnesium and calcium to start dosing with. But what is a good way to being up the Mg? I did a 25% water change and it didn't pull it up at all. All of the dosing I found was it only bring us the Mg by 5ppm/30g and I need to bring it up by atleast 100? Link to comment
Rocket Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Mg takes a lot of dosing to bring up. Do not raise more than 100ppm per day. I have a gallon jug of Kent Tech-M, and am happy with results. Link to comment
Lawnman Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 My salifert test says it should be 1350-1500. Link to comment
imisky Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 i keep my MG around 1300-1400, after i read your post is there a particular reason you are aiming for 11dkh in your tank? why not aim for parameters closer to NSW? from my experience corals can tolerate high alk but by observation, my corals grow much faster when they are in a tank with parameters close to NSW with alk of around 7-9dkh and calcium of 380-420ppm. just my 2 cents Link to comment
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