Alk and PH low

[octoberfest]

So for some reason I can't seem to get my Alk and PH up. I'd like to find something that would help do this with minimal impact on the rest of the tank.

 

Here is what my parameters are

 

Salinity 1.025

ALK 7.5 DKH

PH 7.8 to 8

Calcium 420

Nitates 5

Nitrites 0

Ammonia 0

 

I don't have a mag. test kit and will be purchasing one here in the next couple of days. My tank is mostly dominated by LPS and some softies, the only SPS I have are a small Monti Digita frag, a tiny acro frag (which is bleaching from the bottom up), and a few small monti caps. I don't have any clams either. My coraline is growing but not fast (which I'm not complaining about, I actually would prefer it didn't grow...LOL).

 

I was using pickling lime in my top off but read a few things on it and have decided to hold off until I have a better understanding of that. I haven't used it in about the past 20 gallons of top off water. The only other thing I'm dosing is idodide (every other day as listed on the bottle).

 

So any suggestions?

[lakshwadeep]

Your pH is in the normal range, and the alkalinity isn't too low.

 

Don't dose iodide. First, you aren't testing for it to know if it's being used up or even how much you should be dosing. Second, iodine dosing has not been shown as necessary.

 

Read this:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

[doctaq]

you can get a little bit of two part and balance your alk and ca a little then research into your kalk and dose that