What can I do to fix my alkalinity?

[bunkster]

I'm pretty new here... but let's just start off with the specs:

 

12g nano

70W sunpod with ushio 14k running 9 hours a day

calcium: 500 (API)

pH: 7.8 (API) and 7.9 (elos)

KH: 7dka (API) and 6dka (elos)

nitrates: trace (elos)

phosphates: 0 (API)

ammonia: 0 (API)

nitrite: 0 (API)

 

I'm using Kent salt with RO/DI water, and doing 10% water changes every Sunday, not dosing calcium (or anything else). What is the best way to get my alkalinity (and pH) up? My lights had been running for about 3 hours when I measured pH.

 

Also, this might sound dumb, but do you think my water chemistry has anything to do with my coral coloration? Reds and oranges show up great, but I have a couple of pieces that should be dark bluish purple that aren't- a favia and a zoa. They're both on the bottom of the tank, the favia is in a little shade because I was worried it was just getting too much light, but it hasn't colored up since I moved it.

 

Hope this makes sense. Thanks for any input.

[Amphiprion1]

I'm pretty new here... but let's just start off with the specs:

 

12g nano

70W sunpod with ushio 14k running 9 hours a day

calcium: 500 (API)

pH: 7.8 (API) and 7.9 (elos)

KH: 7dka (API) and 6dka (elos)

nitrates: trace (elos)

phosphates: 0 (API)

ammonia: 0 (API)

nitrite: 0 (API)

 

I'm using Kent salt with RO/DI water, and doing 10% water changes every Sunday, not dosing calcium (or anything else). What is the best way to get my alkalinity (and pH) up? My lights had been running for about 3 hours when I measured pH.

 

Also, this might sound dumb, but do you think my water chemistry has anything to do with my coral coloration? Reds and oranges show up great, but I have a couple of pieces that should be dark bluish purple that aren't- a favia and a zoa. They're both on the bottom of the tank, the favia is in a little shade because I was worried it was just getting too much light, but it hasn't colored up since I moved it.

 

Hope this makes sense. Thanks for any input.

 

First, I'd recommend a different calcium test kit. Then, you need to get a magnesium kit, as well. You should then test your mixed seawater and see what its baseline parameters are. That will give everyone an idea of whether or not it is related to the salt, in which case you'll need to "doctor" the mix a bit. If not, it may relate to quick usage/consumption, in which case a supplement could help with that. But without more info, it is difficult to make a good decision here.

[bulldogpet]

Your parameters are not that far off from being normal. Natural seawater has a Kh of about 8 , I would start with a 2 part doising regimen , I would recommend Brightwell's Reef Code A & B your Mag may be a little low but a 2 part solution should take care of that. Your coral colors will improve once you start dosing also you may want to dose some potassium it will help with the blue in your corals. Hope some of this is useful.

[ulver982]

Your parameters are not that far off from being normal. Natural seawater has a Kh of about 8 , I would start with a 2 part doising regimen , I would recommend Brightwell's Reef Code A & B your Mag may be a little low but a 2 part solution should take care of that. Your coral colors will improve once you start dosing also you may want to dose some potassium it will help with the blue in your corals. Hope some of this is useful.

 

 

I'm in the same boat as you except my KH is at 5 My calcium is at 500 so I just picked up some Brightwell's Code B buffer. I think this is the reason why my zoas aren't doing so hot plus I'm using a different salt (Tropic Marin's bio-activ) which already has a low alkalinity as is. My SPS still looks great, just my zoas look a little pissed off and not as colorful as when I had them in my 2.5 using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. I'm still debating on Tropic Marin's salt..we'll see how it goes if I can keep my KH up by dosing.

[Rocket]

To bring up alkalinity cheaply use baked baking soda.

Spread out as much as you want as thin as you can on a cooking sheet. Place in oven 1 hour at 400F.

 

This makes the baking soda very slightly raise ph instead of drastically lowering it when added.

 

Use the reef calculators online to figure out how much baked baking soda to use.

 

I recommend and use this technique on my 125 gallon. Tank uses about 1 tablespoon of baking soda a week. (I spread it out!)