test results

[nellups]

I have just done some tests and the results are as follows

 

Salinity 1025

Temp 26

PH 8

Cal 320

Mag 1470

Alk 5

 

why i have i got low alk and low cal? i use red sea coral pro salt/RO which i have all so tested

 

Salinity 1026

Temp 26

PH 8

Cal 320

Mag 1500

Alk 8

 

 

I am really struggling to understand, on the instructions for the salt at 1026 it should have cal of 420?

mag is correct

 

My tank is 75L 10kg liverock 2 clowns one bi-colour blenny cleaner shrimp sexy shrimp, two hermit crabs asteria snails x 4 one pom pom crab, zoas leather coral, mushies, and Rics change water once a week 10% have problem with hair algae (short) and brown diatoms on sand can someone please help the livestock is healthy and the corals are growing

[reef keeper]

Do you dose calcium?

[nellups]

no I dont, should I these tests have changed since i started using the skimmer two weeks ago the tank is now over two months old where am i going wrong?

[reef keeper]

how long have you had the corals? Try Kalkawasser it repleneshes the calcium that the corals and other creatures in the aquarium use up.

[Reefmonster]

how long have you had the corals? Try Kalkawasser it repleneshes the calcium that the corals and other creatures in the aquarium use up.

I would be careful using Kalwasser if you don't know how...it's easy to OD kalk...and kalk should be added slowly over a period of time, not just poured in with top-off water.

 

You have to think of your tank as a big chemistry set. Until the water chemistry gets into equilibrium there may be instances where one reading or another will be low. Calcium is used up quickly in a marine aquarium where there are calcareous algaes or organisms that use it and carbonate to build their skeletons. Carbonate hardness is alkalinity and is also in direct relationship with the amount of calcium available in the water column.

 

Don't panic, your tank is very young...let nature take it's course...the safest bet is water changes not hasty additions of chemicals....everything you add will affect every other chemical parameter in the tank, so whatever you choose to do, do it slowly.

[nellups]

thank you for all your advice

[lakshwadeep]

Two months is still fairly new, with many water parameters being unstable. +1 for not adding anything now.

 

What test kit brands are you using?

 

Moreover, none of your corals will use calcium or alkalinity to a significant extent, at least more than what your water changes are providing. Were your second set of tests done with newly mixed saltwater? If so, it may be a good idea to get a "reef" salt that has higher amounts of things like calcium.

[blasterman]

Count me in the club that believes if you aren't growing a lot of calcium sucking corals (your aren't), and are doing weekly water changes with a good salt mix, then there's no need to screw around with additives or waste time testing for them.

 

Your initial salt mix is going to determine water parameters, and environment pH the rest. Keep up with your water changes and let the tank get going.

[timdanger]

Count me in the club that believes if you aren't growing a lot of calcium sucking corals (your aren't), and are doing weekly water changes with a good salt mix, then there's no need to screw around with additives or waste time testing for them.

 

you might be right, but you might not be. you can't say for sure what his depletion rates are unless you test for them. and, as your corals grow, you have to continue to periodically test for them to make sure those rates haven't changed.