Alk keeps on dropping

[boosted chemist]

So ive been doing water changes, my nh3 no2 are zero, no3 is below 5 ppm. My cal is at 450-500 (i havent dosed that in a long time. I have Bionic two part, and every day my alk drops to 6-7dkh, ive been adding 10-20ml per day of the part one and NO part two. Is this a bad sign that my alk is dropping and how can i fix that. I also have a GHA problem and been dosing a little Mg ( i dont have a test kit yet)

 

TIA

[xlzerolx]

Definately sounds like your magnesium is low. I had the same problem. What salt do you use? I'm using seachem and I find it to be low alk and mag. I don't think I've ever found a consistent salt. I think the alk is precipitating out of the water everytime you add it.

So definately get a mag test kit before you add anymore alk, because it'll be wasting it.

[boosted chemist]

Definately sounds like your magnesium is low. I had the same problem. What salt do you use? I'm using seachem and I find it to be low alk and mag. I don't think I've ever found a consistent salt. I think the alk is precipitating out of the water everytime you add it.

So definately get a mag test kit before you add anymore alk, because it'll be wasting it.

 

 

I use reef crystals, it doesn precipitate at all though, it goes in. But yes i need to get a mag kit but they are just so damn pricey.

[Mr. Fosi]

You may not see it precipitate right away but it is definitely going somewhere. Keep an eye on the inside of your pump housings, heaters and anything else in the water that gets warm because calciferous scale will tend to develop there first.

 

I agree that Mg needs to be measured. If it isn't 1300 ppm or above, you need to dose it up.

 

How's your pH?

[doctaq]

dose more

[shan]

good article

 

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

[lakshwadeep]

What is your livestock list?

Have you noticed significant growth of calcified organisms like stony corals or calcareous algae (both coralline and some macroalgae)?

 

+1 to mrfosi about the precipitation occuring somewhere.

[blasterman]

I have Bionic two part, and every day my alk drops to 6-7dkh, ive been adding 10-20ml per day of the part one and NO part two

 

Part 1 is calcium right? So, adding calcium chloride without the buffer will cause alk to drop, which is why you are chasing your tail. This is the opposite problem as the other thread where he's just adding buffer. Keeping an artificial calcium level like this is far from a good thing and isn't stable without running a reactor.

 

My suggestion is to stop taking chemical readings and trying to keep an artificially high calc level and use the products as they are intended. Take an alk reading of freshly mixed salt mix before a water change, and keep your general tank alk at that level or a bit higher. If the two part is used as intended, with equal parts A+B, then you'll have a much more stable tank and things will fall into place. You calc readings will be a bit lower, but at least your corals can utilize it.

 

As for magnesium, get your alk/calc issue straightened out first, then look at a magnesium suppliment if you want.

[boosted chemist]

part one is Alk, i havent been touching the ca cause its really high. No i havent seen a growth in any skeletons, but then again im always looking at my tank so....

[Mr. Fosi]

At the rate you're losing alk, I would expect to see increased coralline growth or abiotic precipitation.

[boosted chemist]

At the rate you're losing alk, I would expect to see increased coralline growth or abiotic precipitation.

 

the coraline is doing ok, no real change, what do you guys recommend for an affordable mg test?

 

I think some one asked my specs, its a 20l with a ac70 fuge, i got two clowns (soon to be one since the one BEATS the crap out of the other one) a chalk bass and an algae blenny

[Mr. Fosi]

I like Salifert though many on that other site say they're no good.

[Bio_Borg]

Salifert for both Mg and Alk are excellent. Easy to use and very accurate.

[Mainstream Aquatics]

Salifert for both Mg and Alk are excellent. Easy to use and very accurate.

agree, highly recommend Salifert test kits. Alk has a calibration solution so you can always check to see if your test kit is expired or not

[Mainstream Aquatics]

The measure of alkalinity comes down to the amount of dissolved minerals in the system. Calcium, Magnesium, and others levels are directly proportional to the alkalinity levels. Therefore, increasing magnesium provides additional supplements for your corals and calcium is used up less often. IME, Reef Crystals tend to be a little bit low in Magnesium too. I have always had great results with oceanic salt. You can even do a 50/50 mixture of Oceanic and IO salt if you want to cut back on the cost.

[Mr. Fosi]

The measure of alkalinity comes down to the amount of dissolved minerals in the system. Calcium, Magnesium, and others levels are directly proportional to the alkalinity levels.

 

Actually, no.

 

Alkalinity is a measurement of a solution's ability to accept hydrogen ions, which is largely governed by how much bicarbonate is in the system if you are looking at solutions between pH 6.4 and 10.33. This has little to do with the presence of Mg or Ca.

 

 

 

 

People can and do change the alkalinity of their water without changing the concentration of Mg or Ca by adding carbonate or bicarbonate bonded to Na.

 

Yes, stony corals, clams and calciferous algae will draw alk down. Yes, they will also draw down Mg and Ca. They do not, however, always draw them down in equal proportion. Coralline algae, for instance, co-deposits Mg with Ca much more often than your typical SPS does.

[doctaq]

fosowned

[superdavesds]

DAmn! Fosi just went way out there. I actually have a problem with mine dropping along with my ph. I use a buffer in the WC water and it seems to help.