Low KH?

[sefrayser]

I did my readings tonight and my Ammonia,Po4, No2,No3 were 0ppm. My Kh is 7 drops which is low. I jst did a water change and started to use Reef Crystals. I have not measured my Calcium or Mg, I know that is still low. My Salinity is 1.025. Should I leave it alone or raise it? If I need to raise it how do I do that?

[MarcG]

I did my readings tonight and my Ammonia,Po4, No2,No3 were 0ppm. My Kh is 7 drops which is low. I jst did a water change and started to use Reef Crystals. I have not measured my Calcium or Mg, I know that is still low. My Salinity is 1.025. Should I leave it alone or raise it? If I need to raise it how do I do that?

 

I thought I read in a previous thread you were dosing 2-part? Is that not the case?

[burtbollinger]

the lack of proper MAg level can cause the Alk to drop....or so I hear & assume in my tank.

 

if not already, look into the bulk reef supply two-part starter kit....and get a calcium test kit.

 

good youtube videos explain the way it works.

 

I like to keep my Kh @ 9...your salinity is fine at 1.025.

 

do not raise the salinity by adding salt. IF you wanted to (but you shouldn't)...you'd replace top off water with salt water...

[lakshwadeep]

7 dKH (assuming "drops" refers to drops of the API alkalinity test kit, which are not a unit of concentration) is not really that low:

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

[igotreefermadness]

Mine is at 7 as well. I am seeing terrible growth from my corals, especially LPS and SPS. I still need to measure my Mg levels and I know that is critical and could be a big factor in it, but I'd like my alkalinity to be higher as well. I was going to start dosing using this formula: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=140307 but I haven't started yet.

[sefrayser]

I am not dosing with 2 part. I did dose for PH with AquaVitro 8.4. That was before my water change. After doing a little reading I am finding that the 7 drops isnt that low. I would like to get it up a little. Does Calcium or MG have anything to do with it being low? Like I said I started using the Reef Crystals instead of IO sea salt. In a 34G tank how many water changes do you think it will take to get the MG and Calcium up to par?

[igotreefermadness]

Magnesium is part of the calcification process in stony corals. So low Mg generally means low growth. Mg also slows the precipitation of CaCO3, or calcium carbonate, which comes from the supersaturation of calcium and carbonate (alkalinity) in saltwater. So when you have low Mg, your tank could precipitate more CaCO3, which could be why your alkalinity measurements are low. I seem to be in the same boat as you and today I am going to get a Mg kit to see what I have. I am no reef chemistry expert by any means, but most of what I summarized can be found here: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2003/chem.htm

[sefrayser]

I do not have any stonies in my tank. The only corals I have are Zoas, 1-mushroom and a leather. I am not really worried to much about the Calcium or MG as far as needing it, but I want it right so when the time comes I dont need to worry about it and can add the stonies, etc.