Alk really low Mg and CA high after one day after water -PLEASE ADVICE

[Laurenscube]

Hi I hope someone can help me,

 

I have:

12 gal nano tank

Carbon and phosphate bag

Nano ehiem surface skimmer

Ai prime hd Light

Xiena, Green star polyps, Button polyps, Recently added 2 montiporas, hammerhead, mushrooms

Weekly 10 % water changes with Red sea coral pro

Rarely supplement when needed ( normally when alk is seriously low)

 

Attached photo of my water parameters - Alk seems to be swinging and magnesium - Cant understand whats going on. Really need some advice as dont know what to do and have a chalice coming next week. Recently added 

 

Also please have a look at my montipora seems like there are polyps on the far right - not sure if this means only that part is healthy ? also seems like the frag is smothered in purple coraline algae ...? Unsure if its doing well i think its very slowly growing 

 

PLEASE HELP

 

Happy to upgrade my system to help solve for example start using 2 part etc etc

 

 

 

 

[patback]

What test kits are you using?  You really don't have coral that would be using up any elements at any fast rate. 

[patback]

That monti looks like it is clinging on to life. That little section of polyps is the only one alive and the coraline covering looks like the other part has been dead for quite some time. 

[Laurenscube]

1 hour ago, patback said:

That monti looks like it is clinging on to life. That little section of polyps is the only one alive and the coraline covering looks like the other part has been dead for quite some time. 

 Didnt think the monti looked good, i assume these sort of water parameters wouldn't make it happy, I am using red sea test kits. I am going to get another test kit just for comparison. Any other advice o what you think it could be ?

[patback]

How are you mixing your water?  Mix some up and leave it in the bucket and test again the next day. I think I recall reading that alk levels are mixed better in cold water than warm. 

 

I'm not really a good person to ask on chemistry. Just didn't want you to go without answer. 

[Clown79]

That's odd numbers for coral pro.

 

Usually the alk is ridiculously high.

 

Mixing coral pro according to directions is important.

 

Per red sea mixing instructions:

 

Add salt to water and mix vigorously. 

After 2hrs a heater and powerhead can be added.

Not to be mixed for more than 4hrs.

Store for no more than 5 days.

 

Your mag numbers seem to be very low than high. High isn't known to cause issues but low can cause alk and ca to go out of balance.

 

As your ca is high the alk is low. They effect eachother. 

So if you dose ca without alk being dosed, ca will go up and alk will drop and vice versa. 2 part dosers make that issue go away.

 

I'd first test your waterchange water (newly mixed)

 

I'd also mix the salt in the buckket to ensure an even dispersing of the salt in the bucket. Some roll the bucket, some stir the salt. 

[Laurenscube]

On 3/10/2018 at 8:29 PM, patback said:

How are you mixing your water?  Mix some up and leave it in the bucket and test again the next day. I think I recall reading that alk levels are mixed better in cold water than warm. 

 

I'm not really a good person to ask on chemistry. Just didn't want you to go without answer. 

Thanks will try testing my freshly mixed water

[Laurenscube]

On 3/11/2018 at 6:40 AM, Clown79 said:

That's odd numbers for coral pro.

 

Usually the alk is ridiculously high.

 

Mixing coral pro according to directions is important.

 

Per red sea mixing instructions:

 

Add salt to water and mix vigorously. 

After 2hrs a heater and powerhead can be added.

Not to be mixed for more than 4hrs.

Store for no more than 5 days.

 

Your mag numbers seem to be very low than high. High isn't known to cause issues but low can cause alk and ca to go out of balance.

 

As your ca is high the alk is low. They effect eachother. 

So if you dose ca without alk being dosed, ca will go up and alk will drop and vice versa. 2 part dosers make that issue go away.

 

I'd first test your waterchange water (newly mixed)

 

I'd also mix the salt in the buckket to ensure an even dispersing of the salt in the bucket. Some roll the bucket, some stir the salt. 

 

How high can my calcium get without it causing a problem? if im to dose cal to get the alk to raise ?

 

I have always mixed wthin half an hour with a spoon then added a heater and when its clear i just put it in. I have had the tank for 2 1/2 years and always used this salt so unless i have a bad batch not sure if the way i mix is to do with it. The only other thing i can think of is the last water change was the end of a bucket of salt so it was the salt at the very bottom of the bucket ...???

[OPtasia]

What I read is low magnesium causing your alkalinity to get out of balance with your calcium (feb. 22nd to feb. 26th). I also see more increased water changes raising your magnesium, which is having a stabilizing affect on your calcium and alkalinity. 

 

Good numbers to shoot for:

 

Calcium: 420-480 ppm

Alk in d/KH: 8-10

Mag: 1350-1550 ppm

 

My routine for a 32g. biocube is water changes weekly with 5 gallons (17% water change) of RO/DI water and Red Sea Pro salt. I mix my salt thoroughly by hand in a plastic food grade bucket and stir the life out of it for five minutes or so to dissolve the salts, then do it again after a half hour. After that, it's usually completely dissolved and crystal clear. Once clear, I wait another half hour to let it stabilize well, then go ahead and use it in my water changes.

 

I test and dose 2 part calcium and magnesium additive during the middle of the week mostly to replenish whatever the corals are consuming in their skeletons. It's usually about 6 ml. of each. My numbers are generally 430-460 ppm calcium, 8 d/KH and 1400 ppm magnesium. 

 

Here is the best explanation I can provide on the calcium, alkalinity and magnesium in your tank.

 

[Laurenscube]

1 hour ago, OPtasia said:

What I read is low magnesium causing your alkalinity to get out of balance with your calcium (feb. 22nd to feb. 26th). I also see more increased water changes raising your magnesium, which is having a stabilizing affect on your calcium and alkalinity. 

 

Good numbers to shoot for:

 

Calcium: 420-480 ppm

Alk in d/KH: 8-10

Mag: 1350-1550 ppm

 

My routine for a 32g. biocube is water changes weekly with 5 gallons (17% water change) of RO/DI water and Red Sea Pro salt. I mix my salt thoroughly by hand in a plastic food grade bucket and stir the life out of it for five minutes or so to dissolve the salts, then do it again after a half hour. After that, it's usually completely dissolved and crystal clear. Once clear, I wait another half hour to let it stabilize well, then go ahead and use it in my water changes.

 

I test and dose 2 part calcium and magnesium additive during the middle of the week mostly to replenish whatever the corals are consuming in their skeletons. It's usually about 6 ml. of each. My numbers are generally 430-460 ppm calcium, 8 d/KH and 1400 ppm magnesium. 

 

Here is the best explanation I can provide on the calcium, alkalinity and magnesium in your tank.

 

Thank you so much for helping me so by looking at everything ! I think I’m rushing my mixing method also which cause some havoc. Can I ask what brand 2 part you are dosing and what your parameters are when you dose. ? And are you dosing this by hand when you notice pataneters falling or are you using dose pumps.

 

thanks again 

[OPtasia]

Ocean's blend. It's a very complete and relatively inexpensive liquid 2 part calcium & ph/Alk additive. If I didn't have ocean's blend, i'd probably use Red Sea because it's more chemically similar to the red sea pro salt mix. Ocean's blend is cheaper and has more elements and minerals in it than a lot of 2 part solutions and it's made here in Florida, so it usually hasn't been sitting on a shelf for as long as other products might be. A lot of people like BRS's additives, and seachem's and two little fishies, etc.. All are pretty good but I think it's best to just pick one and stick with it, kinda like sea salt.

 

I also have some pure magnesium additive from Seachem's Aqua Vitro line called Ions and dose with that every week to two weeks, whenever my magnesium seems low but my calcium and alkalinity are already fine in their respective ranges. Since this is a biocube, I don't have ATO set up nor do I use dosing pumps, so I dose by syringe which takes about five minutes of my time.  I drip it directly into the flow of a circulation power head. I add the second part of the 2 part first, then the calcium part. I do it this way because I feel it's more important to get the magnesium and alkalinity right FIRST, then the calcium. Otherwise, I can have a little bit of precipitation when dosing. 

[Laurenscube]

On 3/10/2018 at 5:14 PM, patback said:

That monti looks like it is clinging on to life. That little section of polyps is the only one alive and the coraline covering looks like the other part has been dead for quite some time. 

Thank you for your help previously wanted to ask Do you think I  should cut this monti in half to help it re grow ? the end part is slowly growing more but will it eventually cover the dead part if you understand what i mean ?