Last bit of advise - as with most things don't go making drastic changes in the environment do it over a week or two to give the tank and the inhabitants time to adapt...
Understanding Alkalinity
- Thread starter Alan
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Last bit of advise - as with most things don't go making drastic changes in the environment do it over a week or two to give the tank and the inhabitants time to adapt...
Yeah, sudden changes are not great, so I should rephrase my statement as well, if your pH changes by more than .2 in a very short space of time, this is when you should start to worry. I have also had a alk of above 14 once, pH never went above 8.3, in a few days the alk normalised.
Just check the Kh of that salt mix ... Not point doing wc with a already high Kh water ...
dkh/Alk
Thanks for all the advice.
I will start with WC.
If I increase the Calc slightly using reef fusion 1, will this assist with reducing dkh/ Alk or will it remain constant?
I would like to know when can I place some coral in the tank? Once dkh is between 7-12? or can I place some coral that are more hardy - Zoa's, etc?
Thanks for all the advice.
I will start with WC.
If I increase the Calc slightly using reef fusion 1, will this assist with reducing dkh/ Alk or will it remain constant?
I would like to know when can I place some coral in the tank? Once dkh is between 7-12? or can I place some coral that are more hardy - Zoa's, etc?
Corals could handle higher alk, however rather let it drop to the suggested range (pick a number and stick to it), corals don't like changes and softies don't like higher alk. So do your small water changes as soon as you reach 11.5 dkh, you could start adding some corals, if you want to keep numbers at lower level, like 8, then add at around nine, but then remember to lower the numbers slowly. Make sure you check pH and calcium as well. Alk and Ca are very mutually exclusive, higher alk, means lower Ca and vice versa, you need to find a balance.
it wont reduce the dkh/alk it will however reduce the ph slightly. the greatest concern for me at this stage is that there will be buildup in your pumps causing friction thus reducing performance. when your kh is lower id give pumps a clean
My alk is too low.
I use Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. High in Ca, Alk and Mg.
I also run GFH in a reactor, that's why I quoted the above.
Lots of softies, some LPS and minimal sps (monti frags).
Ca 450
Alk 6.1
Ph 8.0
Nitrates 2
Phos 0.0
Mg not tested, don't have a kit
So borderline high Ca with low alk. Could it be the phos reactor or just my tanks needs in general and I should start dosing alk?
Not currently dosing anything except Reef x-tra-x which is mainly tax elements.
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Low magnesium levels will prevent you from raising the alkalinity. Get that tested first.
Thanks guys.
Take a look at this calculator, has helped me a lot in the past to move the different elements.
Great explanation and visual mapping as well.
http://reef.diesyst.com/flashcalc/flashcalc.html
Great explanation and visual mapping as well.
http://reef.diesyst.com/flashcalc/flashcalc.html
Will do, thanks!
Went to buy a mg test kit. The Salifert was past it's due by date. The Red Sea mg was twice as expensive but looked great. Easy enough to use with the laminated card and potion a potion b etc. handy little one handed titration tool. All in all a pleasure to use.
Titration and changeover was sudden and appeared very accurate. Pink, pink, purple, purple and then sudden bright blue with one drop.
Happy with the test kit.
Bad news, Mg is 1020. Aiming for 1300. Bought some Red Sea Reef Foundation B (sodium carbonate). No use just yet.
Time to read and find out how to dose Mg first.
Titration and changeover was sudden and appeared very accurate. Pink, pink, purple, purple and then sudden bright blue with one drop.
Happy with the test kit.
Bad news, Mg is 1020. Aiming for 1300. Bought some Red Sea Reef Foundation B (sodium carbonate). No use just yet.
Time to read and find out how to dose Mg first.
So let me see if I got this right. I only had chemistry in my first year, so excuse my simplified approach.
Higher TA = Higher Carbonate
If you then add a lot of calsium to a high TA scenario I assume CaCO3 will precipitate resulting in a drop in your TA.
Now both will be low but you cannot fix it, without plenty of water changes, because your solution is satured ( explaining why this will probably not occur in nature, that I know off anyway)
Please let me know if that is correct, then i will try and figure out what Mg does.
Higher TA = Higher Carbonate
If you then add a lot of calsium to a high TA scenario I assume CaCO3 will precipitate resulting in a drop in your TA.
Now both will be low but you cannot fix it, without plenty of water changes, because your solution is satured ( explaining why this will probably not occur in nature, that I know off anyway)
Please let me know if that is correct, then i will try and figure out what Mg does.
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There is a ratio that I would suggest. Minimum 420 cal (but it can even be upto 465) magnesium recommended 1350ppm (approx three times ppm of calcium) and kh between 7 and 12 (cal ppm divided by 43 ish will give good level in relation to mag and cal.) Dose mg first to get level to 1350 and then adjust cal and test and then drip kh slowly to prevent any precipitation. Ps you have same name as my brother cos that is his nickname! Haha
Zeovit guys run things lower but that is not my area of expertise
Ok I am now suffering from RTMFS (read too many forum syndrome).
What is the easiest and safest way to dose Calsium. I dont have space for a reactor so want to do manual dosing
What is the easiest and safest way to dose Calsium. I dont have space for a reactor so want to do manual dosing
Easiest and safest is to get a commercial product and dose accordingly. Slowly drip it into a high flow area. Not all at once though. Depending on how far off you are, dose smaller doses but more regularly. Dont raise it by more than say 20ppm per day. over a weekend start early in the morning and dose say 2ppm every hour for say 10 hours.
Thanks that helps!