alk level

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harleymike

harleymike

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So my alk was about 4.5 and now its 5.5.
I have dosed the kent marine buffer for 3 days now.
I'm using the red sea test kit.
does it take a time too raise the alk. and also, once its raised, how do i keep it there.
new at this and confused.
mike
 
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hazey

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harleymike link said:
i havent checked today. Last time it was around 500 with hanna checker
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(Y)

What salt are you using and how often are you doing water changes? Do you dose 2-part?
 
teebone110

teebone110

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If your alk is low, chances are that your calcium will be very high. They work together this way.

Focus on slowly bringing your alk up over the next several days.

You can check with the BRS calculator based on your levels, product and water volume.

If your magnesium is accurate, just focus on raising your alk level and things should stabilize nicely.
 
harleymike

harleymike

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Location
Courtright, Ontario
Dont dose two part. Using top finn salt.
Salt probably isnt the best. 10 percent water change each week.
I add kent marine essential elements once a week, and fuel for corals twice a week.
Using kent marine buffer too raise alk each day. Two cap fulls in my 60 gall tank.
Calcium was 407 alk still around 5.2 now
 
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hazey

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teebone110 link said:
If your alk is low, chances are that your calcium will be very high. They work together this way.

Focus on slowly bringing your alk up over the next several days.

You can check with the BRS calculator based on your levels, product and water volume.

If your magnesium is accurate, just focus on raising your alk level and things should stabilize nicely.
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+1
If you use a salt like Reef Crystals your Alk and Ca will be high enough to maintain a tank of your size without having to 2-part dose - as long as you do weekly water change and your SPS collection remains low. Once your SPS grow and you add more you might find that that you have to start dosing to maintain stable perimeters.
Personally I would change salts with one that has higher alk/ca levels and start doing some water changes.
JMTC, Liz
 
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Reef Hero

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Lucan
Wow I cannot believe how low your alk was......
I do not have a very large tank and most of my frags (although there are lots) are quite small and I use IORC and still have to dose alk and calcium to keep levels at par.
You will want an alk of atleast 7-8dkh and calcium at 450ppm IMO....
You are going to have to get some good test kits and test test test test......
Once you establish a good alk, calcium, and mag your ph should fall into place.....not really a big concern to most experienced reefers if you ask around.....ph also swings when adding alk and when lights go on and off......you can read about that on the net....
But you must get your tanks alk, calcium, and mag balanced......once you find this balance then you will know how much dosing of each you need to do to maintain these parameters......then maybe test like once a month just to make sure everything is in check......


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Reef Hero

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Thmh link said:
Maintaining your ph and mag will help you raise your alk and keep it there.

PEWPEW!
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Hmmmm....are you sure it's not the other way around.....


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Reef Hero

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Lucan
Haha I'm not trying to be a dink or nothing......just want to be make sure that newbies get the info they need. Ph is affected by dosing......ph will rise with dosing of alk or ozone and will drop when dosing co2....but you don't dose ph lol.....even tho some products are named "ph buffer" or similar.....this is usually alk or something else.
Get your alk, calcium, and mag in line and you will be fine.....then you will likely see your ph just go p and down a little with lights on or lights off......
If you haven't researched this then basically this happens because corals will produce co2 when lighting is not there or corals are "sleeping" haha....so ph decreases naturally because of this and this is also why most ppl are dosing alk when lights are off.....
Good luck! Don't be afraid to ask any more questions.....
Oh, and was yours the tank that went down to like 68 degrees a few days ago because of a power outage??


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harleymike

harleymike

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Nov 11, 2012
Location
Courtright, Ontario
ok alk is till low about 5.4. Starting addding kent marine two part. Tested with the red sea test kit.
I checked cal yesterday with hanna was 407. Checked it today with red sea kit. and its about 250.
what the hell.
is the hanna or the red sea most accurate.
Does it make sense thatthe alk is low and cal. I think the red sea tests make more sense. They should be both low together.
mike
 
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hazey

Guest
How long have you been using Top Fin salt? and what are the perimeters of this salt?
 
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