Henry405
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I think carey has the same problem too. 0 nitrates without a clue how haha. I would love to have 0 nitrate.
using marine buffer
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OK.
The pH was 8.2.. is now 8.0. I'm not going to worry about it that much unless it dips lower since you guys say fluctuation is normal.
However the dKH is between 8-9. It seems to be slowly dropping. It was 12 a couple of weeks ago when I had it tested at the pet store. After my PWC thursday it was 10. And now it's 8 or 9.
I understand this is in the acceptable range, I just don't know how to control alkalinity if it goes too low or too high.
Also, it seems the pH and dKH have a direct relationship.
The pH was 8.2.. is now 8.0. I'm not going to worry about it that much unless it dips lower since you guys say fluctuation is normal.
However the dKH is between 8-9. It seems to be slowly dropping. It was 12 a couple of weeks ago when I had it tested at the pet store. After my PWC thursday it was 10. And now it's 8 or 9.
I understand this is in the acceptable range, I just don't know how to control alkalinity if it goes too low or too high.
Also, it seems the pH and dKH have a direct relationship.
Esoteric Backbone
Aquarium Advice FINatic
What are you using as your substrate?
KSum89
Aquarium Advice Freak
I know this may be late, but I'm having great results from the Seachem brand PH Buffer. My PH stayed around 7.8 to about 8.0 before i started using this product. Now 3 days into it, its steady at 8.2 ish.. I was cautious of using products but i cant risk losing any of these pricey fish.
Instant Ocean (or maybe Nature's Ocean?) white marine reef sand
Esoteric Backbone
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Have you tried using crushed coral?
Esoteric Backbone
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Crushed coral is a natural buffer. I don't like to use any chemicals in my aquariums, and I was suggested to me that crushed coral will act as a natural buffer.
ccCapt
SW 20 & Over Club
Crushed coral will not act as a buffer unless your pH is around 7.3 or lower. It's a fine buffer for a freshwater tank, but does not do anything as far as buffering a saltwater system.
You alk is fine at 8-9 dKH. IMO, your starting to get too carried away with trying to get everything "perfect". Once you start dumping all kinds of supplements into your system the chances are very good you are going to cause a chemical imbalance. If your not heavily stocked with SPS corals, just keep doing water changed every 2 weeks and you'll be fine.
You alk is fine at 8-9 dKH. IMO, your starting to get too carried away with trying to get everything "perfect". Once you start dumping all kinds of supplements into your system the chances are very good you are going to cause a chemical imbalance. If your not heavily stocked with SPS corals, just keep doing water changed every 2 weeks and you'll be fine.
Esoteric Backbone
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Your right, my mistake.
Well, I lost a tank full of fish due to /something/. I'm not sure what it was though I've came up with many ideas.
So I'd like to have the water suitable enough for fish life to be maintained.
It appears my ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates are always fine. I'm just going to keep an eye on the alkalinity and pH. The only supplement I've added is seachem marine buffer.
ccCapt
SW 20 & Over Club
Alkalinity has no affect on fish. pH (unless it was extremely high or extremely low) won't kill fish. As long as your in the general range of alk at 7-12 dKH and pH at 7.8-8.3 there will be no adverse affect on any fish or corals.
Hello ccCapt,
Just wanted to let you know I took your advice of not trying to keep everything too perfect.
It's much less stressful. I just try to make sure things are in or near the recommended range and leave it at that.
My fish have been great!
Today though my dkh measures at 13 and pH around 8.4
I'm just wondering why the fluctuations in my parameters? It could be the seachem marine buffer i've been using during PWC's. I only add enough for the water I am changing though.
Perhaps I should stop adding it and see where I stabilize at?
Just wanted to let you know I took your advice of not trying to keep everything too perfect.
It's much less stressful. I just try to make sure things are in or near the recommended range and leave it at that.
My fish have been great!
Today though my dkh measures at 13 and pH around 8.4
I'm just wondering why the fluctuations in my parameters? It could be the seachem marine buffer i've been using during PWC's. I only add enough for the water I am changing though.
Perhaps I should stop adding it and see where I stabilize at?
ccCapt
SW 20 & Over Club
13 dKH is too high for some corals although it has no affect on any fish. I would stop dosing everything. Reef Crystals mixes to a high alk (aprox 12-13 dKH) to begin with. There is no need to add anything to make it even higher.
Alright, I'm really working hard here and I appreciate your patience and help.
I haven't added any marine buffer in almost two weeks. My dKH is at 7 and my pH is between 7.8 and 8.0.
Those might be right around the right range but I would feel better if they were a little higher? I noticed my powerhead had slipped and wasn't agitating the surface as much as it used to. So I made it about an inch below the waterline and it's got a lot of surface action going on now. Will this help?
How else to get it up and stable?
Also, I lost a royal gramma today. Yesterday it was fine and eating and active and today it's dead. I don't think the water parameters were too bad for it.. but I did notice one of my other fish flicking against a rock. What's this mean?
My water params are amm: 0, nitrIte: 0, nitrAte: ~20, pH: 7.8-8.0, dKH: 7, SG: 1.025, Temp F: 78
I haven't added any marine buffer in almost two weeks. My dKH is at 7 and my pH is between 7.8 and 8.0.
Those might be right around the right range but I would feel better if they were a little higher? I noticed my powerhead had slipped and wasn't agitating the surface as much as it used to. So I made it about an inch below the waterline and it's got a lot of surface action going on now. Will this help?
How else to get it up and stable?
Also, I lost a royal gramma today. Yesterday it was fine and eating and active and today it's dead. I don't think the water parameters were too bad for it.. but I did notice one of my other fish flicking against a rock. What's this mean?
My water params are amm: 0, nitrIte: 0, nitrAte: ~20, pH: 7.8-8.0, dKH: 7, SG: 1.025, Temp F: 78
Sarcothelia
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Yea, I would avoid dosing to freshly mixed water, it already has high levels of trace elements. Dosing helps mainly if your water changes cannot keep up with the rate at which your parameters are shifting. If you are going to dose, dose about halfway between water changes. If the water is a 7.8 pH immediately after being mixed I would dose, but chances are it is at or around 8.2 to begin with.
ccCapt
SW 20 & Over Club
Your water parameters are fine. Take some time and read this article.
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
"I suggest that aquarists maintain alkalinity between about 2.5 and 4 meq/L (7-11 dKH, 125-200 ppm CaCO[SIZE=-1]3[/SIZE] equivalents)"
"the pH range from 7.8 to 8.5 is an acceptable range for reef aquaria"
A fish flicking against the rock is usually a sign of external parasites, namely ich. Did you quarantine any of your fish before you added them to your display tank?
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
"I suggest that aquarists maintain alkalinity between about 2.5 and 4 meq/L (7-11 dKH, 125-200 ppm CaCO[SIZE=-1]3[/SIZE] equivalents)"
"the pH range from 7.8 to 8.5 is an acceptable range for reef aquaria"
A fish flicking against the rock is usually a sign of external parasites, namely ich. Did you quarantine any of your fish before you added them to your display tank?
Thank you.
No quarantining, I'm new and was way too excited to get fish in there. I read something that only like 25% of people quarantine their fish. It's only one fish flashing and I don't see any spots but I'm going to be proactive. I'll talk to my guy at the LFS, I found one that really knows his stuff really well.
What do you suggest, though?
