Low alkalinity

[jeffaquarius]

Check your magnesium and make sure it is within 1300 then you can raise your Alkalinity to at least 7 dKH before your scheduled pwc.

 

[ants86]

Check your magnesium and make sure it is within 1300 then you can raise your Alkalinity to at least 7 dKH before your scheduled pwc.

I'll test my parameters again tonight. Just hate using the Red Sea kits cos they're so hard to read and take a while to do

 

[ants86]

Just tested my parameters again tonight. Calcium is at 3900 (Mr. X, looks like you were right, calc is lower), alk is at 7.5 (it was actually at 7.8 after water change, so 0.3dkh drop in one day), and mag is at 1350. I'll test again tomorrow to see how fast alk is dropping.

 

[navaljonf]

I think Greg noted a drop in Alk when using GFO. Can you try and go without the GFO after a week post water change?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

You're calcium is 3900?? Is that even possible?

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Assuming he meant 390

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I'm tired. Good point.

 

[Sniperhank]

I think Greg noted a drop in Alk when using GFO. Can you try and go without the GFO after a week post water change?

Don't take this to heart. There was a ton in play with this, where the gfo was being crushed up by his new and stronger reactor.

 

[jeffaquarius]

I mix it by hand until all the salt is dissolved, then usually let it sit for at least 24 hours, sometimes up to a week. Before the WC I usually mix it again with a powerhead for about half an hour while I'm cleaning the tank and doing other things.

After mixing your salt water the power head should be left running over night before your pwc. A 1/2 hour with power head is not enough to thoroughly mix your saltwater. You are getting a false parameter readings of new saltwater if you do it that way.

 

[ants86]

After mixing your salt water the power head should be left running over night before your pwc. A 1/2 hour with power head is not enough to thoroughly mix your saltwater. You are getting a false parameter readings of new saltwater if you do it that way.

You're right. Ideally, that's what I'd do, but my problem is I only have 2 PHs, so I can't really spare one just for mixing water overnight. Also, I use 3 separate 5-gallon buckets to mix my water, so I'd have to switch the PH between the three buckets and even then, running it overnight will only mix 1/3 of the water thoroughly.

Not sure how to get around that, but I've been doing water changes this way for over a year now and no major issues (other than low alk of course!). Salinity has also been stable between water changes, so it seems like most of the salt has dissolved by the time I do my water changes. Thanks for the good advice though.

 

[jeffaquarius]

When you leave the saltwater standing overnight without aerating it gradually drops the pH level. We know that Alkalinity and pH interact with each other. You may have accurate parameter readings but your salt is not evenly mixed so they are false readings. I would get a big bucket or trash can from home depot. I use an 18 gal rectangular plastic container to prepare my 15 gal saltwater with a heater and circulating pump.

 

[ants86]

When you leave the saltwater standing overnight without aerating it gradually drops the pH level. We know that Alkalinity and pH interact with each other. You may have accurate parameter readings but your salt is not evenly mixed so they are false readings. I would get a big bucket or trash can from home depot. I use an 18 gal rectangular plastic container to prepare my 15 gal saltwater with a heater and circulating pump.

That's a good idea. Just have to convince my wife that somehow I need another bucket in the house, only much bigger this time

 

[ants86]

As an update, parameters are holding steady tonight at 1300 mag, 400 calc, and 7.5 alk. Will keep testing to see when alk starts to drop. Thanks for all the advice so far.


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[jeffaquarius]

Those readings are great. I would stop dosing while monitoring daily. If Alk drops to below 7 dKH, I would have to dose with baking soda on ato with a ratio of 1 teaspoon per gal of ro/di. Take another readings the following day and adjust the ratio as necessary.

 

[ants86]

Those readings are great. I would stop dosing while monitoring daily. If Alk drops to below 7 dKH, I would have to dose with baking soda on ato with a ratio of 1 teaspoon per gal of ro/di. Take another readings the following day and adjust the ratio as necessary.

Sounds good thanks Jeff.


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