This might be a really bad idea?

[TheRealKenKen]

I have a 30 gallon bucket of saltwater made. If I add 30 teaspoons of kalkwasser to the bucket and let the kalkwasser drop and the calcium fall out. Could I then add the water to my tank with no harm? I have no
Fish in it. But my RO systems alkalinity brings out at 5. I don't have distillation. And after adding instant ocean salt it brings my alkalinity sky high. I don't have any fish in my aquarium. I did have one I put in at night but he died in the morning, which was horrible to wake up to. So now I have no fish in the tank but I'm wandering if this is a horrible idea or a good one? To me I feel like its one of the only ways to drop my alkalinity because every time I do a water change my dkh goes right back up to 15-18.


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[icydeath]

Why don't you get a DI system?

 

[TheRealKenKen]

Didn't have enough money to buy one.


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[TheRealKenKen]

But I do now, should I buy one?


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[icydeath]

I think you should, as long as budget allows. It's a good investment for a saltwater tank

 

[TheRealKenKen]

Will do, thanks.

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[icydeath]

Glad I could help.

 

[mr_X]

What is your calcium level at? What is your PH?

 

[TheRealKenKen]

I'm doing a huge remodel of the tank, so I'm not sure. I talked to a guy from petco that said that it could very very likely be my sand that's causing all my problems. So I'm taking out all of my live rock and sand and replacing it with the new sand. He told me to do a full water change but I don't want to lose all of the beneficial bacteria in my water so I plan on doing a 70% water change I hope that will be okay? Plus I switched my salt from instant ocean to tropic Marin pro-salt. Because I've heard it is very good salt. I have also bought the deionizer add on. Once I have completed all of these task. I'm hoping my tank will be in a good condition. I'm only 19 and just started saltwater, so I do not know much and have been working very hard on this. But I have a LOT to learn and would love to learn it all, so your input is greatly appreciated and needed.


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[Sniperhank]

Your sand lowering your alk? That is some pretty bad advice there...
I would simply do water changes to bring it up with the new salt.
Also, what test are you using? Many of these are simply not good tests and won't give the best results...if this is an api test I wouldn't be trusting that number.

 

[Mattyfelts]

almost no beneficial bacteria live in water...

 

[TheRealKenKen]

I'm using the api master saltwater test kit. Plus I bought the calcium and alkalinity test as we. It was the only test I could find that had everything. I wanted to do electronic testing but that seems very expensive. I dont know what else to do as far as testing goes.

I'm going to go ahead and do a huge water change just so I can basically start fresh. Will that be okay or should I do them every few days?

I thought a lot of beneficial bacteria was in the water as well. But thank you for clearing that up for me. Apologies for being such a novice, but always appreciate the help. Thanks guys!



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[Mebbid]

What test kit are you using?
Did you mix up your salt mix before using it?
Imho, Ignore the lfs employee's advice. It doesn't really make sense.

 

[TheRealKenKen]

I'm using the Api test kits, or, well the master kit and the calcium and alkalinity kit. I mix my salt in a 30 gallon drum but fill it to only about 25 gallons. Then I use a maxi-jet 1200 to mix up the water for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. And will do, it seems like the lfs guy made a mistake. But I won't hold it against him, haha.


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[Sniperhank]

I'd bet that everything is fine. API tests for anything besides ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite are garbage and are usually wrong.
Why are you worried about the calcium and alk in a new tank?


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[TheRealKenKen]

Because when I was testing my water, the alkalinity was 15 every time I made more saltwater. Plus in my tank my alkalinity was always 17-18, at one time it was 15 then I checked a few days later and it was back up to 18. It was 5 coming out of my RO unit. And I'm assuming 10 alkalinity was my instant ocean. But I tested the deionized water, now my alkalinity is 1 without salt. I've made more salt water with the tropic Marin this morning and my alkalinity is now in the 9-12 range. But in a simple version I was worried about my alkalinity and calcium because, I thought my high alkalinity would kill the fish and live rock. I did have one fish after I got my alkalinity to 15 and my nitrates and trites back to 0. It went and hid in one of my live rock and when I woke up it was dead. Then I wandered why so I checked my alkalinity and it was 18 again. So I just figured that is what had killed my bicolored angel, which was beautiful by the way.


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[Mebbid]

Because when I was testing my water, the alkalinity was 15 every time I made more saltwater. Plus in my tank my alkalinity was always 17-18, at one time it was 15 then I checked a few days later and it was back up to 18. It was 5 coming out of my RO unit. And I'm assuming 10 alkalinity was my instant ocean. But I tested the deionized water, now my alkalinity is 1 without salt. I've made more salt water with the tropic Marin this morning and my alkalinity is now in the 9-12 range. But in a simple version I was worried about my alkalinity and calcium because, I thought my high alkalinity would kill the fish and live rock. I did have one fish after I got my alkalinity to 15 and my nitrates and trites back to 0. It went and hid in one of my live rock and when I woke up it was dead. Then I wandered why so I checked my alkalinity and it was 18 again. So I just figured that is what had killed my bicolored angel, which was beautiful by the way.


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If your alkalinity was at 17 to 18 then you would have a very high ph to match it. I would pass the test off as faulty

 

[TheRealKenKen]

Alright, will do. I figured it was because I didn't have enough oxygen in the tank, Even though I thought I had it circulated very well. But this would explain it. What test should I buy that could be more accurate?
Thanks again.


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[Mebbid]

Alright, will do. I figured it was because I didn't have enough oxygen in the tank, Even though I thought I had it circulated very well. But this would explain it. What test should I buy that could be more accurate?
Thanks again.


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Thats possible, but very unlikely. Especially with little to no bio load in the tank.

I really like red sea test kits. The Hannah checkers are great too but are a bit expensive.

 

[TheRealKenKen]

I have looked at the Hanna checkers, but they are pretty expensive as you said. I'll look into buying Red Sea test. Can you buy them in a bundle like the Api kit or do they have to be bought separate.


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