16G BowFront --> 29G Reef Tank Build

[DanS180]

Nobody?? Okay ill take my own advice then and just do larger WC

[Schism]

Originally Posted by DanS180

Is it possible to do a pwc and not have your Mag, Calc and kH rise afterwards?? I did a 3-4 gallon wc 2 days ago and I just tested and got the same exact results. In fact, my kH has dropped a degree

Mag 1200ppm
Calc 380ppm
kH 9°

Hey Dan sorry no one answered but that sounds normal. Usually levels will rise after a water change. This is how the levels are replenished. Measuring the level after a water change and then measuring again right before the next water change will tell you how much alk, mag, and calcium your tank has consumed in that time period. As for your alk falling, well its likely your tank is using more alk than is being replentished. This might mean that after a while you will need to dose alk to get it back where it needs to be, that is if water changes cant correct it.

Hope that helps.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by Schism

Hey Dan sorry no one answered but that sounds normal. Usually levels will rise after a water change. This is how the levels are replenished. Measuring the level after a water change and then measuring again right before the next water change will tell you how much alk, mag, and calcium your tank has consumed in that time period. As for your alk falling, well its likely your tank is using more alk than is being replentished. This might mean that after a while you will need to dose alk to get it back where it needs to be, that is if water changes cant correct it.

Hope that helps.

Yes that does help! Thank you! I'm gonna test my water again tonight and then do a 5gallon WC then retest tomorrow.. hope I don't have to dose.. can't that get expensive??

[Schism]

Originally Posted by DanS180

Yes that does help! Thank you! I'm gonna test my water again tonight and then do a 5gallon WC then retest tomorrow.. hope I don't have to dose.. can't that get expensive??

Might not have to and if you do it probably wont be often or much so wont get very pricey. For people who have to dose on a daily basis thats another story.

Water changes alone will replenish most, depends on how many hard corals you have sucking out mag, alk, and calcium.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by Schism

Might not have to and if you do it probably wont be often or much so wont get very pricey. For people who have to dose on a daily basis thats another story.

Water changes alone will replenish most, depends on how many hard corals you have sucking out mag, alk, and calcium.

Well the last water change hasn't changed anything lol so maybe I'll just do a bigger water change and go from there.. I don't have many hard corals.. I have mostly zoas, shrooms, LPS, 1 pink digi frag and 1 ponape bird nest frag

Oh and 1 Kenya tree frag

[CorallineAlgae]

You can easily make your own DIY alkalinity or two part mix. I like Arm and Hammer personally. lol Google DIY two part solution. You'll be shocked. I always used pickling lime for kalkwasser as it's the exact same thing. $20 vs $2 and the difference is the label. All the major aquarium service companies use this stuff.

[Mrc8858]

Lps build skeletons also meaning they suck up your alk and calcium. You can also dose with cheap stuff to save money like calcium chloride and baking soda. Not 100% sure if those are exactly right but along the right lines

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by CorallineAlgae

You can easily make your own DIY alkalinity or two part mix. I like Arm and Hammer personally. lol Google DIY two part solution. You'll be shocked. I always used pickling lime for kalkwasser as it's the exact same thing. $20 vs $2 and the difference is the label. All the major aquarium service companies use this stuff.

Hmm very interesting stuff lol I'm definitely gonna look into that if my levels don't rise from water changes

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by Mrc8858

Lps build skeletons also meaning they suck up your alk and calcium. You can also dose with cheap stuff to save money like calcium chloride and baking soda. Not 100% sure if those are exactly right but along the right lines

Yeah I hear ya on that but im just baffled bc the levels are all the SAME except alk. Just weird that they're back to the exact number and not in the general area ya know? Like my Mag was 1200ppm before AND after the water change. Lol I dunno its just weird to me

[CorallineAlgae]

Try testing newly mixed saltwater before you do the water change to see where the levels are there. It's good info to have.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by CorallineAlgae

Try testing newly mixed saltwater before you do the water change to see where the levels are there. It's good info to have.

Good idea.. I'm gonna mix some up right now

[DanS180]

Okay here's the results for my 5G bucket I just mixed several hours ago. Now the salinity is a little high but that's okay bc my tank is at 1.023 right now. Bucket is at 1.028
Mag 1540ppm
Calc 500ppm
kH 13°
Phos 0ppm

I'm gonna test the tank tomorrow before I do the WC and see where it goes.

Oh and what I thought was .25ppm as Phos was actually 0 all along.. the color card is horrible lol

[Mrc8858]

Keep in mind having more salt mix in it will raise the other elements too so when you switch back to 1.025 mixes the other levels should also be slightly lower.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by Mrc8858

Keep in mind having more salt mix in it will raise the other elements too so when you switch back to 1.025 mixes the other levels should also be slightly lower.

Yep yep, but I guess I fudged up on my last WC and didn't have enough salt in the water which is why its at 1.023. Soooo maybe that's why my numbers didn't raise too much??

[22engine]

Originally Posted by DanS180

Yep yep, but I guess I fudged up on my last WC and didn't have enough salt in the water which is why its at 1.023. Soooo maybe that's why my numbers didn't raise too much??

If your numbers are at 1.023 I would just add the 1.028 to it and it will raise your tank some. It won't go up to 1.028 but will go up from the 1.023. It's what I do when mine gets a little low.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by 22engine

If your numbers are at 1.023 I would just add the 1.028 to it and it will raise your tank some. It won't go up to 1.028 but will go up from the 1.023. It's what I do when mine gets a little low.

Yeah I figure it'll put it somewhere around 1.025 hopefully

[22engine]

Just a thought on the salinity too. How long was it mixing for? I noticed a little difference in mine when I tested it after a couple hours of mixing and then ended up not being able to do a change die to work so it kept mixing with the pump in the bucket for three days and it was a little lower.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by 22engine

Just a thought on the salinity too. How long was it mixing for? I noticed a little difference in mine when I tested it after a couple hours of mixing and then ended up not being able to do a change die to work so it kept mixing with the pump in the bucket for three days and it was a little lower.

I usually let it mix for a full day.. retested this morning and it was still at 1.028

[DanS180]

How long do u guys wait to retest after a WC?

[CorallineAlgae]

Originally Posted by 22engine

Just a thought on the salinity too. How long was it mixing for? I noticed a little difference in mine when I tested it after a couple hours of mixing and then ended up not being able to do a change die to work so it kept mixing with the pump in the bucket for three days and it was a little lower.

Great point. There is a difference and it's usually with alkalinity lowering. I used to always aerate the RO water before adding salt. This gasses off co2 and raises the pH a bit and believe it or not it keeps the alkalinity a bit higher. Straight RO water is really acidic so it consumes some of the bicarbonates in the salt mix. Giving it some air (I just use a powerhead that has a spot to attach an airline) helps keep the dKH level higher. Non oxygenated RO water can actually drop both pH and alkalinity.

Originally Posted by DanS180

How long do u guys wait to retest after a WC?

A few hours, around four, is all I wait.