Water parameters good except alk

[Krollo]

Hi all, all my water parameters are fine except for alkalinity. I have a 125 gallon mixed reef tank with fish and it has been up for over a year. My mag is 1400, calcium 480, po nitrates are both 0, PH is 82 temp 80.4 F. I use kent marine reef salt with RO/DI water. No TDS's. My alk is 7dkh and use to run in the 8 dkh range. Just wondering how to get back to that range. I do PWC of approx 20 gallons every other week.

 

[h8z2luze]

dose alk.... Do you dose anything else?

 

[Krollo]

I do not dose with anything. The 40 gallon a month or 30% water change per month always seemed to keep my parameters in check, it's just been recently that my Alk has been at 7 dkh.

 

[h8z2luze]

What salt do you use? Thats awesome that you can keep your mag and ca that high without dosing...

 

[Krollo]

Kent marine reef salt. I order the 200 gallon box for around 50 bucks from pet solutions




Dissolving 1/2 cup of KENT Marine Reef Salt in 1 gallon (3.8 L) of purified 78°F water will yield a solution with the following properties:
Specific Gravity: 1.021 - 1.023
pH: 8.2 to 8.3
Calcium: 425 to 450 ppm
Magnesium: 1,150 to 1,250 ppm

To reach the recommended specific gravity of 1.024 to 1.026 for reef aquariums, dissolve an additional 2 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) of KENT Marine Reef Salt per 1 gallon (3.8 L) of purified 78°F water. This will yield a solution with the following properties:

Specific Gravity: 1.024 - 1.026
pH: 8.2 to 8.3
Calcium: 550 to 575 ppm
Magnesium: 1,350 to 1,450 ppm

 

[h8z2luze]

Nice. I use seachem and have to dose....

 

[Madreefer420]

I use the instant ocean reef crystals and my calcium is always high and my dk is always like 11 I can't test mag but I was told it was related if it was low the dk would be

 

[Daniel Fishy]

If you have softies and lps they will use the alk to grow. Could be why your low I dose oceans blend usually more alk then calcium .

 

[h8z2luze]

I use the instant ocean reef crystals and my calcium is always high and my dk is always like 11 I can't test mag but I was told it was related if it was low the dk would be

I was told the same... So I kept my ALK at 8-9 and ca at 440-460. I was losing coraline so I had my mag tested.... Was at 1080!! So now I dose to keep it at 1350-1400.

Also it depends on the tanks inhabitants. The more corals the more consumption of elements.