High Alkalinity

Administrator

Hi everyone,

I finally took the next step and began testing above and beyond ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, and pH for calcium, carbonate hardness/alkalinity, magnesium, and phosphate. It looks like my carbonate hardness/alkalinity is high and my magnesium may be low.

My Parameters:
-------------------
pH: 8.2 - 8.4
dKH: ~15.5
Phosphate: 0 - .03 pm
Calcium: 400ppm
Magnesium: 1125p pm

Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: ~15 ppm
Specific Gravity: 1.023 - 1.024

I began dosing the tank with CaribSea Purple Up a few weeks ago but have only done it sporadically. I have dosed with Seachem Reef Complete twice a half a week apart.

Does anyone have any recommendations for what I can do to improve my water parameters and can anyone suggest a dosing schedule for the Purple Up and Reef Complete? What are the ideal water parameters I should aim for? Will some combination of these two supplements be sufficient? These test kits and supplements were pricey so I would like to avoid purchasing anything else for the time being if possible.

Thanks!

onefish2fish

i personally like b-ionic 2part for its ease of dosing. you may also need individual cal/alk/mag kent (or another brand) bottles to help raise one or the other. the alk is high because of the purple up, which IMO is an over-priced alk suppliment. ease off of dosing that for a week or two and re-check your alk then.

wake49

What salt mix do you use? Certain salt mixes can be high in Borate and other trace minerals that can throw off your alkalinity readings.

reefsahoy

the i water parameters I aim for in my sps tank are.

mg 1300
ca 420
alk 8
ph 8.2
nitrate 0
phossphate o
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
temp 76f
SG 1.026

Administrator

Thanks, I'll try laying off the Purple Up for a week and testing again. Should I continue to dose with Seachem Reef Complete every 3 days?

I use Instant Ocean salt, Jeff. I've read it's considered a quality salt. Do you concur?

Thanks, reefs. Hopefully in a week from now my dKH will have come down but my Magnesium and Calcium will be as good or better.

Do you guys know if Seachem's Reef Complete is meant to be used in tandem with something else, or is it supposed to be an all in one solution as its label suggests?

bearwithfish

well if i may jump in i also use instant ocean and my alk is a bit low (8 dKH) so i dont think its your salt.. as for dosing i am still learning my self but i was under the impression that one step dosing was for nano tanks (20 and under gallons) the larger volume requires a different approach... i personally would stop dosing and see what your number come up with out assistance and start from there.....

reefsahoy

the measurements for instant ocean when mixed new should be around these values shen sg =1.026 at temp 25C. these values were confirmed when several new batch of water was made from different buckets and averaged out.

ca 400
mg 1450
alk 11

if you have a reef with alot of corals then some amount of dosing is going to be required depending on bio load, however if you mostly have fish i wouldn't dose anything at all. if you only have a few corals i probably wouldn't dose anything either because water changes will replace trace elements. in my tank i only measure the "big 3" that is ca, mg, alk! i almost never measure ph,and never phosphate, nitrite, ammonia, nitrate since the tank matured, i just know they are within the parameters by looking at live stock.

Pasfur

In my fish only tank I concentrate on alkalinity and calcium. I aim to keep alkalinity between 10 and 12 dkh, and calcium at 420-460ppm. Calcium has a such a huge impact on alkalinity that I find it easier to maintain a stable alkalinity when I am also dosing for calcium. If not, the result often is greater volume and more frequent water changes.

I would suggest that you stop dosing the purple up for now, test your alkalinity every couple of days.... wait until it hits 8dkh. When alkalinity lowers to 8dkh then run the full line of tests again. At this point you should be able to correctly judge a proper dosing routine.

wake49

I use Instant Ocean also, and have no Alk problems...

turk86

I too have just run into high DKH!!! 12.5 and ph at 8.6!!! Just changed all RODI filters and fifty percent water cahnge and no help with alkalinity!! I use tropic marin pro reef salt!! Some one suggested adding purple up but after reading thread I am not sure!! The other suggestion was to increase my CO2 output on the Ca reactor to get an afluent of about 6.0 for a whle to bust up the high alkalinity and ph!!! What do i do???????????? To many different and opposing suggestions!! All of my ZOE's seem to be melting as well as a very high priced wellsophylia!!!!please help
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