my pram's........

[tgp4274]

ok so here goes.. my tanks been up for about a year and a half 130g dis so about 150g total.

ph-7.8 api
alk-10.4 red sea
cal- 500+ red sea (off chart)
mag- 500+ red sea (off chart)
nitrate-80 api (I know I know.... am working on this. vodka and bio-pellets. was 120 but 2 weeks ago)
pho - 0 api (just got this down from a 1.0 reading last month. carbon and gfo in reactor)
sal- 1.024

am using instant ocean reef salt and rodi water. I have not dosed anything n can't fig out why my alk and cal doesn't move..... my cal has been over 500 since started tank. I do 10gal water changes once a week
I have been reading not to chase ph so haven't done anything on that yet... am trying to fig a way to run a line thru the floor/wall to my skimmer from outside....
any thoughts comments ALWAYS help
thanks peeps!!

 

[tgp4274]

oh... reason for posting now is I have a few corals not looking so good... and had a white haze in my tanks the other day that has now cleared for the most part.. any other ? just let me know will do my best

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you mean 1500+ ppm for magnesium?

For both calcium and magnesium, use a second syringe of fluid to get tot he endpoint. Then add the values together. They are both probably just a bit above the limit of one syringe, and may not be a problem.

The haze is likely bacteria from carbon dosing. Not a problem except the aesthetics.

What type of corals do not look good, and did they look good in the past?

 

[tgp4274]

yes 1500+ for mag..... the kit runs out before changing colors
my dunkin coral and brain and toadstool. all have looked beautiful in the past...
was wondering if the cloudy water was from the cal mag and alk not in balance....

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The cloudiness is more likely bacteria, if you are not overdosing on something like limewater (kalkwasser).

 

[tgp4274]

nope. i'm not doseing anything. that why can't fig out why cal n mag are so high......:/

 

[tgp4274]

bump

 

[Reefing Madness]

Nothing wrong with your numbers. But your corals are gonna hate those Nitrate numbers.
How old is the RO your using. Also did you use just tap water to start the tank, that would be the only reason your cal would be that high. Or your membrane is shot already.

 

[tgp4274]

hhmmm.... I know I the nitrates... working on that one. it is going down. ro filter is maybe 3 months old... I have two sed filters then carbon filter then carbon block filter before going into the membrane...... as for tap water unfortunaly yes I did but only for the start but that was almost a year and a half.....

 

[Reefing Madness]

I would not worry about the other numbers, they will come down on their own and are not in any bad ranges. Some keep their Mag that high on a reg basis.
So stay on those Nitrates and you will be fine.
You might so want to check your RO water just to see what its got in there.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I wouldn't worry about them either. If you are not dosing calcium and magnesium and are no longer using tap water, they simply reflect the starting salt mix.

How are you measuring specific gravity?

 

[tgp4274]

hate to say it and know i'm going to get n ear full but a hydrometer which I've been using for about 2 years...
i'll check my ro water for cal and mag tomarrow when I get a chance

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Maybe double check the salinity too. Perhaps it is higher than you think.

 

[tgp4274]

so just checked again...
cal-500+
mag-1400
alk-9.5
ph-7.6
oh and I checked my ro water n it is showing no cal......