KH,CA & MG numbers

[slav621]

My levels are as follows:

KH-7
CA-375
MG-1260

Are these levels on the low side? I was going to dose all for reef to raise my numbers but after research I’ve seen where it just maintains your numbers? Any advice would be great. Corals are all doing well- just would say my growth is slow. I was not keeping my tank stable but have been working to get there so I can see some growth.

 

[lil sumpin]

Those parameters aren’t horribly low but they’re are nearing. Your volume is double mine but I believe this method may work well for you. How often are you doing water changes? I’ve found that keeping up w WCs and testing for alk consistently has helped keep parameters stable. I don’t have high alkalinity demand as I have a 14 gallon cube with mostly softies and LPS so I only need to dose once or twice in between water changes. I do 30-40% every week and hardly ever see alkalinity go below 8dKh

 

[19Mateo83]

What are the rest of your parameters? Your alkalinity, calcium and magnesium are a little on the low side,7-9, 450 and 1350 is what you should be shooting for. All the parameters are tied to each other. You can’t get a true alkalinity reading until your magnesium and salanity are in line. Once those two are on point and you know where your nutrients are then you can figure out if you want to bump up your alkalinity or not. Many successful tanks run at a lower alkalinity but if there’s ultra low nutrients there’s no need to push the alkalinity higher. I will say this. Chasing numbers can be more detrimental, stability is the key to successful reefing. Adjust parameters slowly and shoot for stability. I run all for reef as well and over time it is necessary to tweak numbers individually. I have had good success using bright well magnesion and calcion without interfering with the AFR, just don’t dose them at the same times.

 

[slav621]

Those parameters aren’t horribly low but they’re are nearing. Your volume is double mine but I believe this method may work well for you. How often are you doing water changes? I’ve found that keeping up w WCs and testing for alk consistently has helped keep parameters stable. I don’t have high alkalinity demand as I have a 14 gallon cube with mostly softies and LPS so I only need to dose once or twice in between water changes. I do 30-40% every week and hardly ever see alkalinity go below 8dKh

I wasn’t doing regular water changes for a while honestly. But have gotten back to my tank and have been doing weekly water changes for 3 weeks now. I wonder if I should just continue with water changes until my levels get to where they need to be. I’m doing 5 gallons a week in my 29 gallon tank.

 

[lil sumpin]

This is a great start. The weekly changes will help to gain stability. How frequently are you testing parameters?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What is the salinity? Those values will rise if salinity rises.

My recommendations are here:

Optimal Parameters for a Coral Reef Aquarium: By Randy Holmes-Farley

[note: edited on 5/29/2022 to update the nitrate and phosphate sections with higher recommended levels.] One of the main roles of an aquarist with a coral reef aquarium is to ensure that the conditions are right for their tank inhabitants. There...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[slav621]

What are the rest of your parameters? Your alkalinity, calcium and magnesium are a little on the low side,7-9, 450 and 1350 is what you should be shooting for. All the parameters are tied to each other. You can’t get a true alkalinity reading until your magnesium and salanity are in line. Once those two are on point and you know where your nutrients are then you can figure out if you want to bump up your alkalinity or not. Many successful tanks run at a lower alkalinity but if there’s ultra low nutrients there’s no need to push the alkalinity higher. I will say this. Chasing numbers can be more detrimental, stability is the key to successful reefing. Adjust parameters slowly and shoot for stability. I run all for reef as well and over time it is necessary to tweak numbers individually. I have had good success using bright well magnesion and calcion without interfering with the AFR, just don’t dose them at the same times.

My other levels seem pretty spot on.
Salinty: 1.026
Nitrates:20
PH- 8.4
(These levels are with Red Sea) my others are from Salifert.

M@

What are the rest of your parameters? Your alkalinity, calcium and magnesium are a little on the low side,7-9, 450 and 1350 is what you should be shooting for. All the parameters are tied to each other. You can’t get a true alkalinity reading until your magnesium and salanity are in line. Once those two are on point and you know where your nutrients are then you can figure out if you want to bump up your alkalinity or not. Many successful tanks run at a lower alkalinity but if there’s ultra low nutrients there’s no need to push the alkalinity higher. I will say this. Chasing numbers can be more detrimental, stability is the key to successful reefing. Adjust parameters slowly and shoot for stability. I run all for reef as well and over time it is necessary to tweak numbers individually. I have had good success using bright well magnesion and calcion without interfering with the AFR, just don’t dose them at the same times.

My other parameters seem to be normal to me.
Salinity:1.026
PH:8
Nitrate: 20

Now I will say I neglected with regular water changes for a couple months. My salinity got up to 1.030 at one point bc I was not topping the tank off until I absolutely had to. I’ve gotten back on track and really wanting it to get stable so I can see growth in my corals. Maybe I should stick with regular water changes for now and once I get stable- dose All for Reef when necessary? Appreciate the help!

 

[slav621]

What is the salinity? Those values will rise if salinity rises.

My recommendations are here:

Optimal Parameters for a Coral Reef Aquarium: By Randy Holmes-Farley

[note: edited on 5/29/2022 to update the nitrate and phosphate sections with higher recommended levels.] One of the main roles of an aquarist with a coral reef aquarium is to ensure that the conditions are right for their tank inhabitants. There...

www.reef2reef.com

My salinity is now 1.026. I went through a phase of neglecting my tank and not topping off/doing water changes as needed. My salinity was up all the way to 1.030 and my nitrates were over 50.

 

[BigMonkeyBrain]

My levels are as follows:

KH-7

My other levels seem pretty spot on.
Salinty: 1.026
Nitrates:20
PH- 8.4
(These levels are with Red Sea) my others are from Salifert.

Strange - KH-7and PH-8.4 ?

I would add some sodium bicarbonate ( baking soda ) new box, kept in a sealed container. 29-gallons - 1/8 tsp twice a day for 3 or 4 days - then test Alk.

Calcium is a little low - 400 ppm may help coral growth with the higher Alk.

 

[slav621]

Strange - KH-7and PH-8.4 ?

I would add some sodium bicarbonate ( baking soda ) new box, kept in a sealed container. 29-gallons - 1/8 tsp twice a day for 3 or 4 days - then test Alk.

Calcium is a little low - 400 ppm may help coral growth with the higher Alk.

I swear there is something wrong with my salt. Im using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt and a new fresh bucket is only reading 9 KH.

 

[BigMonkeyBrain]

I swear there is something wrong with my salt. Im using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt and a new fresh bucket is only reading 9 KH.

I will have to punt here.

Test kit or salt mix ? salt mix supposed to be alk 12-kh and cal-465 ppm.

If your PH is correct I would say the test kit is wrong / testing error and the kh is much higher than 7 kh.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Check the bottom for precipitation of calcium carbonate, which is common with high alk mixes like Coral Pro.

 

[slav621]

I will have to punt here.

Test kit or salt mix ? salt mix supposed to be alk 12-kh and cal-465 ppm.

If your PH is correct I would say the test kit is wrong / testing error and the kh is much higher than 7 kh.

I have a brand new test kit cause I thought it might be the test but it isn’t. That’s why I am leaving more toward the salt.

 

[BigMonkeyBrain]

I have a brand new test kit cause I thought it might be the test but it isn’t. That’s why I am leaving more toward the salt.

You do add the salt mix into water and not the water into salt mix ?

 

[slav621]

Check the bottom for precipitation of calcium carbonate, which is common with high alk mixes like Coral Pro.

Nothing there. I do keep my salt in the garage in south Alabama. Could that be affecting it at all you think?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Nothing there. I do keep my salt in the garage in south Alabama. Could that be affecting it at all you think?

Only if there is precipitate on the sides/bottom. If not, nothing can alter the alk.

 

[nereefpat]

I don't think it's been said yet...Your values are pretty darn close to natural seawater parameters.

 

[slav621]

After my initial testing that morning I added 10ml of all for reef. I tested again that night and my numbers were as follows:

KH-7
Cal-415
Mag-1260

Only thing that went up was the calcium. I am not going to dose anymore and stick with water changes to see if I can get it stable. Then I will start dosing as needed. I am also going to do a water change this afternoon and retest the new bucket just to see if my testing was off the first time. Thanks for your help!

 

[slav621]

I don't think it's been said yet...Your values are pretty darn close to natural seawater parameters.

Yeah you are right. Feel like I am chasing numbers right now. I am just going to stick with regular water changes for a while and go from there with my parameters.