Ready to Give up - Dosing problems
- Thread starter Bernardhny
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Start your doser at the minimum amount possible and "Manual" dose on top of that 1 ml at a time and Document how much you've added and how much has increased each day. For parameter that are too high leave it alone. Get the Alk stable but dont try to shoot for 11. Your tank actually has a mind of its own lol trying to jump from 6-11dkh will crash your tank big time. I think 8-9 is where it should be.
kpiotrowski
Active Member
as was said already the high calcium is prob binding the alk.
I don't recall what salt mix you are using?
to drop those high values faster do water changes with regular IO, then when back on track use reef crystals or the like.
any idea yet of how it got so overdosed?
Paul B
10K Club member
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
Reef Of The Month
Article Contributor
Rock Pool Reef Keepers
If I went through ALL that you are going through, I would have threw out the entire thing a log time ago and collected stamps. :noidea:
This is a hobby and supposed to be fun.
But, I offered my opinion. At least try to start having fun. Eventually you will not have to do all of this. :becky:
StikHedRon
Well-Known Member
Your water changes should be dropping those params if your salt mix is mixing to the proper levels that red sea pro mixes too. You said you have changed out 45 gal of a 65 gal tank, unless you did it all at once you didn't actually switch out 45 gal of "bad" water and put in "good", This would equtate to about 20 gal maybe of "bad" water. There are 2 things I would do next, 1) Get 1 large container that is about 30 gal and do 3 large water changes that should help. or 2) Just stop doing anything, no more water changes, no more dosing of cal or mag if you are, and just keep your Alk stable. This may take over a month to do, but eventually those numbers should begin to fall inline if you have corals in your tank that will consume those chemicals. Me personally would go with option 1.
vlangel
Seahorse whisperer
It doesn't happen often but maybe your salt is off chemically. Have you ever tested freshly made salt before it went into your tank?
OP
OP
Bernardhny
Active Member
I have tested the alk and it is 225 ppm (12)
mcarroll
10K Club member
Re-reading post #25 is recommended.
Also a couple of link you need to read/understand:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/
And...
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/
You seem to be turning in circles...understanding these will help.
Let me know if all that info makes sense!
-Matt
Last edited:
vlangel
Seahorse whisperer
I was wondering what the calcium and magnesium were in the freshly made salt water. If for some reason the calcium was too high it would explain why your calcium is so high after such large water changes. Again, I don't expect it to be overly high but that would at least rule out a problem with your salt mix.
kpiotrowski
Active Member
yesterday morning you said your alk was 7.26, and now its 12????
did you dose? if you didn't dose you got bad test kits or not doing it right.
if you did dose then you need to get back and understand about taking things slow in this hobby!
did you dose? if you didn't dose you got bad test kits or not doing it right.
if you did dose then you need to get back and understand about taking things slow in this hobby!
OP
OP
Bernardhny
Active Member
Actually I said the water I am putting in at water change tests at 12. The tank itself is not at 12
TheSaint216
Active Member
Post a picture of your tank. Unless your tank is chock full of SPS and Clams I dont see why your dosing. Your tank Volume should be good with a 10 gallon water change weekly. How long are you letting your water mix before you put it in the tank?
OP
OP
Bernardhny
Active Member
I have a 35g storage tanks for both RODI water and a second tank where I make saltwater. I usually let the saltwater tank get down to about half full before replenishing with RODI and mixing to the correct salinity. However since this problem started I have been mixing fresh 5g buckets and letting them sit 4-8 hours before use but in an emergency I have used the water an hour after mixing. I do have power heads circulating all salt and RODI water 24/7 and I do heat the salt water storage tank as well.
I did start dosing manually the alk last night. 1 dkh per day is my goal while watching the calcium and mag for changes
I did start dosing manually the alk last night. 1 dkh per day is my goal while watching the calcium and mag for changes
mcarroll
10K Club member
I don't think it relates to this problem, but it's much better to mix and use salt the same day. At most, use it within two or three days.
Then refill with RODI from empty.
FWIW, I mix for about 5 minutes and use as soon as the water is clear.
-Matt
Then refill with RODI from empty.
FWIW, I mix for about 5 minutes and use as soon as the water is clear.
-Matt
Last edited:
OP
OP
Bernardhny
Active Member
Agree
That is one of the things I learned from Red Sea when I called them about this. They have told me that I should not store the salt (different from Salinity who says I can store the water indefinitely before use). So I will be power washing my second 35G storage tank this weekend and making it a second RODI water storage tank. I figure I can make an emergency batch of 35G of water in this second tank and not limit my fresh RODI water supply. I might consider switching back to a different salt mix as well. Not sure which one I would switch to if I do, I have to do some more research.
That is one of the things I learned from Red Sea when I called them about this. They have told me that I should not store the salt (different from Salinity who says I can store the water indefinitely before use). So I will be power washing my second 35G storage tank this weekend and making it a second RODI water storage tank. I figure I can make an emergency batch of 35G of water in this second tank and not limit my fresh RODI water supply. I might consider switching back to a different salt mix as well. Not sure which one I would switch to if I do, I have to do some more research.
mcarroll
10K Club member
They aren't disagreeing with each other...just a context between "can" and "should".
And I agree it's 100% better to have a dedicated RODI vat...never used for mixing.
-Matt
And I agree it's 100% better to have a dedicated RODI vat...never used for mixing.
-Matt
Last edited:
ecajoe
Community Member
I've had similar problems except I had low mag was paying to much attention to my dosing pump settings also found mixing large alk and calcium batches to be bad found funky stuff growing in calcium container
mcarroll
10K Club member
You know that's not what I said. You even quoted me!
Better != "only way"
There are vitamins and other things in most popular mixes that will break down within days of hydration. It does not "ruin" the water. Just a "small" waste of money and lost potential benefit.
If you're going to do it this way (long term storage of mixed water) you may as well use one if the ultra-plain salts like AquaCraft or Crystal Sea that don't add these things in the first place (and should be much less expensive). Instant Ocean would be a bit of a waste in this scenario.
-Matt
P.S. I kinda thought you used NSW anyway. Is the pre-mixed just for emergencies?
Last edited:
Similar threads
