2 part advice (brightwell alkalin8.3 and kalk+2)

[StackTrayce]

Build thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/s...-rescue-adding-sand-fighting-ugliness.999549/
Got an existing 20g setup on fb marketplace, previous owner used brightwell alkalin8.3 and kalk+2, but was not testing. I have pH and alk test kits and have had LFS double check. I will be calibrating pH meter soon.
Trying to get a dosing schedule for stable alk/pH and reasonable Ca

Current Parameters:
NH3/NO3/NO2/PO4 0 (test strips and LFS API kit)
GH 300
TA 180
KH 100?
Ph 8+ on strip, 8.0 on iztada probe (pre cal), 7.8 from LFS API
SG: 1.022 on itzdata probe, ~23 from swing arm, and LFS says ~1.025. I know it matches newly mixed red sea coral pro SW from LFS and suspect it is ~1.024-25

I have read zero phosphate and nitrates are an issue as well, but my understanding is I need to address those separately thru feeding or other additives. Considering adding phyto to feeding schedule.

Previous owner dosed ~5ml Alk8.3 a day and kalk+2 once a month but was not doing testing or weekly water changes.
I'm doing a 20% WC once a week and sometimes an additional smaller 2g/10% for extra cleaning when removing what I think is cyano.

I have a hanna alk meter ordered, but in the meantime I'm dosing ~2.5ml Alk8.3 a day and zero kalk+2.
I know I should avoid chasing numbers, but I think I can get better levels while being safe.

If I'm trying to get to good pH, dKH and Ca how should I monitor and increase dosing?
Do I need to calibrate hanna alk meter? I saw after ordering that there are calibration reagents available.
Would increasing alkalin8.3 dosing until I see 8-9 dKH consistently from new hanna meter make sense? What sort of pH monitoring and ranges should I be looking for?

Thanks!

 

[Reefahholic]

With a 20/G tank, you can maintain those parameters with water changes for now.

Take care of Salinity first. 35 psu.

Then tackle Alk, Cal, Mag.

Get the Hanna Alkalinity meter.
I use Red Sea for Calcium.
Hanna Phosphorus ULR or Phosphate ULR.
Hanna High Range Nitrate
Get a pH monitor and make sure to clean and calibrate the probe.

ALK is good from 7.5-8.5 for most folks

PO4 is subjective, but .06-.08 is a good place to start. Reef Roids are high in PO4 if you want to feed. Or dose something like Brightwell NeoPhos. Only raise by .02 ppm daily.

NO3 can be dosed with something like Brightwell NeoNitro. 3-8 ppm would be a good initial target. Only raise by 1 ppm daily.

Best of luck!

 

[StackTrayce]

Thanks! I /think/ SG/salinity is within range (definitely stable, using ATO, I suspect it is ~1.025), but I'm frustrated by the differences between different measurement tools. Is there a reasonably-priced known-decent refractometer w/ temperature compensation?
I'll likely start w/ Alk dosing again soon (hanna checker should be here this week). Will be cleaning and calibrating pH probe as well.
I think I'd rather feed (reef roids, etc) than start depending on dosing for PO4 and NO3, but we will see how that goes.

 

[StackTrayce]

Got the Hanna Alk checker - big difference between new salt water and tank water. I haven't started dosing yet, but think starting at ~3ml of Alk8.3 per day and monitoring would be safe and conservative.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What values do you see in the tank and new water?

FWIW, I'll note that kalk+2 once a month isn't doing much useful at all, and definitely does nothing for magnesium. Folks dosing limewater (kalkwasser) typically dose to replace nearly all evaporation every day.

 

[StackTrayce]

Alk readings of tank via Hanna meter were 7.4 on Oct 8th, 7.2 Oct 22nd, and 6.5 on Oct 26th. New water for water changes measured 10.5 (red sea coral pro mix from LFS). I intend to watch/read a bit more on getting consistent results w/ Hanna alk as well.
I've increased feeding and PO4 /may/ be going up, but still between 0.1-0.2 mg/L on advatec test strip. Nitrate and Nitrites reading zero. pH ~8.1 but ranges from 7.9-8.2 on pH probe (that still needs to be calibrated).
I've not (restarted) dosing Alk8.3, but I think it is safe to do so and I will restart at 3-4 ml/day and continue testing Alk w/ Hanna.
I've ordered reef roids and will start feeding with that 2-3x a week.

 

[StackTrayce]

Reviving/updating thread after slightly increasing Alk dose to 5ml/day and improvements to Hanna alk testing procedures (10ml of tank water from pipette, not judging based on line on sample vial) and increased feeding.
I've started feeding reef roids about half the recommended dose 3x a week and reef chili recommended dose 2-3x a week. Continuing to feed flake to single fish once a day (slowly, trying to ensure goby gets 80% of the flake).
I thought all this coral feeding might raise PO4 and NO3 beyond recommended ranges, but I'm not seeing that yet.
Also started testing NO3 via salifert.

Recent parameters:
Temp: 77.5F
SG: 1.021-22 (should I work to increase this?) (probe and swing arm)
dKH: 7.9 (Hanna)
No3: 0.5-1 (salifert)
PO4: .1-.2 mg/L (advatec)
pH: 7.2 (probe, recently calibrated)

Next test kits will be Ca (red sea pro or salifert) and a different PO4. I may try to get someone local (either LFS or otherwise) to test Ca before then.

I'm trying not to go crazy chasing numbers, but that pH seems lower than it has been (especially late at night). I am seeing coral and coraline growth and now a bunch of small white spiral shells on back glass (vermatid? should I scrape those off?).

Looking for advice and insight.
Current plan is to increase Alk dosing to 6-8 ml/day (at night) and continue current feeding - I'm trying to be cautious not to overfeed given cyano issues in this tank. Cyano does seem to be getting slightly better, but still comes back a bit.
I do WCs w/ LFS SW which seems to be mixed at 1.022 (red sea coral pro). Shall I start adding salt to new WC water to raise SG to ~1.025?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I do not believe the pH is accurate. Rock, sand, and coral skeletons would all be dissolving.

 

[StackTrayce]

Thanks for that insight! The pH probe is cheap and may not be accurate (itzdata). I calibrated it a few weeks ago but the liquid for calibration was not at recommended 77F (closer to 70F), perhaps that led to incorrect calibration. My pH test strips show higher pH (8.0-8.4, but hard to read accurately). New SW from LFS also shows <8.0 pH on this probe.
Zoas, greenspawn, leathers and gsp all doing fine.
Assuming pH is not way out of range, would my plan to continue to increase Alk dosing slightly and increasing SG make sense?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Salinity, certainly. I recommend targeting average natural seawater at 35 ppt/sg = 1.0264.

There’s nothing wrong with your alk, but raising it is also fine. I recommend 7-11 dKH.

Nitrate is a bit low and I’d feed more. I recommend 2-10 ppm nitrate.