ALK Issue

[Breakthecycle2]

You aren't supposed to change the bio pellets and they've only been running for around 3 weeks so far.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

1.So my question is...How would my MAG keeping going up?
2. How much ALK should I dose daily to keep it where it is at?
3. Why would my nitrates keep going up with the biopellets?

Magnesium does not rise on its own. If it is rising, it is either being added somehow, from water changes, or testing error.

FWIW, B-ionic adds magnesium, but should be just enough to keep it steady.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Magnesium does not rise on its own. If it is rising, it is either being added somehow, from water changes, or testing error.

FWIW, B-ionic adds magnesium, but should be just enough to keep it steady.

I havent done a water change in two weeks now.

How much should I start dosing ALK again?

 

[BluewaterLa]

@Breakthecycle2
250 gallons is a nice size tank, still an enclosed system.
The oversized skimmer should help with your waste removal along with your water changes that would be about 50 gallons a week (20%)
I would have to question the amount of fish and amount of feeding as a main part of the nitrate problem along with other factors like detritus and other waste breaking down in the tank.

Frozen foods have large amounts of phosphates in them and the juice that is in the cube is more organics to break down in the tank.
Pellet foods while high in nutrition for fish and corals are in a sense high in nutrients for the tank as fish poop, most don't realize that you must feed less with pellet food diets to keep water quality good.
Some coral food products like marine snows add organics to break down in the tank as well.

Not to offend you in any way, I just ask for sake of understanding and trying to help.
Is your skimmer working properly ?, pulling good skimmate regularly?
Bio pellets get changed out as needed ?
What about filter socks ? Do you let them sit for a while after they collect a bunch of crud ?
Do you have a deep sand bed ?
Do you vacume the sand to keep organics from building up over time and keep detritus down ?

The magnesium may be rising ( if your test kits aren't expired and are accurate) if the salt mix you are using is high in magnesium and so is the B ionic solution. Magnesium isn't consumed by corals and coraline algae fast or at a large rate.
Have you tested your salt mix for alkalinity, calcium and magnesium values ?
Most salt mixes are low or on the lower end of magnesium.

 

[BluewaterLa]

Ok so I haven't seen page two haha.
I've never used bio pellets for any reason, most uses I read it seems people are using them for nitrate control in the aquarium, so I gather they aren't absorbing nitrates like other media would do for phosphate like Gfo.
That would be my ignorance due to not using such a product.

I would definitely check your magnesium test kit with using another type or newer one.
It may be possible that your magnesium level from the higher value you have is incorrect due to a hiccup on your testing method.
We have all made error while testing, it happens.

Dosing the B ionic alkalinity portion is different from products I use and I don't have their specific instruction to go off of.
What I can tell you is figuring out dosing methods for the "big three" elements of mag, cal and alk requires testing on your part to figure out the amount of each used by your tank on a DAILY rate.
After you determine the amount used then you can determine how much to add to the tank in milliliters to get the desired value to hold constant.
Reef calculators on websites, I think I noticed one posted here on R2R,
And the one BRS has are very useful.

I use two part solution, magnesium, calcium and alkalinity are all separate. This gives me better control over my levels.
Example would be for my tank consumes 0.4 dkh daily via test kit confirmed, so I dose 30 milliliters of alk solution to keep it stable daily.
Now this is in my tank for my tank volume and being sps dominated.
Your tank will be different of course.

First you need to figure out the daily consumption rate, test frequently for a week, some like myself do daily, and record your results.
This will give you a daily value drop and a good idea of what your tank consumes.
Second would be to see if there is a reef calculator that covers B ionic solutions.
If not I would start out low, Ex. 30 ml and test an hour later to see result.
If your actual dkh rise was .02 then you can do some basic math to get a more proper dose.
ALWAYS dose low and retest for results, you should be able to get close and keep record of results so you have something to keep track.
Once you think you are in the ball park, keep testing regularly to make sure levels are constant. If it is still falling a little increase dosage a few milliliters, if it's rising then decrease dosage a few milliliters.

Hope this helps, if not maybe I can explain a different way or another member that uses B ionic can chime in on their method.

 

[BluewaterLa]

So I just did some reading on bio pellets, seems it's just a solid form of carbon dosing.
I also found some good tips and information on the BRS website about the use and things to consider doing or not doing while using such products.
Could be useful info for you to consider on the nitrate factor and bio pellets your using.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I havent done a water change in two weeks now.

How much should I start dosing ALK again?

You can only determine the daily alk doses by trial and error, or by otherwise somehow knowing the daily demand at the alk you are targetting.

But if the alk is now 12 dKH, I wouldn't add any until it drops below your target, and by how fast it drops, you can determine how much is used on average each day.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

You can only determine the daily alk doses by trial and error, or by otherwise somehow knowing the daily demand at the alk you are targetting.

But if the alk is now 12 dKH, I wouldn't add any until it drops below your target, and by how fast it drops, you can determine how much is used on average each day.

Its not 12 anymore. It is down to 9.1 in three days.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

@Breakthecycle2
250 gallons is a nice size tank, still an enclosed system.
The oversized skimmer should help with your waste removal along with your water changes that would be about 50 gallons a week (20%)
I would have to question the amount of fish and amount of feeding as a main part of the nitrate problem along with other factors like detritus and other waste breaking down in the tank.

Frozen foods have large amounts of phosphates in them and the juice that is in the cube is more organics to break down in the tank.
Pellet foods while high in nutrition for fish and corals are in a sense high in nutrients for the tank as fish poop, most don't realize that you must feed less with pellet food diets to keep water quality good.
Some coral food products like marine snows add organics to break down in the tank as well.

Not to offend you in any way, I just ask for sake of understanding and trying to help.
Is your skimmer working properly ?, pulling good skimmate regularly?
Bio pellets get changed out as needed ?
What about filter socks ? Do you let them sit for a while after they collect a bunch of crud ?
Do you have a deep sand bed ?
Do you vacume the sand to keep organics from building up over time and keep detritus down ?

The magnesium may be rising ( if your test kits aren't expired and are accurate) if the salt mix you are using is high in magnesium and so is the B ionic solution. Magnesium isn't consumed by corals and coraline algae fast or at a large rate.
Have you tested your salt mix for alkalinity, calcium and magnesium values ?
Most salt mixes are low or on the lower end of magnesium.

My skimmer is working properly. I have to empty every three days, sometimes every day. My sand bed is only 1" deep at the most. My filter socks get changed once or twice a week. My test kits are brand new. I went out and bought red sea kits last Thursday.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Its not 12 anymore. It is down to 9.1 in three days.

OK, and what is your target level?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

OK, and what is your target level?

I'd like to keep it where it is, no more then 10.

 

[BluewaterLa]

I'd like to keep it where it is, no more then 10.

Were you measuring the amount you were using when the alkalinity was rising and got to 12 dkh ?
If so then scale it back and dose the tank then retest.
No harm in dosing half what you used to dose to see what if any the parameter changes to.
If there isn't a formula on the bottle to guide you then a little trial and error may be required. Just remember to dose on the conservative side so you don't raise the dkh more than 1.4 dkh in a single day.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd start by adding about 0.6 dKH per day and see what happens.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Guys, I REALLY need help here. My MAG is steadily increasing and Im worried its getting dangerously high. Its now well over 1600.

I am dosing 12 mls of ALK and 24 of CAL.

 

[BluewaterLa]

Guys, I REALLY need help here. My MAG is steadily increasing and Im worried its getting dangerously high. Its now well over 1600.

I am dosing 12 mls of ALK and 24 of CAL.

The magnesium has me stumped at this point.
I have never encountered or heard of magnesium rising for no reason.
You aren't dosing a magnesium supplement and you have a new test kit.
I'm not trying to hack you up here in any way, are you sure you are testing correctly ?
Could you have another person test it to confirm the value is that high ?
I'm just scratching my head over this one.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Magnesium cannot rise on its own. I agree that if you are not adding it, testing error is the explanation,a nd is not uncommon.
Folks seem to especially have issues with the Red Sea kit.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Magnesium cannot rise on its own. I agree that if you are not adding it, testing error is the explanation,a nd is not uncommon.
Folks seem to especially have issues with the Red Sea kit.

Im going to use my sailfert kit and see what it says. Also, is it all possible that ESV mislabeled one of the additives im using?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Im going to use my sailfert kit and see what it says. Also, is it all possible that ESV mislabeled one of the additives im using?

Possibly. What are you adding?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Possibly. What are you adding?

ESV B-Ionic ALK and CAL two part. How can I test it?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

ESV B-Ionic ALK and CAL two part. How can I test it?

The alk part gets cloudy (then clear) when entering tank water. Magnesium will not get cloudy.

If you are maintaining calcium OK, the calcium part is not magnesium.

I definitely expect defective testing as opposed to mislabeling.