Alk slightly low

[DmitryB]

Alrighty then, readings almost a week since dosing with NeoNitro. With these numbers - do I dose? Nitrate has dropped and may keep dropping like it did before until it bottoms out. The 40 gallon tank has a few fish in it. 170 is still without fish, but will be getting a few small fish on Friday. (Aquacultured small, so they'll be like an inch! So not a lot of bioload yet.)

40 Gallon
Nitrate - 3.7
Phosphate - 0.59
Alk - 6.9
Calcium - 390
Magnesium - 1300
pH - 8.0

170 Gallon
Nitrate - 4.6
Phosphate - 0.09
Alk - 8.7
Calcium - 389
Magnesium - 1360
pH - 8.2

I'm also going to start doing All For Reef. Don't have a doser set up yet, so will just be adding the full amount at once until a dose is set up. (6 ml for 40 gallons and 38 ml for 170 gallons)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I think you could dose a bit more, or not. The nitrate values are at the border of low IMO, but there is no urgency.

 

[DmitryB]

I think you could dose a bit more, or not. The nitrate values are at the border of low IMO, but there is no urgency.

Thank you Randy!

To keep the levels from bottom out again, should I only dose when I see them dropping or do you think it's worth setting up a regular schedule of XX dose to keep it from swinging?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thank you Randy!

To keep the levels from bottom out again, should I only dose when I see them dropping or do you think it's worth setting up a regular schedule of XX dose to keep it from swinging?

Either way seems OK since the drop was slow, IMO.

 

[DmitryB]

Alrighty so did my latest readings. Some interesting results. (For some reason Ammonia went up a bit to .05 in both tanks. Will do water changes tonight. These are the first readings since I've began dosing NeoNitro and AllForReef. For both using the minimum recommended doses. My Alk was trending low in both tanks. Nitrates seem to be doing pretty well. I may start dosing it only every other day? These numbers seem ok. But Calcium is now elevated in both tanks, with other readings seemingly ok.

40 Gallon

170 Gallon

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Are you doing any water changes during this time?

AFR adds a little excess calcium when dosing it to maintain alk.

 

[DmitryB]

I have not done a water change since I started dosing. And this explains the Calcium spike. What's a harmful Calcium level?

 

[Pod_01]

I have not done a water change since I started dosing. And this explains the Calcium spike. What's a harmful Calcium level?

How long have you been dosing AFR and how much do you dose?

The rise in calcium should be gradual, you seem to have gone from 390 on Aug26 to 570 today (week later)!!!

That may be testing error?

 

[DmitryB]

How long have you been dosing AFR and how much do you dose?

The rise in calcium should be gradual, you seem to have gone from 390 on Aug26 to 570 today (week later)!!!

That may be testing error?

My calculation (and math is NOT my strong subject) was dosing 7 ml for the 40 gallon and 39 ml for the 170 gallon. (With 170 I estimated the sump volume as well.)

 

[Pod_01]

My calculation (and math is NOT my strong subject) was dosing 7 ml for the 40 gallon and 39 ml for the 170 gallon. (With 170 I estimated the sump volume as well.)

If you are dosing AFR you should base your dose on Alk consumption. If Alk starts increasing reduce the dose, if Alk starts to drop increase the dose. If there is no Alk consumption you do not need to dose AFR…

From Tropic Marine calculator I get following for your 40 gal tank:

So 7mm will add 2 Calc and 0.28 Alk if dosed daily.
If there is no calcification taking place in 7 days your calc rises by 14 and Alk by 2dKH. I suspect none of the calcium test kits will accurately pick up 14ppm increase in Calcium.

If calcification is taking place your Calcium will slowly drift up over the year, but that is very gradual shift and water changes can maintain in at proper levels.

For example when I used AFR I dosed based on Alk and never measured calcium. Currently I am using B-ionic and once more I base my dose on Alk only. Once a year I may perform ICP test and if calcium is off I may do larger water change, so far it has been below 500.

Good luck,