Alkalinity drop in 3 days?

[ethankap]

Wednesday I tested my tank and it was at around 8dkh (using Red Sea's kit, which is 1dkh accurate).

It's a 45 gallon tank, about a month old. I added a Goby and torch yesterday, did a water change today. The alkalinity is now 7dkh.

My LFS said its too early to need to dose or test calcium or mag. Should I worry about this drop? I'm not dosing anything at the moment.

Nitrates are at 2.5ppm after the water change today. Phosphates at 0.0. PH 8.2

 

[jda]

It could be a testing error, but if it continues to move downward, then you need to account for it.

 

[ethankap]

I should also note the Hanna test is showing phosphates at 0 but I have some good algae growth and everything seems healthy.

 

[jda]

You can have phosphates test at zero and have algae - the algae is using them up. Aragonite will bind phosphate too. Don't see a zero phosphate reading and think that you neither have any nor need to do water changes.

 

[ethankap]

You can have phosphates test at zero and have algae - the algae is using them up. Aragonite will bind phosphate too. Don't see a zero phosphate reading and think that you neither have any nor need to do water changes.

I don’t. I do a 10% water change like clockwork every Saturday and clean the filter sponge. I usually stir up the substrate a bit before hand as advised.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Just monitor alkalinity (it is the canary in the coal mine for needing dosing) and if it drops any more, look to dose calcium and alkalinity, such as with a two part system.

 

[ethankap]

Just monitor alkalinity (it is the canary in the coal mine for needing dosing) and if it drops any more, look to dose calcium and alkalinity, such as with a two part system.

Thanks. Will monitor. Any advice on which two parter is good? Seachem? Or Red Sea's foundation A and B?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks. Will monitor. Any advice on which two parter is good? Seachem? Or Red Sea's foundation A and B?

I'd personally use a DIY (say, from BRS or other supplier of materials) or if you want to use a commercial one, I'd use ESV B-ionic or a different company that you trust.

For commercial two part systems, there's no independent data available on what exactly is in any them, aside from manufacturer claims of various sorts. So it all boils down to who do you trust. If there is a company you trust, I'd go with that company's two part.

 

[ethankap]

Update:

I bought the Hana calcium and alkalinity test.

Calcium is at 465ppm and alkalinity is at 7.9dkh. Nitrates (mid-week, water changes are on Sundays) is at 2.5ppm

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Those values are all good.

Are you dosing now?

 

[ethankap]

Those values are all good.

Are you dosing now?

I haven't started. Since calcium is rather high, I could dose in small amounts to get alkalinity up to 8.5 I guess?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I haven't started. Since calcium is rather high, I could dose in small amounts to get alkalinity up to 8.5 I guess?

If you want alkalinity at 8.5 dKH, it's fine to boost it. Anything between 7 and 11 dKH is fine, IMO.