Current parameters a week after a huge mistake

[EuphylliaAddict]

So a little over a week ago I did some crazy sh* to my reef that I can't even believe I did but I'm glad to say that my parameters are semi back in range.

I added like 2 lbs of baking soda mixed in ro/di by accident I was trying to raise ph after carbon dosing with vinegar because my ph shot below 7.9 from 8.3 because I had like a shot left in my bottle and was like eh f it right.... Yeah I guess it stripped out my buffer at the time and shot my ph way down, so I added the baking soda I had already mixed up in a bottle, but this time I had it on a dripper, and let's say I fell asleep and woke up with the whole bottle dosed.... Anyway I checked alkalinity the moment I realized (surprisingly the coral didn't show any signs of this happening) anyway ALKALINITY was 20.0 and flashing on my Hanna checker. So I did 4 water changes and have been dosing vinegar hardcore this past week and now my parameters are as followed:


Alk: 11.2dkh
Calc: 400ppm
Mag: 1440ppm
Po4: 0.11ppm
No3: <5ppm
Salinity: 1.026
Ph: 8.62

I lost a few fish but only the coral that was already doing bad ended up dying so far... Anyway should I just let the levels come down or should I dose calcium and magnesium like I was planning on doing? Any input would help, I'm trying for these levels... 9.5 dkh, 450 calcium, and around 1500 mag, also ph around 8.3.... thanks for any help.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I would watch calcium and be prepared to dose that. as for mag it will probably be fine for a bit

 

[EuphylliaAddict]

I would watch calcium and be prepared to dose that. as for mag it will probably be fine for a bit

So I have been dosing calcium it was around 320 for a few days, I ended up dosing 2 entire bottles of calcium stuff from fluval (all that petco had) I also stopped running my calcium reactor until I get to 9.5 dkh.... I'm watching all drop around the normal rate now (1.5 dkh) a day... I kind of let my tank go for the past 2 months and I was trying to make everything happy ya know... I'll try to update if parameters come back to preferred elevated levels, I also thought about going high all but my ph won't come down from 8.6+ idk if that's bad or not. My expert pretty much has me as the only person he ever knew that had a 20.0 dkh and I'm not very proud of it, somehow the only coral struggling is this purple monticap that I really wish I didn't get as big as it did anyway. Anyway I'm curious as to just turning the co2 back on and going with 7.0ph in reactor (0.2dhk or so) until I need to add the co2 fully to keep up with uptake. Also 7.0 ph in the reactor is going to lower my ph in the display overtime.

 

[brandon429]

The lighting should be dropped in intensity here for sure. Re ramped after fixed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You are doing vinegar for the pH? it is not helping with the alkalinity. I'd definitely stop dosing vinegar.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I also thought about going high all but my ph won't come down from 8.6+ idk if that's bad or not. My expert pretty much has me as the only person he ever knew that had a 20.0 dkh and I'm not very proud of it,

Plenty of folks have dosed more than that.

 

[EuphylliaAddict]

Plenty of folks have dosed more than that.

Thanks for help I will check today for parameters, I shut off calcium reactor for time being, I'll probably get it back on this week at 7.0ph in reactor until I see my levels balance back to around 9.5dkh. I'm just glad my acropora isnt STN or RTN.

 

[EuphylliaAddict]

You are doing vinegar for the pH? it is not helping with the alkalinity. I'd definitely stop dosing vinegar.

Today's parameters seem better right around lights out. Any input would be appreciated Mr. Farley. Thank you so much.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As I mentioned in the other thread, I'd boost nitrate a bit. Otherwise it seems fine.