General dosing question

[Reef.]

Last I tested was Monday. I will do a follow up test tomorrow to see if anything goes up. I’m using the API reef master kit and only dosing 2.5ml a day what the instructions says

I would say it’s all most definitely a testing error, at least on the alk, as 2 is around 10 times the increase you should have got, plus your tank will be using some alk too, so to see a 2 increase is a test error imo.

I only use Api for nitrate, not saying it’s no good for cal or alk but it’s definitely not a brand I hear people use a lot of for those tests.

I can recommend Salifert Or Aqua Forest for alk, for calcium salifert and mag Aqua Forest, the good thing about Aqua Forest test kits is they come with a reference solution so you test that, then you can see what colour you are looking for.

 

[TNOx16]

Okay I’ll look into those test kits thanks.

 

[Reef.]

Okay I’ll look into those test kits thanks.

Those tests I mention or very good, yours could be ok, it could be you testing incorrectly or the test kits?

Run some tests on your fresh salt mix, will give you an idea if the test is good, most salts will not test at the levels they have on the bucket, but they should be around the stated levels they say, so that should give you an idea how good your tests are, you may be able to at least use the tests you have and just replace them when they run out with different ones.

 

[Reef.]

You haven’t misread the test result, could it have been reading 0.2 and not 2?

 

[TNOx16]

My alk was 161.1 now it’s at 196.9

 

[Reef.]

Something is not right, you have either been adding too much AFR or you are testing incorrectly or your test kit is wrong. Or your salinity if off.

what salt do you use? Have you tested your fresh salt mix as I suggested?

 

[TNOx16]

No I don’t have any fresh salt mix right now I get my salt pre mixed from my LFS.

 

[Reef.]

Sounds to me you need to test a lot, you need to know what alk your salt is before you add it to your tank, what the cal and mag is, what the salinity is and keep an eye on all 3 in the tank, get your parameters where you want them before starting to dose, as said before dosing is really to replace what coral use, if your tank is unbalanced to start with or your water change water parameters are not known or fluctuate between changes then you are never going to get on top of the issue.

I can’t think of one reason how your tank has increased in alk naturally, as said before it’s either a testing error, or you have added to much AFR (AFR can take a few days to show the new alk level, so if it was going up and you kept adding it then it would go up too high) or your new salt water from the LFS was higher in alk than you thought, another way your alk could raise is if you don’t top up with rodi water to replace the evaporated water. Oh and salinity could be too high another reason for high alk.
Making your own water can cut out a lot of issues, if you buy water you need to trust the LFS and test!

Test and test some more!

 

[TNOx16]

Oh I’ll do that I was thinking of Red Sea salt is that a good salt that doesn’t take long to mix?

 

[TNOx16]

So coral pro salt mix Red Sea or tropic Marin pro reef salt

 

[Reef.]

Red Sea and Tropic Marin are both good salts, either one would be a good choice, TM has Lower alk, at around 7 Red Sea around 8.5 so pick the one that best suits the parameters you want to run and cost.
I have previously used both, TM mixes very easy and cleanly, Red Sea has a little brown crude that you will see on the bucket after mixing a few batches but is not an issue, most salts have it and some people even see it with TM, I moved to instant ocean because it’s half the price of TM, and I’m happy with it, I lower the alk in it to 7. So if cost is an issue consider IO.