I have Alkalinity problem

[memorc27]

I don’t think no your all is THAT low. I would consider changing your Salt. One that could have more ALK to it maybe ? Are you currently dosing all at all ?

 

[TAC]

I don’t think no your all is THAT low. I would consider changing your Salt. One that could have more ALK to it maybe ? Are you currently dosing all at all ?

I am getting water ready from local shop. I dont mix my own salt. And I do use apex for dosing

 

[Fish Fan]

I need to raise alkalinity to 8.3/8.2 at least. I did %20 water change and its still 7.2. I was trying to mix half gallon saltwater with 5 grams of reef buffer with wave maker. But its not getting mixed. 3 corals already died. Any suggestions

I'm sorry you're having some trouble with your corals. I agree with others above that 7.2 is not a low alkalinity, and I don't think this caused your coral death.

I believe that with coral issues you should look at three big things, in no particular order: lighting, flow, and water parameters. Can you give us some more information about your tank that I think will help R2R better help you, such as:

How old is this tank?
What do you have for lighting?
What do you have for flow?
Can you post a picture of your tank?
Do you know your other water parameters, particularly nitrate and phosphate?
Do you know what the salinity of your tank is?
What kind of corals do you have that are dying, and are any of your corals doing well?

I am getting water ready from local shop. I dont mix my own salt. And I do use apex for dosing

Buying water from your local store is fine, but you should always check it with a refractometer to ensure it's at the right salinity. Don't just assume that the water is fine because it came from a reputable store.

As RHF mentioned above, you can use baking soda to raise alk. And I agree with others who suggested choosing a salt mix that has an alkalinity where you want the tank to run, and then you simply have to maintain alk.

Last, if you're keeping soft corals they are less affected by low levels of Alk, Calc, and Mag than their stoney coral cousins because soft corals do not have to build a calcium carbonate skeleton.

I hope this helps!

 

[TAC]

I'm sorry you're having some trouble with your corals. I agree with others above that 7.2 is not a low alkalinity, and I don't think this caused your coral death.

I believe that with coral issues you should look at three big things, in no particular order: lighting, flow, and water parameters. Can you give us some more information about your tank that I think will help R2R better help you, such as:

How old is this tank?
What do you have for lighting?
What do you have for flow?
Can you post a picture of your tank?
Do you know your other water parameters, particularly nitrate and phosphate?
Do you know what the salinity of your tank is?
What kind of corals do you have that are dying, and are any of your corals doing well?


Buying water from your local store is fine, but you should always check it with a refractometer to ensure it's at the right salinity. Don't just assume that the water is fine because it came from a reputable store.

As RHF mentioned above, you can use baking soda to raise alk. And I agree with others who suggested choosing a salt mix that has an alkalinity where you want the tank to run, and then you simply have to maintain alk.

Last, if you're keeping soft corals they are less affected by low levels of Alk, Calc, and Mag than their stoney coral cousins because soft corals do not have to build a calcium carbonate skeleton.

I hope this helps!

I do have innovative marine 25 gallon aio tank. I do use hydra 26 and running signature schedule. I recently took sample of water from my tank to local store and recently shared it in the post. I will add some pictures of my tank. So far I lost all of green candy cane. One head of octospawn and head of torch as well. I also have some gsp thats been glued in back panel for month which they are not opening at all. My tank is 2 months old in new place. It was moved from old place which was running over 3 years

 

[Fishy888]

I'm sorry you're having some trouble with your corals. I agree with others above that 7.2 is not a low alkalinity, and I don't think this caused your coral death.

I believe that with coral issues you should look at three big things, in no particular order: lighting, flow, and water parameters. Can you give us some more information about your tank that I think will help R2R better help you, such as:

How old is this tank?
What do you have for lighting?
What do you have for flow?
Can you post a picture of your tank?
Do you know your other water parameters, particularly nitrate and phosphate?
Do you know what the salinity of your tank is?
What kind of corals do you have that are dying, and are any of your corals doing well?


Buying water from your local store is fine, but you should always check it with a refractometer to ensure it's at the right salinity. Don't just assume that the water is fine because it came from a reputable store.

As RHF mentioned above, you can use baking soda to raise alk. And I agree with others who suggested choosing a salt mix that has an alkalinity where you want the tank to run, and then you simply have to maintain alk.

Last, if you're keeping soft corals they are less affected by low levels of Alk, Calc, and Mag than their stoney coral cousins because soft corals do not have to build a calcium carbonate skeleton.

I hope this helps!

The problem with buying water from the LFS is that they almost always use RODI water that has a non-zero TDS. When they use it to make ASW it throws everything out of balance.

 

[Fish Fan]

The problem with buying water from the LFS is that they almost always use RODI water that has a non-zero TDS. When they use it to make ASW it throws everything out of balance.

Thank you for your reply and for sharing your experience. As I mentioned, you should always double check saltwater and well as freshwater you get from the LFS; you should never blindly trust it.

I'm not sure that your experience would apply to every LFS everywhere as a lot of members buy water from their LFS.

I'm also not sure what you mean by "throws everything out of balance". This would depend on what is actually in the RODI water if it's a non zero TDS. Often, when RODI is first produced it's a 0 TDS, but in storage it reacts with things in the air and even in the storage container. It can often go up a few points, which isn't a concern at all, it's still perfectly fine to use.

All that said, I would personally suggest owning your own RODI filter and making your own freshwater and saltwater so you can be in control of the process and product.

 

[Fish Fan]

I do have innovative marine 25 gallon aio tank. I do use hydra 26 and running signature schedule. I recently took sample of water from my tank to local store and recently shared it in the post. I will add some pictures of my tank. So far I lost all of green candy cane. One head of octospawn and head of torch as well. I also have some gsp thats been glued in back panel for month which they are not opening at all. My tank is 2 months old in new place. It was moved from old place which was running over 3 years

I can't see the video, but your tank look good!

I went back through this thread, and I'm not seeing where you posted you water parameters, particularly nitrate and phosphate, but maybe I missed it? Your lighting is quite capable, as well as your flow pump. Maybe something was disturbed in the move?

 

[Fishy888]

Thank you for your reply and for sharing your experience. As I mentioned, you should always double check saltwater and well as freshwater you get from the LFS; you should never blindly trust it.

I'm not sure that your experience would apply to every LFS everywhere as a lot of members buy water from their LFS.

I'm also not sure what you mean by "throws everything out of balance". This would depend on what is actually in the RODI water if it's a non zero TDS. Often, when RODI is first produced it's a 0 TDS, but in storage it reacts with things in the air and even in the storage container. It can often go up a few points, which isn't a concern at all, it's still perfectly fine to use.

All that said, I would personally suggest owning your own RODI filter and making your own freshwater and saltwater so you can be in control of the process and product.

You're right about the potential for storage containers and things in the air potentially altering the TDS. That wouldn't worry me so much. What worries me are the places that run on copper pipes and in big cities where the TDS of their tap water is much higher than the average and LFSs where they wait until TDS is 5 or even 10 parts per million before they change the DI resin. It wouldn't be the first time.

I realize it's not every LFS that lets their water get that bad but there are many that do. Even if only 1 in 10 or even 1 in 50 let their water get higher in TDS before it even gets into the storage containers then it really pays to make sure you test the water.

The water even at the same LFS could be really good for a while but then you get a batch that's got a high TDS. If it happens say, twice a year, it won't hurt and depending on the tap water source might even be beneficial. More than that you risk introducing heavy metals into your system. When you're relying on their RODI for topping off as well, now there's even more of a risk due to the amount you're adding.

In most cases making your own RODI and using it to create ASW is the best way to go and the least expensive as well.

Then again I do tend to be a bit paranoid when it comes to the risk of heavy metal poisoning in my system.