Keeping stability.

[fsas89]

Hello all,
I am fairly new to keeping a reef tank and there are so many different things to read, videos to watch, info to soak in. It almost seems overwhelming at some points. That being said, I thought I had a pretty good handle on things, but I cant quite figure out my alk swings, seems it goes from 13-10.5 like within the week sometimes, my PH has always been a struggle as well. Currently my set up, I use a aqueon 75 HOB filter, along with a marineland magnum polishing internal canister (which I run carbon inside), and I use a aquaticlife internal mini skimmer all for my 36g tank. I have cut back on feeding, but try to do every other day frozen brine or mysis and reef roids 2 times a week, I also dose phyto 1-2 times a week in the water collum. Just used the red sea test kit and came up with these reading : Alk-13, Nitrate-2, Nitrite-0.02, Amonia-0, PH - 8, my calcium is usually over 500. phosphates - 0. I just added a phosguard package to my HOB filter, and started noticing some stringy dinos in some spots. This week I also started dosing a+b from kent for nano reefs, 9ml per day as according to the bottle. Sorry alot of info, but wanted to give a solid idea what im doing, and if I need to do anything different? Bottom line, my calcium is HIGH, my alk has swings along with my PH. what can I do to get these more stable? Thanks in advance for any help or pointers!

 

[Dennis Cartier]

If your phosphates are really 0, then you should remove the Phosguard. Having too little phosphate will often trigger dinos, which it sounds like you are getting.

Dennis

 

[homer1475]

Are you doing any water changes between these swings? And have you tested your fresh mix if you have?

 

[fsas89]

If your phosphates are really 0, then you should remove the Phosguard. Having too little phosphate will often trigger dinos, which it sounds like you are getting.

Dennis

So I just put the phosguard in because I was having a diatom issue and it is supposed to help get rid of silicates and it seems to have done the job, Dinos are seeming to go away too. I think because my nitrates are up?

 

[fsas89]

Are you doing any water changes between these swings? And have you tested your fresh mix if you have?

I have not tested the fresh water no. I just did a water change two days ago.

 

[fsas89]

I have not tested the fresh water no. I just did a water change two days ago.

I usually just do one every week

 

[homer1475]

If the water your using to do water changes is high in ALK, it will explain your swings.

Easiest solution is to switch to salt that better matches the parameters you want to keep.

 

[Pistondog]

Calcium and alk seem high, what salt are you using.
Why are you dosing the ab?

 

[fsas89]

If the water your using to do water changes is high in ALK, it will explain your swings.

Easiest solution is to switch to salt that better matches the parameters you want to keep.

I use instant ocean which says 11. Should I get kalkwaser for my ato? Does that not keep and stabilize both? And also my high calcium, can that cause issues?

 

[Pistondog]

I use instant ocean which says 11. Should I get kalkwaser for my ato? Does that not keep and stabilize both? And also my high calcium, can that cause issues?

No to kalkwass3r

 

[fsas89]

Calcium and alk seem high, what salt are you using.
Why are you dosing the ab?

Instant ocean which says 11 alk. Should I not be dosing a and b? I also have those blocks from sealab that give all essential minerals. Should I just use those instead of dosing?

 

[fsas89]

Instant ocean which says 11 alk. Should I not be dosing a and b? I also have those blocks from sealab that give all essential minerals. Should I just use those instead of dosing?

They are supposed to replenish and not overdose as it dissolves

 

[Pistondog]

You should only dose if your corals are using stuff and the alk,or calcium is low, which is not your case.

 

[fsas89]

You should only dose if your corals are using stuff and the alk,or calcium is low, which is not your case.

Ok so I should hold off maybe a week or so and see where levels are. Then kinda see how much was used and dose maybe 1-2 times a week accordingly? The bottle says to dose 9ml daily. Only reason I started doing it

 

[Dennis Cartier]

So I just put the phosguard in because I was having a diatom issue and it is supposed to help get rid of silicates and it seems to have done the job, Dinos are seeming to go away too. I think because my nitrates are up?

If your tank is young or new, you will get waves of things appearing and running their course and disappearing. This is natural until your tank reaches a balance. What you don't want to do is to tilt it in a direction that will give a leg up to things that can be difficult to deal with down the road. Like dinos. Those can be harmful to your tank where the diatoms are only an eyesore for the most part and will almost certainly run their course and fade away on their own.

There will be a time in the future when phosphate will need to be controlled (most likely), but best to let it be until that time arrives.

Dennis

 

[Pistondog]

Ok so I should hold off maybe a week or so and see where levels are. Then kinda see how much was used and dose maybe 1-2 times a week accordingly? The bottle says to dose 9ml daily. Only reason I started doing it

Hold off until alk or calcium drop.
Alk below 8 or 9
Calcium below 400

 

[fsas89]

Thank you for the help. I’ll let it all get eaten up and test my fresh water in the meantime to see if I’m adding anything in.

 

[fsas89]

If your tank is young or new, you will get waves of things appearing and running their course and disappearing. This is natural until your tank reaches a balance. What you don't want to do is to tilt it in a direction that will give a leg up to things that can be difficult to deal with down the road. Like dinos. Those can be harmful to your tank where the diatoms are only an eyesore for the most part and will almost certainly run their course and fade away on their own.

There will be a time in the future when phosphate will need to be controlled (most likely), but best to let it be until that time arrives.

Dennis

Those dang diatoms have been there forever so I was getting sick of it haha. I’ll take the phosguard out and see if I can get phos up a bit to try and get rid of the Dino before it’s an issue.