Low alkalinity - help!

[sahasrav]

Hello! I have a 30g tank, about 4 years old, with soft corals, a couple of clownfish and a goby. Have never been able to keep any LPS corals or zoas. The soft corals like Kenya tree, leathers seem to be doing ok. Mushrooms arent thriving. Decided to check alkalinity, Ca, Mg today with the Salifert kit and got 5.0, 470 ppm and 1170 ppm. Planning to do a water change tomorrow (about 3 weeks after the last one). Could you please advise on best way to get the dKH up? I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Syntax1235]

I would retest the alk. I’m not sure 5.0 is possible?

#RandyHolmes

 

[Garf]

Hello! I have a 30g tank, about 4 years old, with soft corals, a couple of clownfish and a goby. Have never been able to keep any LPS corals or zoas. The soft corals like Kenya tree, leathers seem to be doing ok. Mushrooms arent thriving. Decided to check alkalinity, Ca, Mg today with the Salifert kit and got 5.0, 470 ppm and 1170 ppm. Planning to do a water change tomorrow (about 3 weeks after the last one). Could you please advise on best way to get the dKH up? I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. Thanks in advance for your help.

Welcome. It’s amazing how many folks get the simple things wrong, like salinity.

 

[sahasrav]

I would retest the alk. I’m not sure 5.0 is possible?

#RandyHolmes

I checked the alk with the Salifert kit and with strips. Both indicated 4.5 to 5 dKH.

 

[sahasrav]

Welcome. It’s amazing how many folks get the simple things wrong, like salinity.

Thanks! I rechecked salinity - it’s at 1.022.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Hello! I have a 30g tank, about 4 years old, with soft corals, a couple of clownfish and a goby. Have never been able to keep any LPS corals or zoas. The soft corals like Kenya tree, leathers seem to be doing ok. Mushrooms arent thriving. Decided to check alkalinity, Ca, Mg today with the Salifert kit and got 5.0, 470 ppm and 1170 ppm. Planning to do a water change tomorrow (about 3 weeks after the last one). Could you please advise on best way to get the dKH up? I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. Thanks in advance for your help.

IORC mixes to 9-11 dKh, so if you're doing any regular water changes I can't imagine your tank alk is 5.0.

 

[Garf]

Thanks! I rechecked salinity - it’s at 1.022.

Salinity is summit loads of folks get wrong, even experienced ones. It has a massive impact. @Randy Holmes-Farley has probably got loads about it.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

IORC mixes to 9-11 dKh, so if you're doing any regular water changes I can't imagine your tank alk is 5.0.

Edit: if you're doing WC's at anywhere near desired salinity...

 

[CoralB]

4 years and you just decided to check parameters ??? . That can’t be right ? ,anyways if you test alk and you test it from reliable tests and if your reading it correct then I would suggest to start dosing alk . Bring it up slowly over a week or so . I would also suggest a program of testing on a regular basis .

 

[sahasrav]

Edit: if you're doing WC's at anywhere near desired salinity...

I check salinity at each water charge. Perhaps I should be doing water changes more frequently?

 

[CoralB]

I checked the alk with the Salifert kit and with strips. Both indicated 4.5 to 5 dKH.

Suggest testing with Hanna or take a sample to a lfs that uses a better or different tester

 

[sahasrav]

4 years and you just decided to check parameters ??? . That can’t be right ? ,anyways if you test alk and you test it from reliable tests and if your reading it correct then I would suggest to start dosing alk . Bring it up slowly over a week or so . I would also suggest a program of testing on a regular basis .

Unfortunately yes - didn't really think of testing all the parameters as the softies were doing ok. Any suggestion for best method for dosing alk? Thank you!

 

[CoralB]

Unfortunately yes - didn't really think of testing all the parameters as the softies were doing ok. Any suggestion for best method for dosing alk? Thank you!

Manually for now until you figure out how much your tank uptakes and in what time frame . Then after you get a baseline you can get a doser if you don’t already have one and set it up . You will have to tweak it periodically as to how your test results show . You have to test your parameters way more frequently, at least weekly / biweekly to know where your at with each and to adjust accordingly. Keeping parameters steady and with in safe guidelines is where success starts . As far as water changes go I personally do them weekly but others have their own routine . If you change that schedule just make Sure you keep the schedule at the same time and amount or you will have to make changes to your dosing . 1.022 for salinity is a little low in my book , read the label of your salt and see what they recommend for the parameters your shooting for .

 

[sahasrav]

Manually for now until you figure out how much your tank uptakes and in what time frame . Then after you get a baseline you can get a doser if you don’t already have one and set it up . You will have to tweak it periodically as to how your test results show . You have to test your parameters way more frequently, at least weekly / biweekly to know where your at with each and to adjust accordingly. Keeping parameters steady and with in safe guidelines is where success starts . As far as water changes go I personally do them weekly but others have their own routine . If you change that schedule just make Sure you keep the schedule at the same time and amount or you will have to make changes to your dosing . 1.022 for salinity is a little low in my book , read the label of your salt and see what they recommend for the parameters your shooting for .

Thanks - that’s very helpful. i was shooting for 1.022 salinity based on the advice of my LFS but will try for a little higher. And will also test weekly and adjust.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Have you tried the alk kits on some new salt water?

 

[sahasrav]

/ L l

Have you tried the alk kits on some new salt water?

Not yet. will do that next.

 

[sahasrav]

Have you tried the alk kits on some new salt water?

With newly mixed salt water (Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, dKH is 10.7, salinity is 1.025.

 

[Troylee]

With newly mixed salt water (Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, dKH is 10.7, salinity is 1.025.

That’s sounds right… reef crystals is high in alk… I’m having to change salts to bring mine down a bit..

 

[homer1475]

That’s sounds right… reef crystals is high in alk… I’m having to change salts to bring mine down a bit..

Did you know you can add a mineral acid(such as muriatic) to bring ALK down in ANY salt mix?

I use regular old purple box IO and bring my alk down to 7 on every batch.

 

[Troylee]

Did you know you can add a mineral acid(such as muriatic) to bring ALK down in ANY salt mix?

I use regular old purple box IO and bring my alk down to 7 on every batch.

Yes I do.. I just got some regular io myself and still might need to do that.. I’m hovering close to 12 dkh which is fine I have high nutrients but I’m trying to bring those down so my alk is only gonna get higher..