LOW CARBONATE HARDNESS

[Simon_Goffen]

Hi Guys,

I am currently having issue with my carbonate hardness. Its 6 dkh...my tank is almost a year old and am dealing with this from day 1...i was using Red sea reef salt..later switched to IO reef crystals to help keep my alkalinity higher, but unfortunately that didn't help out.

TANK - 50gallon
Nitrate - around 0
Phosphate - around 0
Calcium - 380 to 400 ppm
Magnesium - Not tested
Salinity - 1.026

I only have LPS now, which are doing good..only my torch coral doesn't extend full ...is 6 dkh a normal range. Why even after switching to IO reef crystal i have low alkalinity..I am curious to learn more about it..is there anything i should take into consideration.

 

[Spare time]

Red sea salt and instant ocean have the same alk. Both should mix around 9 KH. Use an alkalinity additive to raise you alk (no more than a point a day just to be safe, and preferably spreading the dose out so you dose something like 0.5 at a time).

If you want a higher alk salt, such as red sea coral pro or reef crystals, you will need to slowly raise your levels to match the salt's alk.

 

[r20crazy]

whats the dkh of your rodi water b4 you add salt? (ASSume you are testing the newly mixed sw b4 it goes in tank and getting 6dkh?) if not whats it testing at? if thats tank reading you need to do larger or more frequent waterchanges or consider kalkwasser in your ato.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It is normal to expect to need to dose alkalinity in a reef aquarium.

 

[Simon_Goffen]

Red sea salt and instant ocean have the same alk. Both should mix around 9 KH. Use an alkalinity additive to raise you alk (no more than a point a day just to be safe, and preferably spreading the dose out so you dose something like 0.5 at a time).

If you want a higher alk salt, such as red sea coral pro or reef crystals, you will need to slowly raise your levels to match the salt's

whats the dkh of your rodi water b4 you add salt? (ASSume you are testing the newly mixed sw b4 it goes in tank and getting 6dkh?) if not whats it testing at? if thats tank reading you need to do larger or more frequent waterchanges or consider kalkwasser in your ato.

Thanks for your help. I haven't checked dkh of newly mixed salt. I will do it next time during my water change.