@Jason Partridge we are glad you are in the hobby! Your OCD will be rewarded (when moderated with patience) later once your 425 has found some biological equilibrium. Going painfully SLOW is critical now and even after your tank has found its sea legs. I am glad many shared this sentiment with me.
I don't have even respectable speculation about your pH challenge, sorry. I have dealt with the opposite before, but never seen those lows in my tanks. Not to add to your worry about pH as I agree with the consensus you are hearing. Process that later. I test for it maybe every 6 months just for giggles.
Given the amount of WC you've been doing, I am surprised to see Ca and Mg at those (lowish) levels with ALK climbing. I can see why you are dosing Mg.
I use bulk ESV Ionic for two part (Calc and ALK), but BRS for Mg -- which I dose to my ATO water.
So, aside from your LFS salt water which tests OK, maybe the ALK rise is coming from the B Ionic Mg solution? That would be weird, but put your OCD to good use: Test ALK before/after dosing the B Ionic Mg so as to rule it in/out for adding ALK. No animals will be harmed in this test.
PO4 at .17ppm we can come back to later; it ain't bad for most and good for many.
Again, welcome to the reefer community.
I don't have even respectable speculation about your pH challenge, sorry. I have dealt with the opposite before, but never seen those lows in my tanks. Not to add to your worry about pH as I agree with the consensus you are hearing. Process that later. I test for it maybe every 6 months just for giggles.
Given the amount of WC you've been doing, I am surprised to see Ca and Mg at those (lowish) levels with ALK climbing. I can see why you are dosing Mg.
I use bulk ESV Ionic for two part (Calc and ALK), but BRS for Mg -- which I dose to my ATO water.
So, aside from your LFS salt water which tests OK, maybe the ALK rise is coming from the B Ionic Mg solution? That would be weird, but put your OCD to good use: Test ALK before/after dosing the B Ionic Mg so as to rule it in/out for adding ALK. No animals will be harmed in this test.
PO4 at .17ppm we can come back to later; it ain't bad for most and good for many.
Again, welcome to the reefer community.