Water question help please?

[Srh444]

Hello,

I am trying to adjust my Alk, Cal and Mag.

My last Parameters were: (All Salifert test kits used)
SG 1.026
Temp 25
pH 8.2
Alk 15
Cal Too low (colour of solution in vial didn't change colour)
Mag 1500
Phos 0.03
Nitrate 10

My LFS RO water:

Alk 14.1
Cal Too low - as above
Mag Too high - colour in vial doesn't change

My LFS Saltwater:

Alk 15
Cal 490
Mag 1480

After each water change, I dose with Vibrant, Algae Managemet and Fuel. I have Dr Tim's gel in the tank which I change every 30 day.

I don't mix my water myself as I only have a 30g tank. If I bought distilled water, does anyone know if this water would have Alk 0, Cal 0 and Mag 0. I could then dose accordingly to get the correct or better parameters.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Steve

 

[bluemon]

Okay a couple things here.

Why is your LFS RO water's ALK 14.1? And on that front, (probably caused by the high ALK level in RO), why is the Saltwater of your LFS 15?

Is this something you tested yourself or something your LFS told you? If former, I would suggest that your test kit is off. You should cross check, as having undetectable Calcium with a ALK that high is very difficult.

On another note, what is up with that dosing regiment of Vibrant, Algae Management and Fuel?

For one, Algae management and Fuel pretty much cancels each other out... One instroduces Nitrates and Phosphates while the other actively gets rid of them? Same with the Gel.

And I would NOT continually does Vibrant.

Why are you dosing these with your nitrate being 10?

Just very weird and concerning practices I see here.

And Distilled water =/= RODI water. I would not use. These are pretty much just RO water, which means there are Ions of whatever undesirable metals (and others) in there as well

 

[hatteras hank]

what test kits are you using? Are you dosing currently? All parameters are pretty high on Lfs water and I don’t honk your mag would go up if cal is being used at that rate.

 

[Red_Beard]

Hello,

I am trying to adjust my Alk, Cal and Mag.

My last Parameters were: (All Salifert test kits used)
SG 1.026
Temp 25
pH 8.2
Alk 15
Cal Too low (colour of solution in vial didn't change colour)
Mag 1500
Phos 0.03
Nitrate 10

My LFS RO water:

Alk 14.1
Cal Too low - as above
Mag Too high - colour in vial doesn't change

My LFS Saltwater:

Alk 15
Cal 490
Mag 1480

After each water change, I dose with Vibrant, Algae Managemet and Fuel. I have Dr Tim's gel in the tank which I change every 30 day.

I don't mix my water myself as I only have a 30g tank. If I bought distilled water, does anyone know if this water would have Alk 0, Cal 0 and Mag 0. I could then dose accordingly to get the correct or better parameters.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Steve

If you bought distilled water, it would not have any sodium or anything else. If you want more control you could make your own salt water, alk at 15 is ridiculous. The other 2 are normalish though. Barring that, and overlooking any non alk cal mag dosing, water changes with normal value mag cal alk are going to be the best way to pull the high values back into range. You can dose any good 2 part alk, cal, or mag to get the others back up though. There should be either a calculator formula on the bottle, or a web site for which ever you have.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Vibrant means the Underwater Creations product? That’s a chemical damage use that I strongly advise against. The company is horrible. If you really want to use that product, get it from Algaefix that does not lie to users.

 

[get-salty]

so many things going on here and i think the most obvious one is your dosing - Vibrant, Algae Management, and Fuel (?)

Realistically, lets start with what is going on with your tank currently ?

 

[Srh444]

Okay a couple things here.

Why is your LFS RO water's ALK 14.1? And on that front, (probably caused by the high ALK level in RO), why is the Saltwater of your LFS 15?

Is this something you tested yourself or something your LFS told you? If former, I would suggest that your test kit is off. You should cross check, as having undetectable Calcium with a ALK that high is very difficult.

On another note, what is up with that dosing regiment of Vibrant, Algae Management and Fuel?

For one, Algae management and Fuel pretty much cancels each other out... One instroduces Nitrates and Phosphates while the other actively gets rid of them? Same with the Gel.

And I would NOT continually does Vibrant.

Why are you dosing these with your nitrate being 10?

Just very weird and concerning practices I see here.

And Distilled water =/= RODI water. I would not use. These are pretty much just RO water, which means there are Ions of whatever undesirable metals (and others) in there as well

Thanks for your reply.

I have personally tested the LFS RO and Saltwater myself using Salifert test kits and the expiry dates are fine.

My dosing is probably off as you say but I had a problem with Algae which has got better although I have noticed some BBA recently. Maybe I should stop the Fuel and Dr Tim's and just continue with the Algae Management - would that be a good idea?

Also stop dosing the vibrant may help - would that be a good idea also?

Again, are these ideas any good?

Thanks, Steve

 

[Srh444]

what test kits are you using? Are you dosing currently? All parameters are pretty high on Lfs water and I don’t honk your mag would go up if cal is being used at that rate.

The test kits used are Salifert and they are all in date.

Yes I dose with Vibrant, Algae Managemet and Fuel. Also Dr Tim's gel. All I think are probably overload. I had an algae problem a while back but that has improved. However, I have a little BBA problem that has started recently.

 

[FishLvR]

Vibrant means the Underwater Creations product? That’s a chemical damage use that I strongly advise against. The company is horrible. If you really want to use that product, get it from Algaefix that does not lie to users.

How is it you can say it no problems, but I say it 15 years ago and get a cease and desist letter?

Anyway, about Algae fix, does it really kill shrimps or can I pour that crap in there like I own stock in their company? I ask because that crap legit works, and well, with good husbandry. However I have always been leery about using it with shrimp.

 

[Srh444]

How is it you can say it no problems, but I say it 15 years ago and get a cease and desist letter?

Anyway, about Algae fix, does it really kill shrimps or can I pour that crap in there like I own stock in their company? I ask because that crap legit works, and well, with good husbandry. However I have always been leery about using it with shrimp.

I have absolutely no idea what you are on about?????

 

[FishLvR]

I have absolutely no idea what you are on about?????

Probably because I was replaying to Randy not you. But I once blasted Underwater Creations because they are a horrid company, and got a letter from their lawyer. I think it was almost 15 years ago now. I am going to assume Randy get's a pass because of his presence in the hobby. Since Randy mentioned Algae Fix, I would ask his opinion on it's safety with scrimps. Hope that helps!

 

[Srh444]

Probably because I was replaying to Randy not you. But I once blasted Underwater Creations because they are a horrid company, and got a letter from their lawyer. I think it was almost 15 years ago now. I am going to assume Randy get's a pass because of his presence in the hobby. Since Randy mentioned Algae Fix, I would ask his opinion on it's safety with scrimps. Hope that helps!

Sorry it doesn't help as you are replying to someone else with an entirely different question to the one that I have asked!!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Probably because I was replaying to Randy not you. But I once blasted Underwater Creations because they are a horrid company, and got a letter from their lawyer. I think it was almost 15 years ago now. I am going to assume Randy get's a pass because of his presence in the hobby. Since Randy mentioned Algae Fix, I would ask his opinion on it's safety with scrimps. Hope that helps!

Strange questions. I said they were horrible for lying to reefers. Are you aware of the public EPA actions against them, forcing them to admit it is a pesticide, and to change the label?

 

[Srh444]

so many things going on here and i think the most obvious one is your dosing - Vibrant, Algae Management, and Fuel (?)

Realistically, lets start with what is going on with your tank currently ?

I think it would be better if I stopped adding Vibrant and also to remove Dr Tim's gel as the Algae Managemet is doing the same job effectively. I have some corals, mostly zoas - I have been adding Fuel as food for them. Would you suggest stopping this too?

Any advice would be really helpful.

Thanks, Steve

 

[Red_Beard]

I think it would be better if I stopped adding Vibrant and also to remove Dr Tim's gel as the Algae Managemet is doing the same job effectively. I have some corals, mostly zoas - I have been adding Fuel as food for them. Would you suggest stopping this too?

Any advice would be really helpful.

Thanks, Steve

You can stop with fuel too and algae management. Zoas dont relly need to be fed and with a young tank all that extra stuff is not doing you any favors long term. Algae is going to grow, you need more mouths that eat it as it does. Turbo, astraea, trochus, cerith snails and some grazing fish too. A 30 is plenty big for an algae blenny.

 

[FishLvR]

Strange questions. I said they were horrible for lying to reefers. Are you aware of the public EPA actions against them, forcing them to admit it is a pesticide, and to change the label?

I was back then but thought they changed their formula? They crashed a bunch of tanks back in the day and I made a youtube video about it. That I had to remove.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was back then but thought they changed their formula? They crashed a bunch of tanks back in the day and I made a youtube video about it. That I had to remove.

I cannot speak to events I’m not familiar with. But the EPA forced the label changed from bacteria to known herbicide, just exactly as was proven by folks at reef2reef with sophisticated analytical testing.

 

[Srh444]

You can stop with fuel too and algae management. Zoas dont relly need to be fed and with a young tank all that extra stuff is not doing you any favors long term. Algae is going to grow, you need more mouths that eat it as it does. Turbo, astraea, trochus, cerith snails and some grazing fish too. A 30 is plenty big for an algae blenny.

I feel that I need something as if I don't then I run the risk of BBA GHA plus other things. I've just done a water change today and dosed with Algae Management and nothing else. The tank is three years old so not new. Buy yes I do need more CUC. The only thing I had was a hermit crab and sadly that has just died. I've had this since I started reefing. I'm not that successful with CUC, I've had nassarius snails, trochus, emerald crab, cowries, plus others, all have ended up getting eaten or they die?

Thanks in advance, Steve

 

[BryanM]

My LFS RO water:

Alk 14.1
Cal Too low - as above
Mag Too high - colour in vial doesn't change

None of these, I believe, should be measurably present in RODI water.

Aside from ceasing to use Vibrant, I would strongly re-take a look at your entire water process. Most notably, if you are not running your own RODI system, it is my opinion that you should be.

You have to take control over your water.

 

[Red_Beard]

I feel that I need something as if I don't then I run the risk of BBA GHA plus other things. I've just done a water change today and dosed with Algae Management and nothing else. The tank is three years old so not new. Buy yes I do need more CUC. The only thing I had was a hermit crab and sadly that has just died. I've had this since I started reefing. I'm not that successful with CUC, I've had nassarius snails, trochus, emerald crab, cowries, plus others, all have ended up getting eaten or they die?

Thanks in advance, Steve

They will eventually all die, i think i usually get 2-3 years out of them though. I do think that some of the algaecides can be toxic to them, so that may be something you need to look into before stocking back up, as well as making sure there is something there for them to eat. I have also seen issues with high magnesium levels and snails, mine spiked to 1700's and they were not happy. keep it under 1500 and they are fine though. What do you have in your tank that is eating them?
@BryanM is right though, control over your source water is pretty important. It really isn't too hard to do either, just need an RO/DI filter and a bucket at a minimum, if that is something possible for you i would definitely entertain thinking about it. What all do you have in your tank, can you post up a full picture?