Need some help here

[jetlink82]

I have had my 90G up and running for a year now. About 2 weeks ago I added my first few corals (Xenia and 4 descent size zoa frags). I am concerned about my water parameters being low:

Salinity is showing just above 1.024 on my hydrometer
KH is around 7.0
PH is 8.0
PO4 is undetectable
Nitrates are 5ppm

All tests are done using Salifert kits. I am most concerned about raising my Alk and PH and what the best way to do that is. I looked into the Baked baking soda and tried it. Problem is with my job I am gone for 3 or 4 days at a time so I can't monitor it every day, and byt the time I get back from my trip the levels are back down to where I started.

I am thinking I should get some sort of Alkalinity/PH buffer? Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Also, I am assuming that I should also be testing at the least, magnesium?

Edit: Also, I don't know if it makes a difference but I am using reef crystals salt and do roughly a 20% WC every 2-3 weeks.

 

[heathlindner25]

do you have an auto top off? so you can add alkalinity buffer to it.

 

[redstang]

Check your salt to make sure it isn't low by default. Don't worry too much about ph. It isn't worth chasing. There are multiple types of alk buffers you can get. I've used one of seachem's successfully over the last few months. Just be sure to raise it slowly. While it's good to know Mag, I would say at this point it's not critical given you just have softies. If you're going to test mag, might as well test cal too. Short term get a LFS to test your salinity to make sure your hydrometer is accurate. Long term get a refractometer and some calibration solution.

Heath's suggestion is a good one too!

 

[jetlink82]

heathlindner25;930255 wrote: do you have an auto top off? so you can add alkalinity buffer to it.

I do have an ATO, would this be my best bet to dose Alk buffer through the top off water? I refill the ATO bucket about once a week when the water level gets down to about 4 or 5 inches (just above the powerhead that delivers the water). I'm trying to figure out how much to dose without turning it into a guessing game. My top off water is in a Rubbermaid vat that is maybe 15 gallons or so.

I tested the calcium level and it was reading roughly 480 I think it was.....that was using an API test kit though.

 

[ringo®]

I wouldn't dose anything, I would just up your water change routine. Xenia and a few zoas aren't going to put strain on your parameters.

 

[jetlink82]

But will up-ing my water changes raise my KH? My understanding is that it wouldn't....maybe I'm wrong?

 

[ringo®]

If you're mixed water has a dKH higher than 7, yes.

 

[jetlink82]

When I mix my water I have just been checking the salinity level.

 

[redstang]

Worth checking your fresh salt mix. Mine was at 3.8dhk with a bad, or old, batch of salt.

 

[indecloudzua]

have you ever had your hydrometer checked?i took mine to a friends and used his refractometer and my hydrometer. the hydrometer was off by .005!!i had my water at over 1.030.

 

[jetlink82]

indecloudzua;930295 wrote: have you ever had your hydrometer checked?i took mine to a friends and used his refractometer and my hydrometer. the hydrometer was off by .005!!i had my water at over 1.030.

No I haven't, I am using an Aquarium Systems hydrometer and also have a coralife hydrometer. They always give different readings however, the AS will read 1.024 and the coralife will read in between .022 and .023. Maybe I should look into one of these refractometers...any recommendations on what brand or anything?

 

[mikesmith34]

Any of our sponsor stores I'm sure can hook you up. Check'em out

 

[jetlink82]

I will check it out when I get back in town. I think I need to go back to square one and get a new RO/DI system and do it right. Since I have had this tank up and running the past year I have been using a roughly 10 year old SpectraPure RO unit (no DI). This thing sat in my basement unused for about 8 years at least. I replaced the filter cartridge and carbon cartridge but did not change the membrane. My TDS readout is zero coming out of the unit but I have been thinking that I should just buy a whole new system from BRS and have the peace of mind. I don't think it could hurt.

 

[jbdreefs]

I use RC and, while not certain, my gut tells me that the alk is around 7 and the calcium is in the 420-430 range. I dont test my fresh salt water other than my salinity. I do however check all parameters in my tank regularly which is the basis for my gut feeling.

I dose kalkwasser through my ATO to maintain these levels. As noted previously, your corals aren't putting a huge strain on these patameters. How is your coraline growth? It too consumes these elements.

When dosing, follow the instructions on the bottle and start off on the "not enough" side of things. From there you can make adjustments over time to fine tune the dosing quantity.

 

[ringo®]

Alk should be around 12 when mixed at 1.025 with reef crystals if memory serves me correctly.

 

[jetlink82]

If it is around 12dkh at 1.025 I am wondering why mine is so low at 7ish considering I barely have any coral in there. Now I am wondering if my hydrometer is off and maybe a lot lower than I think the salinity level is. I am going to pick up a refractometer and start from there with a water change.

 

[joseayes]

For the population that you have in your system now I don't see why the parameters would change much since there is not much of critters that consume and requires that you aim for levels that your water changes will probably afford.

When I decided to invest on tools to test salinity, I always want it to get either a Milwaukee salinity monitor of a pinpoint one, I end up with the pinpoint one, that I actually not using now, but what I want it to say is that I would go on top of a hydrometer or the swing arm tester. You actually using Red Sea brand, as you mention, to test for the rest of elements, wich is a good thing, many persons consider on not to test or use cheap testers, but when the crashes comes we know why.

In the other thread that you post about your Reverse Osmosis unit, I would said that the system could have to had a good wash and a soak on Clorox, wich could be eliminating some of the residues left from the time being unused, I don't think that the material that is used on the canisters will probably leach some phosphates since the material that they use is antibacterial and phos free, ( that is what I heard! ) like any other container that we sometimes have use for our tanks and will positively leach phos over the time, not all containers are designed and built for some instances, and we end up looking for where our phosphates come from and we don't figure out.
Jmho.

Edit: Becareful with Xenia. Not the prince's. This one will take over

 

[jbdreefs]

Ringo®;930323 wrote: Alk should be around 12 when mixed at 1.025 with reef crystals if memory serves me correctly.

What measument unit? I think there are three different units often used if memory serves me right. I cant remember what unit I use, but the results will be the lesser of the three.

 

[ringo®]

dKH