Water Chemistry Help?

[gnashty]

Bud - I do the same as you as far as BRS dosing and just switched from salinity to RC too. Only thing I have noticed is portions of my sandbed get clumpy.

 

[budsreef]

JeffH;631153 wrote: 900 mag seems low for any salt mix. If you using a bucket, is it possible the salt settled isn't uniformly mixed anymore?

I agree it seems way too low but from the symptoms I'm getting it makes sense. This is from a box, that comes in 4 bags. I dumped the bags into a bucket and use it from the bucket.

gnashty;631156 wrote: Bud - I do the same as you as far as BRS dosing and just switched from salinity to RC too. Only thing I have noticed is portions of my sandbed get clumpy.

Have you tested your water since you switched? Tank and newly mixed?

 

[jeffh]

Well, that rules out settling of the salt...

 

[gnashty]

Budsreef;631163 wrote: I agree it seems way too low but from the symptoms I'm getting it makes sense. This is from a box, that comes in 4 bags. I dumped the bags into a bucket and use it from the bucket.



Have you tested your water since you switched? Tank and newly mixed?

Not the water bucket but I really need to...and all levels read about the same as they were from the switch of salt but im only 1 bag in honestly. been struggling to keep mag up - always seems to come in around 1100. I started pouring a gallon of BRS Mag Solution into my 10 gal ATO when I fill it up and top it off with freshwater once a week or so to help dilute the Mag. it actually works very well and my Mag has been up around 1250 at last test.

My CA is reading in the high 300's but cant seem to get it up despite a 15 minute dosing per day. My alk hovers in the 3.5 range, havent been able to get it up to the 4 without crushing my PH

I dose my Alk by the hour - My doser runs for 3 minutes once per hour. The CA I used to but now I just run it 15 minutes a day in one shot.

 

[ralph atl]

Budsreef;631117 wrote: This morning I tested my week old saltwater and had Alkalinity 8, Calcium 370 and Magnesium 900. According to the BRS calculator, I need 1000ml of mag to bring it up to 1300. No wonder I started having this problem after going back to Reef Crystals.

FYI:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1714505">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1714505</a>

and here:

[IMG]http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1991986">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1991986</a>


I am switching to IO today. I mixed up 40 gallons of at 35, and I tested using Elos kits.

I got 410 calcium, 1250 mag, 9.5 alk
I added 6 oz of BRS Calcium & 11 Oz of mag. done.

 

[cr500_af]

mysterybox;631308 wrote:
I am switching to IO today. I mixed up 40 gallons of at 35, and I tested using Elos kits.

I got 410 calcium, 1250 mag, 9.5 alk
I added 6 oz of BRS Calcium & 11 Oz of mag. done.

Wow... amazing that their "non reef" formula has better CA numbers than the "reef" formula.

 

[budsreef]

I'm still getting a little calcium build up on the heaters, but no pumps have stopped in the last week and my GFO is still not caking up after a week so I think this is improving. I did a %15 water change yesterday and tested the water today-Calcium 350, Alkalinity 9 and Magnesium 1350.

So my calcium is down, alk is holding steady and magnesium is up which is expected since I cut back on calcium dosing and beefed up magnesium dosing. I'll slowly start increasing my calcium dosing once again.