Hi all- New to this board.
Out of respect for other's problems I am starting a new thread even though it probalby overlaps several others.
A little about my tank- 26g, 20lbs LR, 3" sandbed, 2 powerheads totaling about 450-550 gph of flow 2x24 t5 lights. Inhabitants- 2x Occelaris clowns, 1 peppermint shrimp, 3 hermit crabs, 2 nassarius snails, pulsing xenia, yellow polyps, 2 small zoa colonies, a mystery coral (very small) and a sponge.
My issue- 7.7-7.8 pH with alkalinity of about 8dkH. Problem was, using IO salt, doing a water change (about half the volume) the dkH would be "normal" then within 24 hrs drop 4 points. The pH would of course drop as well. No amount of surface agitation helped the situation appreciably.
Went to LFS- sent me home with some Kent superbuffer. Now, the hardness is up to 12-13 dkH and the pH is right around 8.
Current stats-
78 degrees, 0 nitrates, nitrites and ammonia.
phosphate is high- about .8
pH about 8
hardness 12.5 dkh
So.......should I drop the superbuffer in the trash? give it some time? add some limewater? and if I add lime water, what is the best way?
Sorry for the novel, thanks for any answers or guidance.
Greg
Out of respect for other's problems I am starting a new thread even though it probalby overlaps several others.
A little about my tank- 26g, 20lbs LR, 3" sandbed, 2 powerheads totaling about 450-550 gph of flow 2x24 t5 lights. Inhabitants- 2x Occelaris clowns, 1 peppermint shrimp, 3 hermit crabs, 2 nassarius snails, pulsing xenia, yellow polyps, 2 small zoa colonies, a mystery coral (very small) and a sponge.
My issue- 7.7-7.8 pH with alkalinity of about 8dkH. Problem was, using IO salt, doing a water change (about half the volume) the dkH would be "normal" then within 24 hrs drop 4 points. The pH would of course drop as well. No amount of surface agitation helped the situation appreciably.
Went to LFS- sent me home with some Kent superbuffer. Now, the hardness is up to 12-13 dkH and the pH is right around 8.
Current stats-
78 degrees, 0 nitrates, nitrites and ammonia.
phosphate is high- about .8
pH about 8
hardness 12.5 dkh
So.......should I drop the superbuffer in the trash? give it some time? add some limewater? and if I add lime water, what is the best way?
Sorry for the novel, thanks for any answers or guidance.
Greg