Need a little advice.

[risin]

I've been reading around trying to figure out what course of action to take, but I can't quite figure it out. Here are my perameters:

Alk=12dkh
Calc=360-380
PH=8.4(night)-8.7(day)
Temp= 79-80 (always)
Mg=1500
toxins = 0.0

I use a 2 part solution (about 2-3 mL of the Alk per night and about 2-3 mL of the calc 2x a week) from Natureef and started using kalk because I wanted to add calcium without adding Magnesium which is a touch high, around 1500 last time I checked.

So, what I want to do is lower my PH, raise my Calcium, and hold my Alk... what do you recommend?

Also, is 8.7 PH "safe"? I know it's not optimal, but everything in my tank looks fantastic (I posted cause I want to increase coral growth). If 8.7 should be deadly or something then my PH probe needs to be calibrated.

 

[DonW]

8.7 is unlikely unless the kalk is bringing it up. Use the calculator to dose just ca to bring it up where you want it. The Mg will fall slowly on its own. What salt are you using?

Don

 

[risin]

Well, the liquid drop test shows pretty high as well, but you can never tell with those things. I guess I should pick up some calibration liquid.

When you say just ca, do you mean use kalk? the calcium part of my 2 part solution contains Mg as the secondary element.

I am using IO salt. I have tested my freshly mixed salt water and it tests really good. ca400/8.3PH/11dkh...

Thanks for the input.

 

[DonW]

Well, the liquid drop test shows pretty high as well, but you can never tell with those things. I guess I should pick up some calibration liquid.

When you say just ca, do you mean use kalk? the calcium part of my 2 part solution contains Mg as the secondary element.

I am using IO salt. I have tested my freshly mixed salt water and it tests really good. ca400/8.3PH/11dkh...

Thanks for the input.

Dose calcium chloride to bring ca up. How did your mg get so high?

Don

 

[risin]

The only Mg I put in the tank is what is in the 2 part solution.

 

[DonW]

The only Mg I put in the tank is what is in the 2 part solution.

I would question the test kit. It takes alot of mg supplimenting to get it up that high. IO is low in mg so its not the salt. You can let it fall naturaly or just do some water changes with IO and it will come down.

Don

 

[Boomer]

Who's test kits are you using ? And what on earth is this

toxins = 0.0 there is no such thing or do you mean Ammonia and Nitrite, I guess ?

I'm 99 % sure you have testing errors on pH and Mg++

 

[risin]

yeah, I said toxins instead of ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, phosphates... was in a bit of a rush. I'll pick up some calibration fluid for my PH probe. Also, I looked back at my test kit and my mg is around 1350-1400.

 

[returnofsid]

Risin, at the bottom of my response, you'll find links to a great DIY Alk, Ca and Mg supplement page. There's also a link to a Chemistry Calculator to use which will help you figure out the proper amounts to dose. Other than that, keep Don and Boomer in the loop. The 2 of them will have your tank balanced in no time!! They sure have helped me with mine!!! You never did answer what kind of test kits you're using. I agree that your Ph and Mg numbers do seem pretty unlikely.

 

[risin]

I have an ACIII for PH monitoring, but I didn't calibrate the probe, I just asumed it was calibrated. I'll find out in a few days when I get my calibration fluid. I do have a hagen PH test kit, but it's so hard to read; all I can tell is that it's blue and fairly dark so the PH is somwhere above 8.0. I use the Natureef "mg and total hardness" test kit for mg.

 

[DonW]

Who's test kits are you using ? And what on earth is this

toxins = 0.0 there is no such thing or do you mean Ammonia and Nitrite, I guess ?

I'm 99 % sure you have testing errors on pH and Mg++

Cranky old dude.

Don

 

[auqua man]

I have an ACIII for PH monitoring, but I didn't calibrate the probe, I just asumed it was calibrated. I'll find out in a few days when I get my calibration fluid. I do have a hagen PH test kit, but it's so hard to read; all I can tell is that it's blue and fairly dark so the PH is somwhere above 8.0. I use the Natureef "mg and total hardness" test kit for mg.

Your ph test kit is probably wrong. Salifert test kits are quite good.
Did you say your 2 part add. has mag in it ?
I re calibrate my probe once per month. I find it slowly climes up.
just my 2 cents
Good luck.

 

[Boomer]

Cranky, you should se me on a bad day :lol:

 

[Snowboarda42]

Ditch the store bought stuff, go with Randy's 2 Part

Click Here

 

[risin]

yeah, I think I'll try doing the homemade stuff... At this rate 90% of my stuff will be DIY in a year. What am I going to spend my store credit from xenia frags on? It seems that my 2 part from Natureef adds a lot of trace elements that I don't really need as long as I do waterchanges (15%, 2xmonth).

 

[risin]

So I got my calibration fluids yesterday and WOW, what an eye opener... my 1.026 salinity was actually 1.023 and my PH is now 7.8... not 8.7... The PH was a drastic change, I think I may recalibrate again tonight just to make sure I did it right.

 

[Boomer]

See what we all mean

 

[risin]

Indeed I do, I'll probably be paranoid about the accuracy of my PH probe for months to come... do you know if the lab grade probe for the ACIII is any more stable?

 

[DonW]

Indeed I do, I'll probably be paranoid about the accuracy of my PH probe for months to come... do you know if the lab grade probe for the ACIII is any more stable?

The lab grade probes last a little longer but will still have to be calibrated on a regular basis. If you dont leave the probe in your sump and just use it for spot checking, it can be stored in storage solution. They last a very long time when you do this but its not as handy. Or you can use my method, ignore it and just take care of your tank.

Don

 

[risin]

Yeah, I got the ACIII because I love gadgets and I'm an IT guy, so the idea of being able to check my tank from any device with internet access is attractive. However, the combination of not knowing any better and putting too much faith into the accuracy of my probe was about to turn out really bad...

So how often should I calibrate the probe? once a month?